Hiking the Famous Schlaubetal

Did you ever hear so much about a great place that when you got there you wondered what all the hype was about? That happened to me when I went out to hike the famous Schlaubetal, one of Brandenburg’s few Qualitätswanderwege, or Quality Hikes. It was good, but I’ve been on many Brandenburg hikes that were just as good. And there were a few mishaps for me that made this hike even tougher to swallow.

Qualitätswanderweg

The Schlaubetal (meaning “Schlaube Valley”) is located just south of Frankfurt an der Oder near the Polish border. This 25km long hike has the seal of “Qualitätswanderweg” from the Deutsche Wanderverband. Qualitätswanderwege meet specific criteria in terms of diverse landscapes, well-kept paths, user-friendly trail markers, natural and cultural attractions, among others. The Schlaubetal is one of 4 Qualitätswanderwege in Brandenburg. Not only did this high honor have me interested in this trail, but the numerous recommendations I have received from fellow hikers about this route. Even my Brandenburg hiking book touts it as “the most beautiful in the whole state.”

Some Complicated Logistics

To do this hike, I got up at 5 in the morning to make sure I would have enough time. The most challenging thing about this hike is the public transportation. There are trains often enough to Müllrose (the start) via Frankfurt an der Oder. Despite that journey taking over 2 hours, it’s not the main problem. The return trip at the end of the hike is from a bus stop at the end of the Schlaubetal which is only serviced a few times in the morning and then every three hours. I either needed to finish the hike shortly after 3PM or 6:30PM. And it’s not possible to hike in the opposite direction because arriving at this bus stop from Berlin before 11AM is not possible. I needed to make sure I was on that 3:20 bus back!

Müllrose and Starting the Hike

When I arrived in Müllrose, the air was really thick with fog, but finding the start of the hike was easy. I followed the main road directly out of the station until I hit the lake, the Großer Müllroser See. It was invisible due to fog. I followed the shoreline southward until I reached the sign for the “Naturpark Schlaubetal.” Shortly after, the trail turns into the woods and official blue “S” trail markers appear to guide the way.

Even though my guidebook said the trail is especially pretty after the Kupferhammer, I still enjoyed the hike until then. The fog began to lift, but the skies were clouded over the whole day. The Ragower Mühle is the first of several mills on the Schlaubetal hike, and there are even more throughout the region. Aside from the birds, I had the woods to myself as it was a damp autumn Thursday (this hike is not recommended on weekends or holidays because it is SO popular). I saw and heard many woodpeckers, was amazed at how many kinds of mushrooms are along the way, and tried to avoid walking into the ridiculous amount of spider webs.

Calm, but Stressed

When the trail reached the Kupferhammer, it did get noticeably more beautiful. The Schlaube stream widens into small ponds and sometimes as large as lakes. Although there are so many kinds of birds chirping the whole time, the forest seems very calm. Maybe it is the absence of any and all vehicle noises that typically plague our ears. I was feeling very relaxed, until I thought I was lost.

Am I Lost?

I felt like I had gone all the way around one lake and was heading back towards Müllrose. The coursly drawn map I had in my guidebook showed a zigzagging pattern from one side of the Schlaube to the other. But the water had always been on my right side. Had I circled completely around one of the lakes and was now heading back north? Sometimes I regret having the cheapest possible cell phone plan and a very old phone, because I had no service and couldn’t check where I was or if I was heading in the correct direction.

A sign pointing in the direction I was heading that said “Müllrose” did not ease my panic. The confusing thing was that it also said “Bremsdorfer Mühle,” which I definitely had not passed yet, but should be going by eventually. The sign said how far to Bremsdorfer Mühle, but no signs ever mentioned the Schlaubenmühle at the end of the trail or how far it was to get there. My guidebook stated that the hike was 25.4 km long. But I have been on 17 kilometer hikes from this guide which were actually 21 km. I didn’t know how much I could trust this “guide” book.

Checkpoint: Bremsdorfer Mühle

When I did get to the Bresmdorfer Mühle at half past noon, it was actually really cool. There is a giant wooden wheel that turns as the water flows out of an enormous waterfall. Despite the beauty, I couldn’t really enjoy it because now I was stressing. How far had I come? Was I heading in the right direction? Was I hiking at 3km per hour? Or 5? How many kilometers left? Would 3 hours be enough time to make it to the bus?

Although it was lunch time, I just kept walking thinking there wasn’t time to eat. I began hiking more quickly, and worked up a sweat as I rushed by the most beautiful areas of the hike. The creek was lower than the trail by about 10 feet, creating a small gorge through the forest. I wanted to enjoy the hike but I also needed to catch that stupid bus!

HELP!

This section of the route had more hikers out and about. Perhaps because this section is more beautiful? Or because it’s the afternoon? Either way, I asked several people as I was stomping past if they knew how far it was to the Schlaubenmühle. No one knew for sure because no one had actually started there, but a few checked on their functioning smart phones for me. “It looks like 3 or 4 kilometers,” one said. “2.97 as the crow flies,” was the next response. Was that last one in miles or kilometers? How many kilometers would that be if it was miles? But what if the path goes in wild curves and it’s actually six more kilometers!? WILL I MAKE IT!? The math for speed, distance, and time was whirling around my brain computing all possible combinations.

There were points where I was nearly jogging in my haste to get to this bus stop at the end of the hike. I did stop a few times when I couldn’t help but take a photo. Really, the mushrooms were impressive. And the harmony between the trees and the creek was just so lovely! I passed by two miniature mills placed in the Schlaube when it was reduced to a tiny creek. The little wheels were whizzing around as the water went by.

Relief?

Finally, hungry and sweaty, I reached the nature center at the end of the Schlaubetal. One hour and twenty minutes before the bus’s scheduled departure time. Now I was thoroughly annoyed at myself for having rushed. I could have spent more time enjoying the more beautiful second half of the hike. But knowing myself, there would be no enjoyment with an unknown time pressure.

Yes, this was a very beautiful hike. However, I do feel like the signage could have been better. How could there not be one sign saying how far until the end of the hike? Not one sign directing hikers to the Schlaubenmühle? What was with that completely wrong sign directing back to Müllrose? And yes, I know that part of this was my own anxiety and stress regarding time. That’s why I do want to give the Schlaubetal hike another go in the future. And I want a nice sunny day to fully enjoy this Qualitätswanderweg in all its glory!

Going on the Schlaubetal hike? This page has a decent map to get you to the start.