Mühlensee circular route

The hiking trail at the Mühlensee is probably one of the most beautiful, barrier-free hiking trails in the Ruppiner Seenland. Wooden footbridges lead over the shore of the lake, cows cross the path and the numerous, lushly overgrown bays and peninsulas make the hike a real nature experience. Only the eastern side of the lake and a small section on the western shore are designated as official hiking trails on the information boards, but a circular hike around the entire inkblot-like lake is always worthwhile. Not only because a culinary break can be taken in Neu-Schwante...

Length: 6.2 kilometers
Start/finish: Parking lot at the Mühlenweg (north shore)
Places along the route: Schwante, Vehlefanz, Neu-Schwante
Marking: no marking, along the route there are information boards
Arrival/departure by train: RB55/RE6 to Schwante station, then by foot to the lake (1.5 km)

Route description / Sights and things to know:
During the approx. 6-kilometer round hike, you will hike around the entire Mühlensee: The tour is not marked as an official round hike, but the round hike is barrier-free and easily possible with the help of the information boards as well as the track.
The tour begins at the parking lot on Mühlenweg in Schwante. An information board gives an overview of the hiking trail as well as nearby sights. From here, you hike along the eastern shore of the lake on asphalt paths. On the way, the trail leads you, among other things, across a cattle pasture, where you are accompanied for a while by peaceful cows, and along numerous, lushly overgrown bays and peninsulas. For quite a while, the path also takes the form of a footbridge directly over the water. The wooden footbridge, equipped with railings, also offers a few places to sit and enjoy a wonderful view over the lake.
Already from a distance you can see the windmills of the Bockwindmühle Vehlefanz on the left, which is home to a small mill museum. Right next door is the Oberkrämer tourist information office. A detour there is possible via a path connection about halfway across the lake.
Finally, at the southern end of the lake is the vineyard, where wine was grown until the 19th century. From here the path leads away from the shore of the lake, and then parallel to the "Perwenitzer Chaussee" towards Neu-Schwante. For a few hundred meters you now walk around the industrial area, where among other things the "SL Gartenbau GmbH" is located - one of the largest chicory producers in Germany.
Immediately after the industrial area, follow the bicycle signs and turn right into the main street. A culinary stop can be made at the café and restaurant "Gartenhaus". The restaurant is also a signpost: At its intersection, turn right again and follow the path along the industrial area to the western shore of the lake.
From now on, the path "Am Wiesengrund" leads you along the shore to the northern end of the lake. The last meters of the circular route lead you along the "Mühlenweg" through a nice residential area in Schwante back to the parking lot.

The short alternative: If you only want to experience nature, you can also shorten the hike by half and hike the east side of the lake as an out-and-back tour with a turnaround at the vineyard.