Brickworks Circular Trail

The small village of Deetz an der Havel once had seven brickworks. In the 19th century, millions of clay bricks made their way from here to be used in tenements and factories in the growing metropolis of Berlin. In addition to the charming landscape, this trail gives you a glimpse of Havelland's industrial history.

From the village church with a stork's nest on the roof, walk along the old village road which quickly takes you out of the Havel village. Along the Havel dyke, the wide river landscape opens up to the attentive observer. The river meanders leisurely through the quiet, open landscape, with cormorants croaking overhead. At the Deetzer Ablage – a sandbank dreaded by skippers – bathers make the most of the washed up sand. This Havel bathing area offers a particularly shallow access. You now leave the Havel behind you and walk a little way back to Deetz before the path leads you along an time-honoured pollarded willow avenue. At the next junction there is an old dump truck that was used to transport clay from the mines outside Deetz. A few steps further on you will see a panel with a map of the former brickworks, which was in operation at this location up until 1960. Not far from here you come to the former clay pits – the Deetzer Erdelöcher. The clay for the surrounding brickworks was extracted from these pits for more than a hundred years. Today they are filled with water and form a labyrinth of small and large lakes. Densely surrounded by trees and reeds, they are a paradise for anglers and anyone in search of peace and quiet. The path winds its way through this unique mosaic of waters. On the narrow land between the lakes there is often only just enough room for the trail. Before you reach Deetz again, you leave the labyrinth and a path covered with pollarded willows leads you back to the village.