Easy hikes and walks around Zarrentin am Schaalsee

The Cistercian monastery in Zarrentin am Schaalsee was founded in 1246 and dissolved in 1553. The building houses a permanent exhibition in the cloister, which has a direct connection to the monastery and its history. Originally, the monastery complex, together with the Zarrentin Church, formed a closed, slightly trapezoidal rectangle with a four-sided cloister surrounding the inner courtyard. This contained the nuns' cemetery. The buildings of the south and west wings were described as dilapidated as early as 1576 and demolished soon thereafter. The Gothic east wing, whose long side runs parallel to the shore of Lake Schaalsee, has survived to this day. The cross-ribbed vaults, some with elaborately designed keystones and consoles, are completely preserved. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kloster_Zarrentin

The approximately 670 m long boardwalk offers various viewing platforms that invite you to linger. The moorland experience trail can generally be accessed from both sides. However, it is recommended to start below the Pahlhuus (Pahl House) and then return to the starting point at the end of the nature trail, around the old sports field. The entire circular trail is approximately 1.4 km long and, in my opinion, is wheelchair accessible. The moor provides a habitat for many specially adapted animals and plants. For example, the lime-loving bulrush covers a large area in the Zarrentin Moor; it is rarely seen in such large populations. The long, narrow leaves are slightly serrated at the edges and very hard due to the lime they absorb. This means that if you touch them too firmly, you can injure your fingers. The moorland was a cultivated landscape used by humans for a long time. From 1900 to 1961, lime was mined in the Zarrentin Moor and used as fertilizer or slaked lime. Until 1934, the extracted lime was burned in a lime kiln located on the southern edge of the moor. Peat, which was mined alongside the lime, was used as fuel, among other things. The rush cuttings were mown for the winter until the end of World War II and used as bedding for livestock. The waters created by lime mining are very low in nutrients and thus provide an ideal habitat for stoneworts, rare water beetles, and various dragonflies. Various amphibians, ducks, and birds such as the reed bunting, the reed warbler, and the kingfisher can be found in the reed beds along the shore. Source: https://www.schaalseestadt.de/moorlehrpfad

The following legend surrounds the heraldic animal of the small town of Zarrentin am Schaalsee: "In the Cistercian nunnery, there once lived an abbess who came from Lake Constance, and the tasty whitefish were said to have been her favorite food there. Once, during Lent, in the solitude of Zarrentin, she was so irresistibly overcome by a craving for the long-deprived fish that she called upon the devil and demanded that he bring her some whitefish from Lake Constance. In return, she would pledge her soul to him. However, he had to be back before midnight. The enterprising master of evil agreed and immediately set off. No sooner had he disappeared than the abbess's conscience struck. In her perplexity, she called the convent of nuns together and remorsefully confessed her transgression. Then one of the nuns stood up, calmed the pious mother, climbed the tower, and set the clock forward one hour. It was now 11:00 p.m., and the devil was with his fish above Techin. Then the Zarrentin monastery clock struck twelve thunderous strokes. In his rage, the devil threw the whitefish into the Schaalsee. This is how these fish, which have made the Schaalsee so famous among gourmets, are caught there today. Source: https://schaalsee-angler.de/ausflug/geschichte-der-mar-ne

Here the moor adventure trail between the Kalkkuhlen and the Schaale leads directly to this beautiful bridge over the Schaale.

A roughly 4 km long circular trail leads around the Kirchensee lake. From this path, you can see two lakes at once: the Schaalsee and the Kirchensee lake. It leads through an old tree-lined avenue, through a moor, and along the shores of both lakes.

Nestled in the beautiful nature of the Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve, this traditional fishery stands for fresh, sustainably caught fish from the clear waters of the Schaalsee.

The entire course of the Schaale and the adjacent areas were placed under legal protection by the designation of the Schaalelauf and Schaaleniederung nature reserves.

This bridge offers a beautiful view of two lakes: the Schaalsee on one side and the Kirchensee on the other. It is part of the approximately 4 km circular trail around the Kirchensee.