Guided tours at Chorin Monastery

Length: 6 km

Start/Finish: Chorin Monastery

Marking/Logo: Trail marking on the edge of the path

Arrival/Departure:
Train: from Berlin take the RE3 (Schwedt) to Eberswalde and from there take bus 912 to Chorin (approx. 60 minutes).
Car: from Berlin take the A11 to Chorin (approx. 70 minutes).
Directions:
Walk around the vineyard (3 km):
The walk through the vineyard starts opposite Chorin Monastery at the visitor entrance. The small inclines are rewarded with a break at a magnificent viewpoint with a shelter, which you reach after crossing the old cobblestone path to Liepe. The view extends over a gently rolling landscape. The south slopes of the mountain were used for wine cultivation until a harsh winter in the mid-18th century destroyed the last vines. 100 years later, the vineyard was redesigned to resemble a park. It became the forest garden of the Forestry Academy in Eberswalde, from which most of the tree species still present in the region originate. There were over 1000 species of shrubs and many plants here. The vineyard can be considered a cradle of cultivation for exotic trees and plants. The experiments were discontinued in 1930 and the vineyard developed into a beautiful mixed forest.

Walk around Bullenwiese (4 km):
Follow the avenue leading from the west facade of the monastery towards Sandkrug. The path soon ends at a small road towards the village of Chorin; follow the sign to Chorin and turn right, then cross the bridge over the Nettelgraben. Before the bridge, follow the path on the left, initially marked as a cycle path. It leads around the Bullenwiesen. Here too, you can trace the large water management measures of the Chorin monks in the Middle Ages. The so-called "Bullenwiesen" were used by the monks seasonally as carp ponds for fish farming and as grazing areas for cattle, as meadows from October to March and as ponds in summer.
The ponds are supplied by the Nettelgraben. The entire ditch is an artificial structure - a massive construction project with great results: 150 km2 of land were drained, fresh water was led from Lake Parsteiner over 12 km to the monastery, lakes, ponds, and mills were supplied with more water. On the way back, a connecting path leads directly to Amtssee at the bridge over the Nettelgraben.

Map Recommendation: "Schorfheide - Uckermark - Barnim: 4in1 Hiking Map with Activity Guide and Detailed Maps", 1:50,000, KOMPASS Maps, Edition: 2 (June 2021), ISBN: 978-3-99121-293-5, 11.99 Euros