Borkheide

A forest swimming pool with activities for different age groups

The Borkheide forest swimming pool is a chemical-free, accessible natural swimming facility. Its swimming pond covers 1,000 m²; the pool also has a 3 m-high diving tower. Children can enjoy a toddlers’ pool, a children’s slide and a mud play area. A play ship, a basket swing and a water spiral round out the facilities. This means there are various water and play options, rather than a swimming day being limited to swimming in the pond.

The forest swimming pool also has a beach volleyball court. If you are planning a day trip focused on the water, you will find swimming, play and sports activities here. The Hans Grade hiking trail passes by the pool; you can take this combination of trail and swimming into account when planning your day, without committing to a particular duration or route length.

Follow in Hans Grade’s footsteps on foot

The Hans Grade hiking trail is signposted and easy to walk. It runs along Friedrich-Engels-Straße to the market square. There, a memorial stone and information commemorate the former Mars airfield, described as Germany’s first powered-aircraft airfield, which was located in what is now the center of Borkheide. The trail also passes the forest swimming pool and continues to the cemetery, where Käthe and Hans Grade have an honorary grave. The RE 7 regional express to Borkheide station provides access to the hiking trail.

The town’s aviation history can also be found in other places. Hans Grade’s grave is in the cemetery; the municipality describes him as Germany’s first powered-aircraft pilot and an aviation pioneer. A memorial stone was erected for him in 1979 on his 100th birthday. A historical film about aviation history also shows an IL-18 landing at Borkheide airfield on November 16, 1989.

The Borkheide church, a half-timbered forest chapel built around 1927, is also part of the town’s history. Church events organized by the municipality include the annual Musik am Ofen evening and an autumn brunch. If you are interested in local history and events, these offer further points of interest for planning your trip, alongside the trails and the forest swimming pool.

Cycle routes and getting here

Several long-distance cycle routes pass through Borkheide: the Europaradweg R 1, the German Unity Cycle Route from Berlin to Bonn, and the Tour Brandenburg. The R 1 connects the French Channel coast at Boulogne with Saint Petersburg. Independently of these cycle routes, the Asparagus Trail runs from Borkheide to the asparagus farm in Klaistow. Cyclists can use the Borkheide cycling stop at Kirchanger 3, by the market square. It provides digital tourist information about the surrounding area, charging facilities for e-bikes and mobile phones, and free Wi-Fi. Passengers can take their bicycles on the R7 regional express to Borkheide.

Borkheide is also connected to the A9 motorway, and the RE 7 regional train runs towards Berlin and Dessau. These connections and the various routes are useful reference points when planning your stay and deciding whether to travel by train, car or bicycle. When choosing a holiday apartment in Borkheide, it may therefore be important to consider whether you want to focus your days mainly on the natural swimming pool, the hiking trail or the cycling routes.

Discover other places

You can also include these places in your travel plans: Beetzsee, Geltow, Klein Briesen, Bad Belzig, Michendorf, Groß Kreutz, Golm and Petzow.

Another nature-focused stop is the Borkheide forest cemetery. Along the Path of Remembrance there, abandoned and partly forgotten gravestones have been given a new place. The cemetery is set in a natural landscape and adds a quiet place of remembrance to the town’s history.

For the broader travel overview: Potsdam-Mittelmark.