Lehnitz on Lake Lehnitz: Nature, Circular Trail and History

Lehnitz combines a distinctive lake landscape with woodland, outdoor activities and sites of historical remembrance. The town stretches along the eastern shore of Lake Lehnitz and is surrounded by mixed forests that extend for kilometres to the neighbouring towns of Schmachtenhagen, Summt and Borgsdorf. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Lehnitz can therefore plan their stay around different interests: spending time by the water, taking a circular hike or exploring the history of the town.

Lake Lehnitz and the circular hiking trail

Lake Lehnitz is a narrow kettle lake. It is 2.3 kilometres long and up to 450 metres wide. These clear dimensions give the lake its own character and make it a defining reference point for exploring Lehnitz.

A circular hike around Lake Lehnitz offers views of the lake as well as places to rest at secluded bays and beaches. This makes it possible to combine an active outing with breaks by the water. If you are travelling with different ideas about your holiday, this combination can be helpful when planning your day: while some of the group explore the route, the bays and beaches provide opportunities for more leisurely breaks. Accommodation in Lehnitz is especially well suited to your plans if experiencing nature and exploring local history are equally important to your travel interests.

The lock and waterways

A notable point along the circular hike is the Lehnitz Lock. Cargo ships, leisure boats and excursion boats all pass through the lock there. The site thus illustrates different forms of waterway use in one specific location. For families, watching the lock operation can be an informative stop along the way, while the hike also takes in the lake and the surrounding forests.

A connection by public transport is also provided for the circular hike: From Berlin Central Station, take the RE5 or the S1 to Oranienburg. Then take bus 805 towards Liebenwalde as far as the “Finanzamt Oranienburg” stop. You can take these details into account when planning an outing without your own car.

Sites of remembrance and heritage-listed history

Lehnitz also offers points of reference for exploring history. The former Jewish convalescent home was founded in 1899 and served as a place of recuperation for Jewish people in need until the Nazis came to power. At the harbour basin, a memorial site inaugurated in 2015 commemorates the victims of the “Klinkerwerk” subcamp of the concentration camp. Both sites form part of an engagement with Lehnitz’s past and require an appropriately attentive and respectful approach.

Another historic ensemble is the Lehnitz-Nord forest settlement. It is designated as a heritage-listed settlement ensemble and was built in the Oranienburg Forest during the Nazi period, from 1938 to 1943. The settlement was built on an area of seven hectares and consists of 20 single-family homes for test pilots and Luftwaffe officers. The Friedrich Wolf Memorial complements this focus. It offers guided tours of the house in its original living environment, with books, pictures and preserved contemporary documents; it is open to all visitors on Fridays from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

Plan the right stay in Lehnitz

When choosing your holiday apartment, you can consider whether you mainly want to use Lehnitz as a starting point for the circular hike, as a place for historical discoveries or as a combination of both types of travel. Lake Lehnitz, the lock, the forest settlement and the memorial sites offer different focal points, without limiting a stay to just one activity. This leaves room for a day by the water, a hike with several stops or a visit to the Friedrich Wolf Memorial on Friday. Further town page: Friedrichsthal.

For the overarching travel overview: Oranienburg.