I am taking the opportunity to make progress with the E11. And since May, there's an added plus: the Deutschlandticket. I have one, so I don't need to pay more than 49 EUR a month to use local public transport within Germany. This makes my hiking trips easier, as I make use of the regional buses and trains to get to my trailheads. And it is also the case in this leg, which is the 18-kilometre stretch from Ferch to Lehnin.
There wasn't a strike this time, but because the 1st of May was a holiday, there were quite a few people in the train. In any case, that wasn't a big deal, and I headed to the trailhead by first taking a train to Potsdam Hauptbahnhof, and from there a bus to Ferch.
This hike began in a swamp. As I started off from Ferch, there was a wooden trail that allowed people to walk above otherwise rather moist earth.
And then there were pine trees.
And then that was followed by asparagus. Yes, Brandenburg has plenty of asparagus plantations. And believe it or not, there's even an amusement park centered around the concept of asparagus, and there are definitely plenty of people heading there to experience it. In the meantime, I passed by asparagus plantations, which were interesting, as I didn't actually know how these vegetables grew.
And then I passed by Kolpinsee, a very quiet lake, with crystal clear waters, in the middle of nowhere.
Finally, I reached Lehnin, a village with a monastery. The Lehnin Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery, and is one of the oldest structures in Brandenburg. It was founded in 1180, and secularised in 1542 during the Protestant Reformation. I was able to check out the various buildings, and I even explored the interior of the church.
As I wrapped up this leg, I slowly made my way to the bus station, where a bus links the town to the regional train line.
