Ruhwinkel: Paths, Fuhlensee and Countryside

Ruhwinkel is characterised by a patchwork landscape of hedgerows, beeches and oaks. Fuhlensee, historic footpaths and the former narrow-gauge railway line give the surrounding area a variety of features. If you would like to combine nature, walking routes and cultural discoveries on your trip, you’ll find specific points of interest here—from a path across the moor to a route that commemorates the work of poet Iven Kruse.

Fuhlensee and the lake landscape

The protected area around Fuhlensee includes reed beds, alder carr and botanically valuable wet meadows. The lake is part of the Bornhöved lake chain, which consists of six lakes that are partly connected. This brings different habitats together in one place: wet meadows, woodland and reeds shape the landscape.

The area around Fuhlensee provides a habitat for rare species such as kingfishers and the broad-leaved marsh orchid. Schierensee lies north of Fuhlensee and has a bathing area. Watching nature at Fuhlensee and visiting the bathing area are two different ways to experience the local lake landscape.

Historic paths and the Old Railway Embankment

Municipal Historic Footpath No. 5 leads from the village via Altekoppel, the old Heerstraße, Vier and the moor. Historic Footpath No. 4 is a shortcut towards Altekoppel and the bathing area. The routes therefore differ in their listed destinations: No. 5 passes through several points, while No. 4 shortens the way towards Altekoppel and the bathing area.

Another type of route is the former narrow-gauge railway embankment, known locally as the Old Railway Embankment. It is now used as a hiking trail from Ruhwinkel towards Bornhöved. These routes offer different ways to find your bearings: one passes through named points, one is a shortcut, and another follows the former railway line towards Bornhöved.

Cultural traces: avenue and poet’s trail

The lime-tree avenue in Schönböken is about 1.1 kilometres long and contains around 240 lime trees. It is listed as a natural monument in the Plön district. Its length, number of trees and protected status make the avenue a clearly defined destination, distinct from nature watching at Fuhlensee.

The Iven Kruse Trail begins at a house associated with the poet Iven Kruse and commemorates his work. The trail is thus dedicated to literary remembrance. Together with the lime-tree avenue, it offers a cultural perspective that stands apart from the historic footpaths through Altekoppel and the moor.

Transport links and the wider Plön area

To the west of Ruhwinkel, the former B404, now district road K43, runs between Bad Segeberg and Kiel. The A21 runs parallel to the former Kiel–Bad Segeberg narrow-gauge railway line. These road and railway connections help put the transport network around Ruhwinkel into context.

The wider travel destination of Plön offers a broader landscape setting. Plön district lies between the Baltic Sea and Holstein Switzerland and has about 50 kilometres of Baltic Sea coastline. The district includes around 80 lakes: Lake Großer Plöner See covers 29 square kilometres, and Lake Selenter See 22 square kilometres. These regional dimensions complement the local focus on Fuhlensee and Schierensee in Ruhwinkel.

The wider travel destination of Plön also offers a variety of water-based activities. Along the district’s Baltic coast, from Mönkeberg to Sehlendorfer Strand, there are opportunities for swimming, sailing, surfing and diving, as well as boat trips, offshore sailing excursions, fishing-boat trips and surf fishing. In Plön district, you can explore the Schwentine water trail by canoe; the lakes can also be travelled by sailboat or excursion boat. These activities describe the wider Plön area, not Ruhwinkel itself.

For nature experiences, large parts of the district lie within Holstein Switzerland Nature Park, which covers 75,000 hectares and offers space for enjoying nature and spotting rare animals. Cultural destinations also shape the wider travel destination: Plön Castle stands above the lake of the same name in Holstein Switzerland and is the landmark of Plön district. Thus, in the wider travel destination, nature, water and culture are distinct themes alongside Ruhwinkel’s paths and landscapes.

Discover more destinations: Helmstorf, Probstei, Schwentinental, Bokhorst-Wankendorf, Preetz-Land, Höhndorf, Kletkamp, Pohnsdorf.

For the overall travel guide: Plön.