Travel Germany - Perfect Indian Summer at this Lake in Brandenburg

What a glorious autumn weather this is. The purity of all these colours is intoxicating and sweet. I find myself in a sea of blue, red, green, gold, brown and yellow. And no, I am not exaggerating. I am at Lake Tornow in Ruppin Switzerland. Lake Tornow (Tornowsee), only 12 meter deep is in the middle of a conservation area, and today there are hardly any other hikers around. 

Travel Germany - Perfect Indian Summer at this Lake in Brandenburg


Tornow and Boltenmuehle in Brandenburg

 
Tornow is a derivative of tarn, and that is Slavic for thorn. It means this is a place where briars/thorn bushes grow. The place was first mentioned in 1524. And near the Boltenmuehle (today a hotel and restaurant) archaeologists found traces of a fortified settlement from the early Bronze Age. This is where I start my walk around the Tornowsee




Konsumgenossenschaft Boltenmuehle Lake Tornow


Ever since 1950 Boltenmuehle, 18 kilometres north of Neuruppin, is part of Guhlen Glienicke. The place has been run by a consumer cooperative in the former GDR (obviously or might I better say who else? The “Konsumgenossenschaft” was an ideological tool back in those days). After the wall came down, in 1992 the mill burned down entirely and has been rebuilt soon after. I am stoked, this place is so secluded. The magic of this place has been felt for a very long time. Frederick the Great and Theodor Fontane were also massive admirers of Boltenmuehle.

Lake Tornow - Old beech forest and wetland areas


The old beech forest, the lake itself and wetland areas seem as they are actors in the midst of a specially staged autumn play. The colourful foliage is a protective function of the trees, as the leaves are not frost-resistant, they would simply die if they would stay green. When the sun shines less, the trees absorb the remaining energy from the leaves and store them in the timber to secure reserves for the winter. The green disappears from the leaves and what happens next is what we call Indian Summer ... 


Dewy moss covers hillsides. The forest floor is already covered densely by leaves. It feels like walking over an expensive and very soft shaggy carpet of reddish colour. Leaves soar silently and make the walking experience even softer. There is only the slightest breath of wind in the trees, the lake is as smooth as glass and mirrors the colourful autumn foliage. As if this wouldn’t be magical enough the call of grey geese hangs in the air.

Start and end your walk at Boltenmuehle. Follow the path around the lake with using the signs for hikers. The Boltenmuehle is rustic but an excellent place to eat cheesecake. It gets dark pretty early these days, at about 4.30pm. I can’t wait to go back and see this landscape in the snow. 




How to get to Tornowsee in Brandenburg


By car. 100 kilometres from Berlin Mitte. Park your car for free at Boltenmühle. Im Wald 1, 16818 Guehlen-Glienicke. The last bit of the drive there in itself is an experience. The beeches form a roof, it feels like driving through a tunnel on a very narrow street. There are the forest-covered hills on one side and a rather steep slope all the way down to the lake. Watch out for deers and wild boars.

By train. Take a Deutsche Bahn train to Neuruppin and cycle from there the approx 18 kilometres to the lake.

By boat. Go by boat on a day trip to the Tornowsee and Boltenmuehle.



Amazing scenery. Have the best time visiting.

From Berlin with love