Liepnitzsee Forest Loop, Naturpark Barnim

The Liepnitzsee forest loop circles one of the clearest lakes in the Naturpark Barnim, a nature park stretching between Berlin's northern edge and the town of Wandlitz. The route starts from a car park near Lanke village and covers about 6 km with roughly 40 m of elevation gain, rated Easy (T1), following well-maintained forest paths through beech and pine woodland that stay close to the shoreline for most of the loop. The lake's clarity, unusual for a lowland Brandenburg lake, comes from its position within protected forest with limited agricultural runoff, and informal swimming spots are dotted along the shore for those wanting to combine the walk with a dip. A small seasonal ferry connects the mainland to Großer Werder, a wooded island in the middle of the lake, running on weekends and summer weekdays depending on weather and demand; a walk around the island itself adds a further hour if the ferry is running. There are no huts along the main loop, though a kiosk near the Lanke car park sells drinks and snacks in season. The loop has no significant turn-around decisions since it is a closed circuit, and shorter out-and-back options along either shore are easy to improvise for those with less time.