Schenkendöbern: Discover heathland, lakes and nature

Schenkendöbern combines a remarkable heathland landscape with lakes, circular trails and forests. Nature lovers will find a variety of ways to explore the area: an educational trail with an observation tower, a circular hike at Lake Göhlen that can be planned with a clear idea of its duration, and a cycling route along the municipality’s large lakes. The FFH area Reicherskreuzer Heide and Große Göhlenze and Lake Pinnow represent two distinctly different landscapes.

Heathland with special protection

The FFH area “Reicherskreuzer Heide and Große Göhlenze” (EU No. 3952-301, state No. 63) covers 3,063.85 ha. It is considered Brandenburg’s largest managed heathland and is home to 18 species listed as critically endangered on Brandenburg’s Red List. Most of the area lies in Spree-Neiße district, in the municipality of Schenkendöbern; smaller parts belong to Jamlitz in Dahme-Spreewald district and Neuzelle in Oder-Spree district. Its size and species diversity make the heathland a distinctive natural feature of the municipality.

The educational trail in Reicherskreuzer Heide is a circular route between Pinnow and Reicherskreuz that starts and ends at the observation tower. The tower is therefore both the starting point and the destination, and a fixed reference point for the route.

At Lake Göhlen: circular trail and birdlife

The circular hiking trail at Lake Göhlen is about 6 km long and takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete. The combination of distance and estimated time helps you plan the loop as a stand-alone walk during your day.

Lake Göhlen is home to reed warblers, great reed warblers and many species of duck. The birds you can observe vary with the season. If you are interested in birdlife, you can also choose the lake based on when a visit fits into your travel plans.

If you travel from Groß Drewitz to Lake Göhlen by bicycle or car, there is a car park before the first bungalows. Check local parking conditions before setting out. Raft trips are also mentioned as a nature-based tourist activity at Lake Göhlen. If you would like to plan a trip, check in advance whether one is available when you visit.

Lakes and forests along different routes

The Guben Lakes Loop offers a different perspective on the lakes: this cycling route runs alongside the large lakes in the municipality of Schenkendöbern. If you would rather choose a cycling route than a single circular hike, it offers another way to explore the municipality’s lakes.

Lake Pinnow also offers its own distinctive landscape. It lies on the edge of the Schlaubetal valley, in Pinnow, a district of Schenkendöbern; it is surrounded by pine, oak and mixed forests and lies within a landscape conservation area. Here, lake, forest and protected landscape come together, creating a different natural setting from the heathland of Reicherskreuzer Heide.

Further afield in the wider Spree-Neiße destination

The wider Spree-Neiße destination offers additional landscape and cultural highlights. At the East German Rose Garden in Forst (Lausitz), visitors can admire tens of thousands of roses in almost 1,000 varieties across a 17-hectare park. The garden offers a distinctive attraction for anyone wishing to explore landscaped parks and a large rose collection in addition to heathlands and lakes.

For cyclists, the Spree Cycle Route crosses the Spree-Neiße region for about 60 kilometres, mostly along paved river dikes. This is a different regional cycling focus from the Guben Lakes Loop, which runs alongside the large lakes in the municipality of Schenkendöbern.

Themed routes also offer their own highlights: the Lower Lusatian Mining Tour runs past active open-cast lignite mines and landscapes reclaimed after mining. The Fürst-Pückler-Weg showcases examples of landscape design from Pückler’s time and the present day. The Sorbian Impressions Tour offers insights into the life and traditions of the Sorbian/Wendish minority in the region.

Discover more places

You can also discover Atterwasch if you would like to explore more facets of the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Tauer, Neuhausen/Spree, Guben, Groß Schacksdorf-Simmersdorf, Teichland, Felixsee, Kolkwitz.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Spree-Neiße.