Weitenhagen combines historic buildings with opportunities for walks, hikes and jogging. Alongside the village church and the sexton’s house, the narrow-gauge railway embankment, the clay pit and Potthäger Forest offer further facets of the village. The former clay processing industry has also left a trace that can still be seen today.

Village Church, Sexton’s House and Architectural History

Built in 1795, the sexton’s house is one of Weitenhagen’s historic sights, together with the village church. The church was first mentioned in 1280 and has been the spiritual heart of the House of Silence since 1968. The House of Silence welcomes visitors to the church and grounds in Weitenhagen; check the current access arrangements before your visit.

At the 15th-century brick portal, the basket-handle archway and the circular blind panels stand out as two distinct details. A basket-handle arch is flatter than a semicircular arch; circular blind panels are round recessed panels. The churchyard is also home to three Brigid’s crosses, said to commemorate Bridget of Sweden.

Narrow-Gauge Railway Embankment, Clay Pit and Historic Clay Route

Today, the narrow-gauge railway embankment is a popular route for hiking and jogging, connecting Weitenhagen and Grubenhagen. Roughly halfway along, it passes the clay pit, a popular place to rest during walks and hikes. Across the wider municipality, the embankment runs from the direction of Greifswald via Klein Schönwalde and Weitenhagen, south of Potthagen, as far as Grubenhagen.

Northeast of the clay pit, the historic trackway for clay carts is still visible. Clay was transported along it to the brickworks in Helmshagen. In this part of Weitenhagen, a present-day place to rest and the former transportation of clay stand side by side as two distinct stories of the area.

The narrow-gauge railway is part of the village’s excursion history: After it began operating, many people from Greifswald used the train to visit the municipality and walked past Schwedenschanze to Söllkensee.

Potthäger Forest and Schwedenschanze

Potthäger Forest covers the southern part of the municipality and is a continuous woodland area spanning more than 1,000 hectares. It includes marshes and meadows as well as a rich variety of flora and fauna. A network of hiking trails runs through the forest; maps at the start of Guester Weg, at the crossroads between Pott and Weitenhagen, show the routes. Check on site whether the maps are available.

The layout of the trails also makes a difference when planning: the narrow-gauge railway embankment connects Weitenhagen and Grubenhagen, while Potthäger Forest has a network of hiking trails.

At Schwedenschanze, the hills invite visitors to go sledding between beech and spruce trees in winter. At the same time, it is a popular destination for forest explorers all year round, where they can build dens and run around. This makes it a place for both winter sledding and year-round leisure activities.

Discover more destinations: Mesekenhagen, Dargelin, Neuenkirchen, Behrenhoff, Levenhagen, Dersekow, Diedrichshagen, Hinrichshagen

For the wider travel overview: Amt Landhagen.