Buckow (Märkische Schweiz) combines literary associations with a landscape shaped by lakes and wooded shores. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between different scales: there are trails through the town, cultural offerings in Buckow, and further opportunities in the wider destination of Märkisch-Oderland. This lets you decide whether your stay will focus mainly on Buckow or also include other aspects of the region.
Literature and culture in Buckow
In 1953/54, Bertolt Brecht wrote his final cycle of poems, the “Buckow Elegies,” in Buckow, overlooking Lake Schermützel. The town, lake and work are therefore linked by a specific historical context. In the wider destination of Märkisch-Oderland, the Brecht-Weigel House in Buckow has been a museum since 1977.
The literature museum hosts readings, concerts, talks, discussions, films, exhibitions and special guided tours throughout the year. The individual events vary. If you would like to plan your visit around an event, check the dates for your travel period.
Lake Schermützel: water, forest and ravines
The approximately 335-hectare Schermützelsee FFH area includes Lake Schermützel and Lake Weißer See, as well as the wooded western shore of Lake Schermützel. The area also includes the ravines formed by erosion: Schwarze Kehle, Langer Grund, Grenzkehle, Buchenkehle and Fischerkehle. These names make the landscape more tangible: alongside the two lakes, the focus is on a wooded stretch of shore and several sculpted depressions in the terrain.
There is a beach bath on Lake Schermützel, with a boat rental service right next to it. This proximity offers two different options for planning your day. If you are planning a visit around them, check access or availability in advance.
Hiking trails with different focuses
The circular hiking trail around Lake Schermützel runs along the northern shore, across the Sophienfließ stream and through Buckow on hiking trail E 11. It passes the Brecht-Weigel House and follows the shore of Lake Weißer See. The route description therefore identifies several specific points of interest: the lakeshore, stream, town and museum can all be considered parts of a circular trail.
Since 2024, Buckow has offered another clearly defined option: the three-kilometre “Adventure with Stobbi” hiking route for people with cognitive disabilities. The two route descriptions answer different planning questions. For the circular trail, the focus is on its course and stops; for “Adventure with Stobbi,” the stated length and explicitly named target group are also important. This information can help you assess the options according to the criteria that matter for your trip.
More trails in the wider destination of Märkisch-Oderland
The wider destination of Märkisch-Oderland also has designated routes for exploring Märkische Schweiz: the 17-kilometre Natura Trail and the almost 21-kilometre certified Märkische Schweiz Nature Park Route. Comparing their lengths gives you an idea of the different distances, without equating the two routes with the circular trail through Buckow.
In the wider destination of Märkisch-Oderland, the Oderland Trail offers a different landscape: it leads through shady woodland paths, sunlit deciduous forests and narrow valleys, and past small bodies of water. For a different kind of exploration, cycling tours along the Oder-Neiße Cycle Route are possible in Märkisch-Oderland. Thus, the regional perspective extends beyond hiking trails to include a specifically named cycling route, while the trails around Lake Schermützel remain connected to Buckow’s lakes and town.
Discover more destinations: Märkische Höhe, Oderaue, Vierlinden, Georgenthal, Zechin, Wulkow Bei Booßen, Fichtenhöhe, Lindendorf
Back to the wider travel overview: Märkisch-Oderland.
