Circular trail around Great and Small Zeschsee

After an eventful history as far as regional affiliation is concerned, Zesch today belongs as an inhabited part of the municipality to the Zossen district of Lindenbrück. The landscape of the entire area was shaped by the Ice Age. It was the ice age that formed the terminal moraine near Zesch. In the varied landscape around Zesch, almost all members of a glacial series can be easily recognized, only the ground moraine is missing to form a perfect glacial series. Instead, a mini glacial valley was formed during the melting of the ice masses. Some larger dead ice masses remained and left the two Zesch lakes after their melting in the resulting hollow forms.
The area around the Great and Small Zeschsee is well developed by two hiking trails about 9 km long. The circular trail is also connected to the 66-lake hiking trail. The main attraction of the trail is the historic vineyard whose origins can be traced back to the 16th century.

The vineyard in Zesch am See
About 750 m southeast of the village lies the 93.2 m high vineyard. The vineyard, originally about 12 hectares in size, occupied the gently sloping southern slope, directly south of the present fire watch tower, which marks the highest point of the elevation. The structure of the vineyard is still clearly recognizable today. A low earthen wall marks the former vineyard area. At the southern end was also the entrance to the vineyard; it is flanked by two large sweet chestnuts that form a kind of gate. At the foot of the vineyard there is an orchard.
Beyond the vineyard, a little further to the west, there is still the remains of a former wine cellar. This was dug into the vineyard and built as a vaulted cellar. Only the hollow and an arch walled with bricks are still recognizable today. This arch describes the rest of the former entrance area. The Zescher vineyard, first mentioned in 1595, is the westernmost spur of the wine-growing area around Teupitz, which belonged to Lower Lusatia. Since Zesch was owned by the Lords of Baruth, the vineyard also belonged to them - from 1596 to the Counts or Princes of Solms.

Length
9 km for the circular trail around both lakes; 6 km for the circular trail around the Great Zesch Lake
Start/Finish
Visitors' parking lot on the village square in Zesch
Marking/Logo
Red dot on white background
Arrival and departurewith the bus 712 - possibility to get off the RE 5 in Baruth/Mark, Wünsdorf-Waldstadt or Zossen Neuhofby car via A10 and B96Directions
From the parking lot on the village square, first walk back a bit on Lindenbrücker Straße in the direction of the main road. In front of the isolated houses the path forks and we follow the path branching off from the main road to the left into the forest. The path then approaches the shore of the Großer Zeschsee. The western and southwestern shore and lowland areas of the two lakes are protected. Cranes, ospreys and otters are regular visitors.
At the southeastern end of the Großer Zeschsee there is a camping site. The path leads past the campsite in an easterly direction to the vineyard. This is almost completely circumnavigated on the signposted path. The rest of the way leads back to the center of Zesch. Following the street Unter den Eichen you can continue your hike and walk around the Kleiner Zeschsee. Here the circular route overlaps with the 66-lake hiking trail.

Possible combinations
Connection to the 66 Lakes Hiking Trail
Trail condition/trail development
developed paths, field and farm tracks, along country roads

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