Running on Usedom

This route will delight you if you’re interested in history. Over 14 kilometers from the parking lot near the harbor in Karlshagen, you’ll walk to the northern tip, home to the former fishing village of Peenemünde. This is a particularly historic site on the island of Usedom, as it was here that the Nazi regime conducted rocket research for military purposes. It’s worth taking short breaks to explore the sights of the Peenemünde memorial complex.

• Distance: 14 kilometers (optional shortcut of 4 km by taking the Usedomer Bäderbahn)
• Elevation gain: 12 meters
• Starting point: Parking lot near the harbor in Karlshagen
• Discovered by: Marina (host in Zinnowitz) and Henry (IT specialist from Mölschow)

These 10 kilometers are sure to set the heart of any romantic trail runner racing! The route begins at the “Villa Kunterbunt” farm store in Neuendorf. Along the way, the view opens up to the Krumminer Wiek before the trail winds along the cliff’s edge into the Weißer Berg Nature Reserve. A bit of agility is required to navigate around roots and tree trunks. In early summer, wild orchids bloom along the trail.

• Distance: 10 kilometers
• Elevation gain: 27 meters
• Starting point: Villa Kunterbunt in Neuendorf
• Discovered by: Christina (nurse in Greifswald)

Usedom’s legends and myths are everywhere you turn! The starting point is the narrowest part of the island: From Lüttenort, the route leads to Koserow, where you’ll walk along the natural cliffside promenade to the legendary Streckelsberg. According to legend, the bells of the sunken city of Vineta can be heard here every hundred years on Easter Sunday. And the “amber witch” Maria Schweidler is said to have found an amber vein here.

• Distance: 14 kilometers (optional shortcut through Koserow from Streckelsberg toward Achterwasser)
• Elevation gain: 56 meters
• Starting point: Lüttenort parking lot
• Discovered by: Heiko (civil servant from Koserow)

The starting point of the 11-kilometer route is the Korbwerk beach chair factory in Heringsdorf. From here, the trail leads directly into Germany’s first curative and healing forest. During the tour, you’ll pass the observation tower of the newly opened treetop trail. You’ll walk in the shade of the old beech trees, enjoy a great view of the Baltic Sea, and discover the ruins of the Thingstätte, an open-air stage from the Nazi era.

• Distance: 11 kilometers (optional shortcut from the Bismarckwarte eastward toward Ahlbeck)
• Elevation gain: 51 meters
• Starting point: Korbwerk in Heringsdorf
• Discovered by: Dirk (a basket weaver from Heringsdorf)

Starting at the parking lot at Rankwitzer Hof, you’ll circle the Lieper Winkel peninsula on a 17.5-kilometer route. In this secluded part of the island, a sense of relaxation sets in immediately. The route winds through forests, across meadows, and through fields. You’ll pass the island’s oldest church, St. Johannes in Liepe, with views of Lake Krienker and the Achterwasser. You can replenish the calories you’ve burned right away at the Hofcafé Landlust.

• Distance: 17.5 kilometers (optional shortcut from Grüssow or Reestow via Liepe back to Rankwitz)
• Elevation gain: 14 meters
• Starting point: Parking lot at the Rankwitzer Hof
• Discovered by: Felix (metal fabrication technician from Lassan)