Weitenhagen: Village Church, Narrow-Gauge Railway Embankment and Forest Trails

Weitenhagen combines historic buildings with trails through woodland and cultural landscapes. The village church, the sexton’s house and the narrow-gauge railway embankment offer different points of interest: architectural history, former outings and today’s outdoor activities. For your stay, you can choose between focusing on local history and spending time on hiking trails.

Local history around the village church

Weitenhagen’s village church is mentioned as early as 1280. Since 1968, it has been the spiritual centre of the House of Silence. It is a historic attraction, together with the sexton’s house, built in 1795. The church’s 15th-century brick portal features a basket-arch passageway and circular blind arches. The churchyard is home to three Brigitta crosses, which are said to commemorate Birgitta of Sweden.

The House of Silence welcomes visitors to the church and its grounds in Weitenhagen. If you are planning a visit, it is best to check current access arrangements in advance. This makes it easy to include a visit to the House of Silence in your walk around the village, while the sexton’s house and village church offer a distinct view of the area’s architectural history.

The narrow-gauge railway embankment and its history as an excursion route

Today, the narrow-gauge railway embankment is a popular route for hiking and jogging. It connects Weitenhagen and Grubenhagen and passes the Tonkuhle roughly halfway along. Through the municipality, it comes from the direction of Greifswald via Klein Schönwalde and Weitenhagen, runs south of Potthagen and extends as far as Grubenhagen.

The area’s former excursion history is also part of this part of the municipality. After the narrow-gauge railway began operating, many people from Greifswald used it for trips to Weitenhagen. From there, they walked past the Schwedenschanze to Lake Söllkensee. Today’s narrow-gauge railway embankment thus connects to a former excursion route; its current use as a hiking and jogging trail is a separate matter.

Tonkuhle and Lorendamm

Tonkuhle is a popular resting place for walks and hikes. Located roughly halfway along the narrow-gauge railway embankment, it offers a convenient spot to plan a break into your route. The historic Lorendamm can still be seen northeast of Tonkuhle. Clay was transported along it to the brickworks in Helmshagen. The visible track is a reminder of this former transport route and adds to the impression of a place where recreational trails and local history meet.

Potthäger Forest: landscape and hiking trails

Potthäger Forest covers the southern part of the municipality. The contiguous woodland spans more than 1,000 hectares in total and includes bogs and meadows, as well as rich flora and fauna. The forest has a network of hiking trails. Their routes are shown on maps at the start of Guester Weg, at the intersection between Pott and Weitenhagen. Check the maps there if you would like help finding your way on a hike.

The narrow-gauge railway embankment and the trail network in Potthäger Forest offer different points of reference for an outing: for the embankment, the route between Weitenhagen and Grubenhagen and its course past Tonkuhle are described; in the forest, the maps on Guester Weg help you make sense of the hiking trails. Depending on what you have in mind, you can choose between the named connection and the forest trails.

Schwedenschanze in every season

Schwedenschanze is a popular destination for forest explorers all year round. You can build dens and run around there. In winter, the hills are perfect for sledding among beeches and spruces. This seasonal attraction differs from the hiking and jogging opportunities on the narrow-gauge railway embankment: Schwedenschanze offers a specific reason to visit in winter, while the embankment is used for hiking and jogging.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Wackerow, Neuenkirchen, Dargelin, Diedrichshagen, Levenhagen, Hinrichshagen, Dersekow, Mesekenhagen

Back to the regional travel overview: Amt Landhagen.