Schönwalde-Glien: Nature Trails, Culture and Discovery

Schönwalde-Glien can be explored on foot, by bike and through its architectural and local history. From a trail with stations and forest hikes to historic buildings and art, there are various themes to consider when planning your trip. You can choose accommodation to suit your stay based on the experiences that interest you most.

On foot: the trail and forest hikes

The Waldwichtel Trail in Schönwalde-Glien has 11 stations and is more than three kilometres long. You can enjoy it as a nature walk, fitness trail or journey of discovery. Each option offers a different focus: nature, exercise or exploring the stations. Forest hikes for adults and children are also organised by the Pausin Forest School. This is a different format from the trail with its fixed stations, offering another way to experience the forest.

Whether your focus is on a hike, cultural history or a bike tour, let your personal priorities guide your further search for a place to stay.

Local history and culture

The church in Schönwalde-Dorf houses a very well-preserved Wagner organ dating from 1739. Another historic building is the Stägehaus in Paaren im Glien: it is the oldest house in the district, built after the great village fire of 1678. This Havelland hall house has a central passage and is made of timber framing and clay walls. The Havelland art of butter-making can also be seen at the Stägehaus; check before your visit to see whether it is currently open to visitors.

The Kulturmühle in Perwenitz features modern art and landscape painting. The cultural offering therefore ranges from a historic instrument and traditional architecture to painting. The Ziegenkrug is also part of local history: it was a post station on the road through the forest, known as the “Hamburg Post Road.” A sandstone post-mile marker was erected near the Ziegenkrug in 1803, following precise surveying.

Cycling and waterways

There are several cycling routes to explore. The Havelland Cycle Route runs directly alongside the MAFZ Erlebnispark Paaren, which covers 23 hectares. The “Dörferkranz um den Krämer Forst” cycling route passes through Schönwalde-Glien and connects, among other places, its districts with Oberkrämer. The Krämer Forst cycle tour also starts and ends in Schönwalde. If you are planning a specific route, check its current alignment before setting off.

The Schönwalde lock is another feature of the region’s infrastructure. On the Havel Canal, it connects the different water levels of the Upper and Lower Havel Waterways, bypassing the Berlin urban area. The lock can thus be understood in terms of its function within the waterway network; it offers a different perspective on the region from its cycle routes and historic sites.

The Havelland from a wider perspective

Those looking at the Havelland as a larger travel destination will find further ways to enjoy nature and cycling. On the southern shore of Lake Gülpe, a roughly 1.5-kilometre-long nature trail with illustrated information boards invites visitors to watch birds. During spring and autumn migration, up to 100,000 geese and hundreds of cranes gather at Lake Gülpe; many wading birds, ducks and great egrets also visit.

The Havelland also offers a broader framework for planning bike rides: its numbered junction signposting makes it possible to put together individual cycling routes. The Havelland Cycle Route passes through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow to the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. It is mostly paved, flat and pleasant to ride.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Börnicke, Friesack, Semlin, Retzow, Märkisch Luch, Wustermark, Seeblick, Kotzen

For the broader travel overview: Havelland.