Ländliche Radrundtour im Norden Brandenburgs

Sixty-three kilometers from Rheinsberger Tor

The loop starts at Neuruppin Rheinsberger Tor train station on Karl-Marx-Straße and, at sixty-three kilometers, is significantly larger than a mere circumnavigation of Lake Ruppin: it extends far to the east, to Lindow and Lake Vielitzsee, and on the way back includes the Ruppin Canal and Alt-Ruppin. The route is ridden on roads and cycle paths, mostly paved, partly on forest and meadow paths, and the terrain is gently undulating throughout. The journey is also worthwhile without a car: From Berlin Hauptbahnhof, take the S-Bahn to Gesundbrunnen or Spandau and from there the RE 6 to Neuruppin Rheinsberger Tor, a total of about one hour and thirty minutes. Alternatively, the S25 runs from Berlin Friedrichstraße to Hennigsdorf, where the RE 6 connects towards Wittenberge. For bikes, as everywhere in the transport association: only in designated compartments, only when space is available, and there is no entitlement to it.

Fontane, a Schinkel church and the fishing village of Altfriesack

Neuruppin is Fontane’s birthplace, and this shapes the beginning of the tour: The Fontane Monument, his birthplace, the monastery church, the museum, and the lakeside promenade are all close to the start. In addition, there is the Tempelgarten with its restored villa, one of the most beautiful garden complexes in the region. On the way around the lake, Wuthenow follows with a village church designed by Schinkel, in which a town view from 1694 hangs, then Karwe with its art trail. In Altfriesack there is a fishing village with a lock and a drawbridge, in Wustrau the Brandenburg-Preussia Museum, an ice cellar, and a castle that can be viewed from the outside. Buskow contributes a fieldstone church, and a prominent scenic point is the Seedamm, the only bridge over Lake Ruppin. Those who pack swimwear will find a bathing spot in Gnewikow directly on the path. At Dammkrug between Alt-Ruppin and the canal, the loop closes back to Neuruppin. The fact that the route extends far beyond the lakeshore is its real charm: Between Lindow and Lake Vielitzsee lies a quiet, hardly frequented section that the short lake tours of the area do not touch.