IIc.1  Section Lauenburg (Elbe)  -  Alt Garge  29 km

Lauenburg (Elbe)

Barförde                          8,4 km

Brackede                         3,3 km

Bleckede                         9,6 km

Alt Garge                        7,3 km

With public transport I travelled to Alt Garge in the morning. Due to easier transportation back home from Lauenburg (Elbe) I hiked this section in northern and not southern direction. Before arriving at river Elbe I walked along the well marked trail through a nice beech tree forest. Here I even noticed recent beaver marks. Soon after I saw my first stork. During the day I saw more then 10. Some of them where nesting on farm houses. In Bleckede the path follows the main road and passes by the castle. The castle contains the stork information centre and a museum. It includes a tower with a view in all directions. A visit is definitely worth it.

When leaving Bleckede the trail follows the river dyke. Here hikers clearly have an advantage over bikers. The dyke is grass covered. The trail allows great views of the dyke foreland and of the river Elbe when near by. On the other side one can see far into the hinterland or villages. Bikers must stay below and inlands following a service road with rather limited views. In Radegast I had to leave shortly the dyke. A large sheep herd with this years lambs was grazing.

Once I had finished my lunch it started drizzling. After sunshine and stronger winds rain too. It stopped after an hour and a half. Then I got lucky. There is not so much ships traffic on the river. I encountered a pleasure boat, a hotel boat en route to Dresden, three river barges, a sailing and a motor boat. Towards evening I arrived at the bridge across river Elbe in Lauenburg. Here I took the train to Lüneburg and thereafter on to Hamburg. It was a nice day. Hopefully next time I will hike from Alt Garge to Göttingen.

Lauenburg (Elbe) seen from across river Elbe

River hotel ship on its way to Dresden

Boggy area behind river Elbe dyke

Storks are roosting on farm house near river Elbe dyke

Sheep grasing on river Elbe dyke

Castle Bleckede

A beaver has been busy near Alt Garge