Hintersee: Discover village history and trails

Hintersee brings together an early settlement history and distinctive landmarks in the village and surrounding landscape. The Zopfenbeck Colony, from which the village developed, was founded around 1745 on the southern shore of the former Ahlbeck Lake. Old and converted half-timbered houses, St. John’s Church and trails with historic connections offer different ways to discover Hintersee.

Colony history and architectural heritage

The houses in Hintersee recall the settlement’s beginnings in different ways: old and converted half-timbered houses evoke the time of its founding, while restored settlers’ houses are surrounded by cottage gardens and farmyards. In this way, the colony’s history is given an architectural character as well as a founding date. Anyone interested in rural architecture will find tangible details here that add to the picture of the village’s early development.

St. John’s Church and traces of time

St. John’s Church in Hintersee was completed in 1899. Its furnishings point to other periods: the organ was made by the Stettin-based Grüneberg organ-building company in the early 19th century. One of the two bells is older than the church, while the baptismal font dates from the period when it was built. These different historical references make St. John’s Church interesting to visitors who are passionate about regional architectural and cultural history.

Moorland and forest in the landscape

Hintersee lies at the southeastern end of the Ahlbeck Lake basin, a moorland landscape designated a nature reserve in 1987. Extensive middle-aged pine forests stretch between Rieth and Hintersee in the Riether Neuhaus forest district. The moorland and forest thus represent two distinct landscape features that shape Hintersee’s connection to its surroundings.

Walk to Barnim’s Cross

A walking route leads from Hintersee towards Szczecin, ending at Barnim’s Cross near the Polish border. Local tradition places the death of Barnim II, Duke of Pomerania, there in 1295. The route thus connects a specific landmark with a story from Pomeranian history. If you enjoy learning about a place’s history while you’re out and about, Barnim’s Cross makes a distinctive historical point of interest along the walk.

Cycling along the former narrow-gauge railway line

An approximately eight-kilometre cycle path runs between Hintersee and Rieth along the former Randow narrow-gauge railway line. Old railway signs decorate the route, which is also part of the long-distance Oder–Neisse Cycle Route. The former railway line gives the cycle link a distinctive historical touch, while its connection to a longer route also makes it useful for planning cycling trips beyond the local area.

Walking and cycling offer different highlights: the walking route leads to Barnim’s Cross and its local legend, while the cycle path between Hintersee and Rieth follows the former railway line.

The wider region: Vorpommern-Greifswald

The Am Stettiner Haff Nature Park offers another perspective on the landscape within the wider destination of Vorpommern-Greifswald. It is characterised by undeveloped shores along the lagoon, lagoon meadows, the extensive forests of the Ueckermünde Heath, river valleys and the Brohmer Mountains. The Ueckermünde Heath is considered one of the largest contiguous forest areas in Central Europe. If you are planning a broader trip, these regional landscapes can complement Hintersee’s village history, moorland setting and trails.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Luckow, Liepgarten, Mönkebude, Vogelsang-Warsin, Ahlbeck, Meiersberg, Altwarp, Torgelow-Holländerei

Back to the regional travel overview: Amt Am Stettiner Haff.