Autumn is quickly passing by, this year perceptibly more so than usual for me. The leaves change colours and temperatures drop ever so swiftly, so before unbearably cold winter and icy roads get in the way, why not take that bike out on a trip at least once more?
Cycling for more than half an hour within the city is usually a horror for me because of the numerous traffic lights and reckless cyclists, so in this post I’m going to bring you my favourite routes in Brandenburg instead. The bike paths are generally paved, flat and comfortable, with little traffic to avoid. I hope you find a favourite on this list, too.
My Top 5 Autumn Cycling Routes in Brandenburg
- 1. Spreewald
J and I believe that the best autumn colours of the region are to be found in the nature of UNESCO Spreewald Biosphere Reserve, south-east of Berlin. You can cycle along various channels, surrounded by deciduous trees and their astonishing shades of red and yellow. We have been to various spots in the Spreewald a few times by now (not just for cycling) and always loved it.
The Spreewald is highly unique in that:
- a) The landscape consists of numerous tiny canals
- In the past, the only way the population of Spreewald could get around was on water, so you’d notice that practically every village or town here has its own harbour.
- b) The first settlers in the region are Slavic tribes, of Sorbs and Wends
- When you arrive, you’d notice that a lot of signs are in German and Sorbian and/or Wendish. For example, the most touristy town in the Spreewald is officially Lübbenau in German, Lubnjow in Sorbian, and Błota in Wendish. There are even radio programmes and stations in the region that broadcast in Sorbian!
The most recent route we cycled on was the Gurkenradweg (Gherkin Bike Trail), whose full length is over 260 km but can be broken into several legs. J and I did 68 km of it between Lübbenau and Cottbus in one day, and I’ll probably write a separate post about it in more detail. If you’d like to start from Berlin, there’s the 68 km long Hofjagdweg that runs between Königs Wusterhausen and Lübben.
If you’re not into cycling, you can enjoy a stroll through the biosphere reserve, ride a barge, or rent a kayak/canoe (April to October). In any case, make sure to bag yourself a jar (or more) of Spreewälder Gurken, the famous pickled cucumber from the region, before you leave.
Brandenburg an der Havel is more than a thousand years old and it was once the centre of old Brandenburg (hence the name) and Prussia. It lies on the banks of river Havel (also hence the name) west of Berlin and can be reached by train in less than an hour.
A number of cycling routes run through Brandenburg an der Havel, but the one J and I did a few weeks ago was the 7-Seen-Tour (7 Lakes Tour). At only 34 km long, it’s especially suitable for shorter days like those in autumn. This bike route not only takes you around seven different lakes in the region, but also back in time to the DDR (communist, East German era) and even beyond. You will see old factories, socialists concepts of community living and desolate brown field land where nature rules again.
I’ll probably write a separate post on the 7 Lakes Tour but I can already let you know that unlike in the Spreewald, you can expect predominantly smooth tarmac paths here, so you can take your urban fixies and single-speed two-wheeler if you like.
If you’re not into cycling, you can visit the historic old town of Brandenburg or try some water sports on the river Havel/nearby lakes.
3. Linum
Linum is a small village in the municipality of Fehrbellin in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin district of Brandenburg, north-west of Berlin. It’s THE place to be to watch cranes migrate to the southern hemisphere before it gets cold, usually between September and October. More than 80,000 cranes per day have been spotted here during the peak migration period.
J and I went to Linum in October last year but unfortunately we didn’t have any proper camera or binoculars to zoom in on the cranes. You could easily recognise the flock from afar, though.
We started our 60 km bicycle ride in Hohen Neuendorf (which is accessibly by S-Bahn from Berlin), headed north west, and then south to Nauen before returning home. I don’t remember there being proper bike paths most of the time, but this is one of the least densely populated regions in Brandenburg, so there’s generally little car traffic around. The autumn colours along the way are beautiful too.
If you’re not into cycling, you might still enjoy the abundant nature and wildlife (storks, geese, eagles, etc.) that Linum has to offer. I recommend visiting the Linumer Teichland, which is essentially a group of ponds making up a protected bird sanctuary and one of the biggest crane resting places in Brandenburg. Besides in autumn, the cranes also come to Linum in March and April as they rest here on their way back from the south to their home in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
4. Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve
If asphalt bike paths bore you to death, I recommend venturing north-east of Berlin, into one of the largest protected areas in Germany. Like the Spreewald, Schorfheide was formed during the last ice age. It’s home to various bodies of water, woodlands and animals.
J and I started our bike trip in this region in Gut Kerkow, an organic farm at the edge of Uckermark. Since we started off quite late in the afternoon, we did only a small, 37 km loop through Angermunde and Ziethen on that trip, which I might do a separate post about. You can find some route suggestions here (in German).
If you’re not into cycling, you can hike in the biosphere reserve or visit the ice age exhibition in the National GeoPark Eiszeitland am Oderrand. Like in Linum, you could also observe bird migration here in September and October. And perhaps pluck some apples!
5. Potsdam
Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, is a classic day-trip destination from Berlin. Located just south-west of Berlin, it’s easy to get to both by train and by bike. Since the days in autumn are short, I recommend cycling there in the morning with a stop at Wannsee and taking the train back from Potsdam to Berlin in the evening.
Despite being a capital, Potsdam is actually rather small and perfect to explore by bike. Besides strolling, cycling is arguably the loveliest way to enjoy autumn colours in the Sanssouci Park. You can check out some bike routes in and around Potsdam here.
If you’re not into cycling, there are enough things to see and do in Potsdam. Places you definitely don’t want to miss include the Sanssouci Palace with its park (the Prussian spin on Versailles), the Dutch Quarter, the Glienicke Bridge a.k.a. the bridge of spies, and the Babelsberg Palace and Park. There’s also the famous Babelsberg Filmpark which I have yet to check out.
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