The 420km (260 miles) long trail leads through the state of Brandenburg and around Berlin. It is one of the most attractive flatland hiking trails in Germany. Hikers experience a variety of landscapes and walk through forests, grain fields and small towns, passing farms, castles and the many lakes along the way.
ADVENTURE
The 66-lakes-hiking trail
For those interested in weekend adventures and long-distance trails — hikers and backpackers who want to explore the route 66 themselves — I have compiled my experiences and some hiking tips.
The official route consists of 17 sections and can be divided into several day trips. Each section starts and ends at a small railroad station or a bus stop.
Most of the starting points can be reached by public transport from Berlin in less than 90 minutes. Be careful not to miss the last ride out, or you will be stuck in the backcountry.
The route follows the trail marking 'blue dot on white square'.
The trail markings are not continuous along the route. On some sections you will get lost without a map or GPS.
You can download the official GPX track here.
On this trail there are some quiet places where you can see beautiful natural landscapes and all kinds of wildlife, but you also visit noisy urban areas.
Sometimes you walk right next to the Autobahn or hear the loud banging of containers in an industrial port some distance away. You will find yourself on small side streets and dirt roads, walk past litter, abandoned buildings, strange architecture, sterile front yards and an odd assortment of garden decorations.
It took a while, but I got used to it and began to appreciate even the quirky aspects of this hike.
Take plenty of water with you. Drinking water can be a rare resource. Apply sunscreen and bug spray. On this hike you will encounter many mosquitoes and bloodthirsty ticks.
You can visit my walking journal and see my trail highlights right here .
