Bäk: Cultural Trail and Border History

When looking for a hotel in Bäk, local and nearby attractions offer some useful pointers: the Cultural and Historical Trail explores local history and natural history, while the surrounding countryside, boat trips and the Grenzhus Schlagsdorf provide further excursion highlights.

Cultural History and Activities Around Bäk

The Cultural and Historical Trail is about 1.5 kilometres long and leads through the Kupfermühlental valley. Nine illustrated information boards cover local church and community history, the former era of watermills and post-war history along the border. Other topics include flora, fauna and geology. The trail thus combines local history with natural history and offers several thematic perspectives along the way.

The countryside around Bäk borders the former inner-German Green Belt and is considered suitable for hiking, cycling and Nordic walking. The trail’s border history and connection to the former Green Belt add their own points of interest; the surrounding countryside also offers opportunities to get active outdoors.

Next to Bäk’s bathing area is a landing stage for boat trips across the lakes around the island town of Ratzeburg. This adds an outing on the water to the activities on land. If you are planning a trip for a specific day, it is worth checking the sailing times in advance.

The Grenzhus Schlagsdorf is a nearby destination that can be reached from Bäk on foot or by bicycle along Lake Mechow. The focus there is on German-German history. Café Grenzstein serves lunch as well as homemade cakes and gateaux. This makes it possible to combine a visit with a stop at the café.

The Wider Herzogtum Lauenburg Travel Destination

The wider Herzogtum Lauenburg travel destination offers a broader perspective on its landscapes and nature. Forests cover 26 percent of the Herzogtum Lauenburg district, which also includes 48 lakes. The district is also home to Sachsenwald, the largest contiguous forest area in Schleswig-Holstein. The Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park lies at the heart of the duchy.

The nature park covers an area about 35 by 17 kilometres in size and provides a habitat for species including kingfishers, white-tailed eagles and cranes. Visitor facilities include hiking trails, observation towers, educational trails and places to rest. The nature park also offers guided excursions with experts on local wildlife, plants and the district’s cultural history. Check the relevant dates when planning a specific excursion.

Trails, Water and Culture in the Region

The European long-distance hiking trails E1, E6 and E9 run through Herzogtum Lauenburg from north to south, via Ratzeburg, Mölln and Lauenburg. Another regional route is the Old Salt Road long-distance cycle route, which runs from Lauenburg to Lübeck along the Elbe-Lübeck Canal and through the duchy. The travel destination therefore offers a choice of different routes for hiking and cycling.

The Elbe, the more than 100-year-old Elbe-Lübeck Canal and over 40 lakes invite visitors to enjoy sports and relaxation in, on and by the water in Herzogtum Lauenburg. You can sail on Lake Ratzeburg. A canoe trip can take you from Lake Schaalsee via the lakes of Lauenburg and the Wakenitz River to Lübeck; local navigation restrictions may vary. A cultural attraction is the Elbe Shipping Museum in Lauenburg/Elbe. Its interactive, three-storey exhibition, “Mensch-Modell-Maschine” (“People-Model-Machine”), is dedicated to shipping; visitors can get hands-on with models and interactive stations.

Discover more travel destinations: Schmilau

Return to the main travel overview: Lauenburg Lakes.