07-Mar-2026 -- A spontaneous trip to a confluence point. I was visiting the area for a few days, and since I had some free time, I hopped on a bike to check out the confluence point. So, I borrowed a very simple, old bike without gears and figured I’d just pop over there quickly…

My bike ride started in Ückeritz (a district of Kletzin). I cycled through Sophienhof, Loitz, and Drosedow all the way to Zarnekla.

My bike ride there showcased much of what rural Mecklenburg has to offer in terms of trails: paths through sand, cobblestones, and “bike-friendly” slabs—winding through fields and small villages— and always a sweeping view of the seemingly endless flat landscape.

And let’s not forget the beautiful Peene River, which I crossed near Loitz. This is home to the Peenetal River Landscape Nature Park, known as the “Amazon of the North.” (https://www.naturpark-flusslandschaft-peenetal.de) A very beautiful landscape with wet meadows, reed beds, and swamp forests—there are many amphibians, birds, and even otters here.

In Zarnekla, there’s a turnoff from the main road—at a solitary house—leading towards Drosedower Forest. At the end of this tree-lined avenue, I turned right onto the forest path and rode closer to the destination, staying parallel to the edge of the forest. When I couldn’t go any further on my bike, I continued on foot. The forest was very dense, with a lot of underbrush. Everything was also very wet, muddy, and slushy. Until about a week ago, there was still a lot of snow and ice here.

I made my way through the underbrush, along animal trails, through mud, past a small copse, past a feeding station for game (I’d love to know what the hunters were thinking when they saw me on their game camera —because I definitely set it off). Anyway, everything was churned up by wild boars, it smelled strongly of the animals, dusk was approaching… hmm, if the pack of wild boars comes back here now, I don’t know what I’d do … I'm glad I didn't run into any wild boars.

The confluence point itself is on the edge of the forest, not far from the field and a small drainage ditch between the field and the forest.

For the way back, I found another path straight through the forest. But here, too, there was mostly water, mud, and slush, and I had to balance my way over tree trunks.

Since it was starting to get dark, I had to hurry on my way back and cycle the roughly 20 km back quickly. It was a really nice trip through typical Mecklenburg countryside, but with the trails and my old bike, it was more tiring than I expected :D

By the way, peat was once extensively mined in this area, which has shaped the landscape. Drained peatlands release enormous amounts of nutrients and greenhouse gases. Since 1992, many of these areas have been undergoing restoration.

When it’s dry, the spot is certainly easier to reach, although the underbrush is likely to be much thicker then. That’s why it’s probably better to follow the small path into the woods from one of the many hunting stands beforehand, or to approach directly from the other side across the field. The trails are usually easy to spot, since most hunters seem to drive their cars as close as possible to their hunting stands.