Wide, expansive valleys, undulating moraine hills, an almost infinite number of gully lakes, tarns and moors. The hilly landscape in northern Brandenburg, shaped by the Ice Age, is a fascinating natural area that’s great to explore by bike. The water-rich Uckermärk Lakeland with its extensive natural beech forests, heaths, copses and old avenues is a cultural landscape that has evolved over time. In the Uckermark, you’ll find impressive geology, as well as historic towns, fortifications, monastery ruins, fieldstone churches and estates with huge parklands.

This 271-kilometre (168 mi) bikepacking Tour takes you from Berlin along an excellent network of cycle paths and quiet country roads. You explore nature through two of Brandenburg's most beautiful regions: the Uckermark Lakes Nature Park and the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve.

The nature park is known for its unusually large osprey population, with 30 breeding pairs in the area, so keep your eyes to the skies at the many lakes and streams. As well as endangered bird species, other rare animals such as the brown trout, the otter and the European pond turtle live here.

The two stages in this Collection are designed for long days in the saddle, but you can break them up into shorter sections as you like. A road or touring bike is ideal, as there are only a few short bumpy sections along forest paths, gravel and cobblestones. Each stage has somewhere nice for a break at the halfway point.

On your way to the Brandenburg-Mecklenburg border, in the Woldegk-Feldberg hills, you pass through the spa town of Templin with its historic town centre. The legendary weekly market and the many small cafés around the market square are wonderful for stocking up on provisions. On the way back, you can visit the Chorin monastery ruins and relax in their spacious garden before cycling back to Berlin.