The east of the republic from Rügen to the Elbe Sandstone Mountains

Posted by

We are often out and about in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, but usually only on weekend tours. The plan was to take much more time and finally travel to the more unknown areas in the east.
So we set off on a 14-day tour in August 2020. Tour length from Rostock to the southwest of the Erzgebirge approx. 1600 km.
Highlights: Darß – Rügen – Usedom – Brandenburg Lake District – Märkische Schweiz – – open-cast lignite mining – Bastei (Elbe Sandstone Mountains) –

Distance: 1800 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/4Hh4B

From Rostock across the Darß

On the way to Rügen, the routing can be taken via the Darß peninsula.
There are several options for getting to the island of Rügen:

Distance: 150 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/E6aSC

Round trip on Rügen

Rügen offers both very quiet and very lively corners. Highlights here are of course the famous chalk cliffs, Binz with its pier and the Prora complex.

Distance: 210 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/BAMeW

The chalk cliffs are located at Cape Arkona. The way down to the cliffs was too far for us, as some parts are closed. (There were a couple of cliff faces there)
Motorcycles can be parked free of charge in the main parking lot. They are even guarded there. The money saved can then be invested in the Bimmelbahn.

Prora: the unfinished KdF seaside resort of Prora has now been largely renovated in luxury.

Here we also come across the “Raging Roland” spa train time and again

From Rügen via Usedom to Brandenburg

Distance: 296 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/Ebrg9

As a stopover on the way south, the route continues via the Usedom peninsula with its famous seaside resorts to the Uckermark.
A little tip in Heringsdorf:
The good man who collects the cars will tell you where you can park for free 😉.

East around Berlin to the Spreewald (Luckenwalde)

Distance: 243 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/sSC8A

There is very little traffic on the roads and the area is sparsely populated. I was struck by the complete absence of creeping motorhomes and convertibles driven by city gentlemen in midlife crisis with their bad-tempered wives. (Beautifully decelerated because of the hair)
The locals here tend to drive at a brisk pace.

Spreewald day tour with a stop at the Mobile World of the East

Distance: 268 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/LyM7B

The round trip starts in Luckenwalde. The Spreewald itself doesn’t offer much in the way of motorcycling – cycling or canoeing is the order of the day here.
This great museum (Mobile World of the East) should definitely be visited – admission €6, looks like a former car dealership, crammed full of vehicles and exhibits reminiscent of the old GDR.

From Luckenwalde to the Elbe Sandstone Mountains

Distance: 253 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/SkWeq

There is also hardly any traffic on the route and it is worth taking a detour into the lignite mining area.
Open-cast mine near Welzow
F60 visitor mine

There are guided tours of the conveyor bridge (70m high and 500m long) in the opencast mine. There are many good reviews, but as it was 30°C that day, we didn’t go.

Elbe Sandstone Mountains – Bastei

Hohnstein Castle Youth Hostel & Hotel. Parking lot to the right of the gate entrance. After registering at reception, you can park your motorcycle in front of the castle. From there it is about 9 km to the Bastei.

The bastion

Official parking lot 1,50 €, do not drive past the parking lot into the driving ban, there the race management should like to charge increased fees, there is also no possibility to park the vehicle closer to it. Unfortunately, the hotel parking lot is also off limits.

Ore Mountains

Distance: 228 kilometers
GPX data and download: kurv.gr/dK82g

On this route, you switch between the Czech Republic and several times. The green border here is only visible from the signs. We spent a night on the Czech side, where the price level is significantly lower than on the German side. (Ok, the mattresses were crap). But the food and drinks were ok.

Conclusion

The east is excellent for touring and there is a lot to discover. There is little leisure traffic (convertibles, motorhomes). There are always roads where asphalt has simply been poured over the old cobblestones, which can be quite jarring. The tourist infrastructure, hotels and restaurants are not so numerous but sufficient. Here, all moped riders (Simson Schwalbe) greet each other in a friendly manner.