Kotzen: Hiking, Cycling and Nature

Hiking and Landscape in Kotzen

Guests on the Havelland Cycle Route can use seating and bicycle racks in Kotzen to take a break. The operator describes these facilities as new. This rest stop is a specific stopping point for cyclists; it does not establish that the cycle route runs through the village.

At the northwestern edge of Kotzen, a diverse tree-and-shrub hedgerow was planted over a stretch of around 800 metres as part of a project running from 2023 to 2026. It consists of native, site-appropriate woody plants, including hazel, wild roses, goat willow, rowan, wild cherry and field maple. The diversity of species and the length of the hedgerow add a distinctive landscape feature to the edge of the village. Nature and landscape thus complement the hiking and cycling opportunities, offering another perspective on Kotzen.

Cycling in the Havelland and at Lake Gülper See

In the Havelland travel region, the Havelland Cycle Route passes through the Havelländisches Luch via Nauen, Ribbeck and Rathenow, continuing to the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park. The cycle route is mostly paved, flat and pleasant to ride. The Havelland junction-based cycle route signage also makes it possible to put together individual routes. This offers two approaches to tour planning: a regional cycle route with a set course, or a route you put together yourself using the signage.

On the southern shore of Lake Gülper See, a roughly 1.5-kilometre-long nature trail with illustrated information panels invites visitors to watch birds. During the spring and autumn migrations, up to 100,000 geese and hundreds of cranes gather at the lake, along with numerous waders, ducks and great egrets. If birdwatching is among your travel interests, spring and autumn are the right seasons to plan for this seasonal natural spectacle.

Culture, History and Water in the Havelland Travel Region

The Westhavelland Nature Park Centre brings the lowland landscape, the renaturalisation of the Lower Havel, Germany’s last great bustards and Germany’s first Star Park to life for visitors of all ages. The Lilienthal Centre Stölln features an exhibition on Lilienthal of national significance. The Lilienthal Trail connects the centre with the IL 62 “Lady Agnes” at the foot of the Gollenberg. Here, a wide range of nature topics meets a dedicated focus on Lilienthal.

Ribbeck Palace serves as a tourist information point for the Havelland travel region. The Fontane Museum in the palace opened on 1 May 2019 and uses modern museum technology to present the connections between Theodor Fontane, his century, Ribbeck and the palace’s building history. In Kleßen, the Havelland Toy Museum displays toys from 150 years of childhood. The Colonists’ Church in Großderschau offers another historical perspective: built in 1785 by order of Frederick II to mark the completion of the drainage works, it is the only church the king had built for the colonists.

Water and active pursuits are also part of the region’s offerings: the Havelland can be explored by canoe on the Havel. Milow’s natural swimming area lies on the edge of the “Untere Havel Süd” nature reserve in the Westhavelland Nature and Star Park and has a wide sandy beach. The Optikpark Rathenow features, among other things, climbing towers, a barefoot path and a large inflatable jumping cushion; raft trips are also offered on an adjacent old arm of the Havel. These offerings provide different options, from paddling and spending time by the water to activities in the park.

This distinction helps you decide what to focus on during your stay, without conflating regional offerings with features specific to Kotzen.

Discover more destinations: Nauen, Wustermark, Retzow, Wassersuppe, Premnitz, Havelaue, Gollenberg, Stechow-Ferchesar.

For the regional travel overview: Havelland.