Triple-lake walk: Bachsee, Heiliger See, Amtssee

This is one of my absolute favourite swimming walks from Berlin for its variety and feeling of untouched nature. Another bonus is this walk is accessible with public transport, and indeed you’ll be walking from one station to another, so taking a car would be tricky. The walk takes about 3 hours but plan in lots of time for swims and pottering around the Kloster Chorin at the end of the walk: a gothic cloister ruin right next to another beautiful (you’ve guessed it) LAKE! There isn’t a really great route description of this walk online, although this is fairly helpful, so I’d recommend downloading a map of the area on Google Maps, using the below as a rough guide.

Take the train to Britz, Brandenburg and make your way towards the tiny Bachsee along the Ragöser Fließ, which is a path through a nature reserve. The Bachsee is a woodland lake which seems to pop out of nowhere and has a small picnic table and landing stage from which you can elegantly (or via cannonball) make your way into the water. So far, so blissful!

From the Bachsee head on to the Heiliger See, bigger than the Bachsee but still pretty inviting for a dip once you find a secluded spot. Now you’re heading towards Kloster Chorin, which you should definitely take a few minutes to enjoy before dipping your toes into the Amtssee, the biggest lake you’ll see today, with lovely small islands to gaze upon from the banks and/or surface.

From the cloister make your way back to the train at Chorin station, where there’s a lovely little cafe with snacks and drinks waiting. You didn’t think I’d recommend a hike without a fry stop did you? <3