Just under an hour by train from Berlin, summit strikers can test their altitude fitness and stamina on a one-way tour of around 23 km. Alpine hiking with almost a thousand metres of altitude, four lookout towers and the only Watzmann outside Bavaria - is that possible? Sure it is! Really pushing yourself on a mountain tour, but not having to drive all the way to the mountains? No problem! In the hilly and gorge-strewn Oberbarnimer Hochplateau, hiking fans embark on a challenging route between Falkenberg and Bad Freienwalde. The Ice Age glaciers have left their hilly traces in the Oberbarnim, which should take you directly to the start at Falkenberg station with a steep climb to the rustic Kammweg at Riesengebirge level. From there, it's worth taking a short diversions to the Bismarck Tower with a fantastic view as far as the Niederfinow ship lift or the dark Devil's Gorge.
On the main trail, friends of sporting activities soon reach the summit cross on the Watzmann, which is actually called that and measures a proud 1,062 dm. The trail then descends along a winding path until, after the Mariannenschlucht gorge, muscle power is needed again for the ascent. After a rest on the plateau, the tour leads through the Ahrendskehle along the small mountain stream down to the Teufelssee. Until the ascent to Thüringer Blick, you are just above zero.
The Eulenturm, in the garden of the Haus der Naturpflege, the Papengrund, the Schanzenturm and the Brunnental are further stages on the way to the destination. The biggest challenge is the steep 225-step ascent to the little chapel before the final destination at the lookout tower on the Galgenberg. By the way: the Gipfelstürmer tour was nominated for the "most beautiful hiking trail in Germany" in 2021. And rightly so!
