Warnow Breakthrough Valley Round Trip (4 km | 1 day trip)

The starting point is the parking lot at the nature reserve "Warnow-Mildenitz-Durchbruchstal" near Groß Görnow. Before the hike really gets underway, an information board provides information about this special landscape. First, the trail leads down to the Warnow River and along the bank for a few hundred meters until the hikers reach a wooden bridge. Here begins the ascent along a narrow path to the remains of a 1000-year-old hilltop castle. A display board gives an overview of the Slavic site. Those who want to learn more about this historical period can go on a journey through time in the open-air museum in Groß Raden, which is only six kilometers away.

Following the castle rampart, the trail runs parallel to the riverbank at a height of up to 30 meters above the Warnow River. Magnificent mixed forest with rustic hornbeams surrounds the hikers on this section until they reach a sheep paddock. There they meet the Warnow and follow the river across wild wetlands and natural meadows back into the forest. At Klein Raden, a bridge crosses the Warnow. Just behind it is a rest area.

Now we return along the other bank of the river. Next to the hikers, the Warnow forces its way through a narrow valley. Debris and rocks in its bed make for a wildwater-like course of the river. The steeply rising banks give this landscape an almost low mountain range character. Here and there the gnaw marks of beavers can be seen. Even their castle can be seen. And with a little luck, the large rodents can even be seen on the banks. Strong copper beeches close their canopy above the heads of the hikers. In spring, wood anemones, liverworts, larkspur, lungwort and lily of the valley form a delicate carpet of flowers on the forest floor.

On the way back to Groß Görnow, hikers keep discovering erratic blocks. These huge stones were brought here by the glaciers during the last ice age. Plaques along the way provide information about their journey.

Hints on how to get there:
From Berlin and Hamburg by RE to Blankenberg. Continue by bus to Sternberg. From here arrange pick-up with accommodation provider.