Stage 4 Circular hiking trail Around the Schorfheide

On foot relaxed through the Ice Age Land - from Joachimsthal to Chorin: This stage leads through a landscape shaped by the Ice Age with quaint forests, meadows, and picturesque villages. Hikers can explore the fascinating landscape of the Schorfheide on the route Around the Schorfheide - 135 km in 7 stages. Those who choose this circular route have the opportunity to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, hike in the footsteps of the Ice Age, and experience the Schorfheide and the Barnim Nature Park in their purest form. The trail is characterized by open landscapes, Caribbean sand, forest, and plenty of water.Length: 27 km (hike with shortcuts 22.5 km without the Grumsin loop)Walking time: approx. 7 hoursStart / Finish: Joachimsthal Center to Chorin StationMarking / Logo: Blue TreeArrival: NEB RB 63 from Eberswalde, UVG Bus 515 from Templin, RE 3 and RB 24 from Berlin, car via the A11 motorwayRoute description: Before we set off from Joachimsthal, a first highlight awaits us - up high at the Biorama viewing platform. The viewing tower offers us a unique 360° panoramic view, allowing us to look from Poland to Berlin with a bit of luck, admiring both the stages we have already completed and those waiting for us from above - as well as the lush greenery of the Schorfheide, of course. Past the historic Kaiserbahnhof, we briefly greet Lake Werbellin. Our next section takes us along the track of the Schorfheide Railway, which initially provides an unusual and beautiful contrast in the midst of the otherwise untouched natural landscape. Althüttendorf then offers us several highlights: first, there is the beautiful sunbathing lawn at Grimnitzsee - a must for our first break! Then we pass through the historic village street lined with old brick-style farms, reminding us of long-gone times. The hiking church and the Norn sculptures right by the wayside are welcoming places and the last stop for us in this special village before continuing to Groß-Ziethen, looping through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Buchenwald Grumsin. If you want to delve deeper into the impressions of the Ice Age stations along the wayside, the Geopark Center in Groß-Ziethen is the place to be. After varied landscapes, we reach Senftenhütte and then the monastery village of Chorin, which offers us accommodation options and a railway connection.Sights and Interesting Facts: White Villa, Historic Kaiserbahnhof, Hiking Church and Norn Sculptures, UNESCO World Heritage Site Buchenwald Grumsin, Ice Age Stations and Geopark CenterTrail conditions: Cobblestone, Asphalt, Forest pathsMap recommendation: Pharusplan Schorfheide with the hiking trail Around the Schorfheide and node system for cyclists, Scale: 1:42,000, Publisher: Pharus Plan, 5th edition 2021, ISBN: 978-3-86514-142-2, Price: 5 € and free accompanying booklet