The Berlin Wall Bike Trail – Sunny Spring Days

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Berlin was rainy for so long, I didn’t think the weather could do anything but! So I was quite shocked that the sunshine lasted so long this spring. I had another lovely Sunday afternoon for my third leg of the Berlin Wall bike trail. Since I didn’t enjoy riding my bike through the city to the start of the trail last time, I hopped on the Sbahn to Griebnitzsee to save me 20 km.

Griebnitzsee to Glienicker Brücke – 3 km

Once off the train, I cycled along a quiet street running the length of the west side of the Griebnitzsee past a number of fancy villas. During the Second World War, many Jews were forced to leave their homes here. During the Potsdam Conference, the villas served as residences for Truman, Churchill, and Stalin.

I then rode by the Babelsberg Schloss (unfortunately closed for renovation – a trip for another day!), crossed the one-lane bridge, and continued along the opposite shore until the Glienicker Brücke, the end of the 5th tour. From the Glienicker Brücke, I had an important choice to make. Take Königstraße to the right, going through Glienicker Park, and then take the ferry to Luisenberg – about 10 km (route 6a – through Berlin). Or, turn left over the bridge and take the 16 km route (route 6b – through Potsdam).

Glienicker Brücke to Luisenberg/Kladow (durch Potsdam) – 16 km

I chose the latter, longer route. I can’t say with certainty, because I haven’t tried the Berlin route, but this was, so far, the most challenging leg of the Mauerweg. Also, it felt like more of the path was gravel or dirt than pavement, adding another layer of difficulty to this trail.

To begin this route, I headed west over the Glienicker Brücke and traveled along the western shore of the Havel. The ride is on a nice gravely path passing by a number of Potsdam attractions. First, I passed the Matrosenstation Konsnaes, a sailors’ station built by King William II in the Norwegian-style. It was under construction so I’ll have to go back sometime (good thing Potsdam is so close!). Schloss Cecilienhof was the next sight I encountered. It was also built by William II for his son and daughter-in-law. It’s famous for being the meeting place where the US, Britain, and the USSR met to divide Germany after WWII (Potsdam Conference). Before long, I was at the Meierei Potsdam, a delicious brewery we also stumbled upon on the first leg of the 66 Lakes Trail (they had a really great Herbst/Oktoberbock).

Then it was unfortunately a slightly boring stretch along a main road heading northward out of Potsdam. I rode across a small island to Neu Fahrland until I reached the northernmost point of the Krampnitzer See. From here, I traveled a much nicer unpaved forested trail down the east side of the lake. Over the next few kilometers the lakes ran into one another – Krampnitzer See became Lehnitzee which became Jungfernsee. The hilly path was a challenging ride for me, but I saw far fewer people than the previous weekend which, in my opinion, is always a plus.

Passing by the grounds for Schloss Sacrow, I traveled northward (again) and upward (again) through the forest until I reached Luisenberg. Here this section meets up with the other route variation (6a). Naturally, I got lost for a little bit where the routes intersect, following the trail in the reverse direction. I quickly realized my mistake, biked back up the hill, and was back on track.

Luisenberg/Kladow to Staaken Bahnhof (Spandau) – 14 km

From Luisenberg, I traveled a little bit further through the park before reaching the town of Groß Glienicke. There I rode along Dorfstrasse with the lake in view behind some of the houses. The whole time I was wondering which house might be The House on the Lake, a true story by Thomas Harding about a home on Groß Glienicker See and its fascinating history paralleling events in Germany over hundreds of years. At the end of the lake, I went by the Gutshof (manor house) mentioned in the book and then passed through the Spandauer Tor (gate).

After a stretch of main road, I rode through the Schafweide (sheep meadow) at Fort Haneberg. The fields there had some really cute sheep with their lambs (my pictures of them do the adorable little ones no justice). A hop, skip, and jump later, I was in Spandau waiting for the train at the Staaken Bahnhof.

This trip had lots of history, city, forest, farms… you name it! And another sunny day on the Mauerweg in the books.