Märkische Schweiz may, as Theodor Fontane once suggested, hold more charm than meets the eye. Here, between meadows, fields, lakeshores, and pine forests, I found peace and quiet. Most people know Märkische Schweiz through Buckow, and its most famous summer guests, Bertolt Brecht and Helene Weigel. Their stays made the town known far beyond Brandenburg, and Buckow still carries that creative pull that draws artists and writers to it today. East of Buckow lies Klobichsee — smaller and quieter. From Lichtenberg, the NEB takes you to Müncheberg in half an hour, and every time I’m struck by how quickly Brandenburg can be reached by public transport. From Müncheberg, it’s a 40-minute walk along dirt tracks to Dahmsdorf, a village of barely one hundred people. And even from there, we city dwellers are treated to everything that makes the heart race a little faster: old blossoming avenues of linden trees, wheat fields dotted with bright cornflowers and poppies, pastures with grazing horses, a cuckoo calling down from the treetops, and the warm, intoxicating scent of pine in the early summer sun.
Before we reached Klobichsee, we could hear the buzz of voices coming from the swimming area in the distance. We decided to turn our backs on the small bustle and the nearby log cabin settlement and find a little cove all to ourselves for a picnic. Ducks glided through the reeds — or was it an otter after all? A grass snake slithered calmly through the water at our feet. I am an enthusiastic picnic person and love spending time in nature. Still, freshly brewed coffee and homemade sweets are the absolute icing on the cake on a weekend outing. In our case, that meant a still-warm and utterly delicious rhubarb crumble cake at Drei Eichen, a small outdoor café that belongs to a nature and environmental center with a wide-ranging program for all ages. We took a short break there and played a game of chess in the garden. I think by that point my companion had already heard me say things like “Wow, how idyllic is this,” “Oooh, so relaxing,” “Incredibly beautiful,” and “This is simply paradise” at least ten times. After Drei Eichen, we were halfway through the tour and walked west along the shore of Klobichsee back toward Müncheberg. Not without jumping into the cool water on the final stretch, letting the sun dry us, and watching the reflections on the water beneath the canopy of an alder tree. My last “Incredibly beautiful!” before we headed back to Berlin, refreshed and grateful for the outing.
Text & Photos: Laura Iriondo
Hiking Tour
@fortuna.forest
