Waldbühne running route

Waldbühne jogging trail: running on the edge of the Olympic Park

The starting point is on Glockenturmstraße in Westend, at the large parking lot on the way to the Waldbühne. Its eastern exit, between the parking lot and the Waldbühne fence, is also the access point to the forest. By S-Bahn, you travel to Pichelsberg and from the exit towards Waldbühne, follow the signs to Glockenturmstraße. The Olympic Park is freely accessible, and the same applies to the forest. Only the access point at Gutsmuthsweg is closed two hours before game days in the Olympic Stadium.

Beyond this lie Murellenschlucht and Schanzenwald, a dry valley formed by ice-age glaciers on the northern edge of the Grunewald. The area covers around forty hectares and was closed to the public for decades. During renaturation, asphalt paths, concrete surfaces, and buildings were removed. What remained are gravel and forest paths as well as stairs leading down into the gorge.

Six kilometers where you don’t have to meet anyone

The complete loop through Schanzenwald and Murellenschlucht measures approximately six kilometers. Those who want to run longer can add a loop via the Olympic Park, reaching about ten kilometers. The surface is predominantly firm, there are noticeable uphills and downhills, and the route is rarely crowded even on a weekday evening. For someone who primarily needs mental space after a breakup, this is the true quality of this route.

Along the way, you pass places that change the run. On the former shooting ranges, there are now playground equipment and seating areas, plus a viewpoint over dry grasslands with many insect and bird species. On Murellenberg, a memorial path commemorates 230 people who were shot by the Wehrmacht in 1944 and 1945 for alleged desertion. Since 2001, traffic mirrors along the path bear their names. Further back, the valley of the Ruhleben flowing meadow ends directly at the Waldbühne fence.