The Trojan horse in the forecourt of the Schliemann Museum gives Ankershagen a distinctive landmark: it is six metres high, ten metres long and fitted with a slide. The hiking trail “In Schliemann’s Footsteps” also starts at the museum and leads to the nearby source of the Havel. The museum and a specifically named hiking route thus offer distinct starting points for exploring the area.

Museum, Source of the Havel and Trails

The source of the Havel lies near Ankershagen, just a few metres from the entrance to Müritz National Park. Information boards and stones installed there provide information about the river’s course and other points of interest. The surrounding nature and spring-fed lakes can be explored on foot or by bicycle. The “In Schliemann’s Footsteps” trail leads from the museum to the source; the surrounding area also offers a starting point for exploring on foot or by bike.

Village Church: Frescoes and Cycling Route

Ankershagen village church is a certified cycling church and lies directly on the Berlin–Copenhagen long-distance cycling route. Inside, it contains frescoes, including a depiction of Saint George fighting a dragon. The grave of Sophie Schliemann, Heinrich Schliemann’s mother, is in the church cemetery; she was buried there in 1831. The church therefore brings together several specific points of interest: its location on the long-distance cycling route, the interior frescoes and a grave with a documented historical connection.

Friedrichsfelde in the Municipality of Ankershagen

The entrance area to Müritz National Park is in Friedrichsfelde, a district of the municipality of Ankershagen. It includes a manor house and the “Zum Storchennest” café; a landscape park with old trees, a pond, benches and a barbecue area adjoins the entrance area. The district thus offers a different aspect from the museum and village church: here, the park and the ensemble at the national park entrance are part of the picture. When finding your bearings, it is important to remember that Friedrichsfelde is a district of the municipality, not part of Ankershagen’s town centre.

Hiking in the Mecklenburg Lake District

Within the broader travel destination of the Mecklenburg Lake District, Müritz National Park offers a distinct landscape perspective. It is part of the region and is characterised by forests, bogs, lakes and wide meadows. The Müritz National Park Hiking Trail explores the park’s landscape types and special features in nine stages. It passes lakes, runs through ancient forests, goes by inland dunes and reaches the source of the Havel. For your selection, the difference from the “In Schliemann’s Footsteps” trail is clear: that trail leads from the museum to the source; the national park hiking trail connects the source with a nine-stage exploration of the park’s landscape.

In Müritz National Park, certified nature and landscape guides offer informative tours, including guided visits to the UNESCO World Heritage beech forest in Serrahn and tours from the water. These regional activities complement a visit to Ankershagen, but belong to the broader travel destination of the Mecklenburg Lake District.

More Nature Experiences in the Mecklenburg Lake District

Also within the broader travel destination of the Mecklenburg Lake District is the Damerower Werder bison reserve. It is located on a peninsula in Lake Kölpin and in Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heath Nature Park. Visitors can observe the animals there. The reserve has a forest discovery trail with opportunities for climbing, an anthill house, an exhibition with tactile and visual information boards, and a dendrophone. The regional options thus range from hiking trails and guided tours to a reserve with wildlife viewing opportunities and various features along the forest discovery trail.

Discover more destinations: Kuckssee, Penzlin, Möllenhagen

Go to the broader travel overview: Amt Penzliner Land.