Europäischer Fernwanderweg E9A (Naturparkweg)

The Europäischer Fernwanderweg E9A (Naturparkweg) is a roughly 330-km point-to-point inland trail in northeast Germany, threading from Ratzeburg through Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to the Baltic island of Usedom. With gentle cumulative gain of about 1,500 m across some 14 days, it is an easy-to-moderate route that links seven nature parks of lakes, beech forest and coast.

About the Europäischer Fernwanderweg E9A (Naturparkweg)

The E9A is the inland alternative to the main Europäischer Fernwanderweg E9, the 9,890-km International Coastal Path (Internationaler Küstenweg) that runs from Cabo de São Vicente in Portugal to Tallinn in Estonia. Where the principal E9 hugs the German North Sea and Baltic shoreline, the E9A variant peels away at Ratzeburg in Schleswig-Holstein and strikes east through the lake-strewn heart of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern before rejoining the coast at Usedom near Heringsdorf.

Its German nickname, the Naturparkweg, is earned literally: the route deliberately strings together a corridor of seven protected nature parks and reserves, making it one of the most concentrated chains of conservation landscape in northern Germany. The E9 family is coordinated by the European Ramblers Association (Europäische Wandervereinigung), the body that maintains all twelve E-paths across the continent. As part of the International Walking Network (IWN), the E9A carries the prestige of belonging to one of the world's most significant hiking systems, even though most of its trail is quiet, flat and gloriously underused.

This is not an alpine challenge. There are no high passes, no scree and no exposure. Instead the appeal is water and woodland: glacial lakes carved by Ice Age moraines, ancient beech stands now protected under UNESCO, reed-fringed bird reserves and the long sandy spits of the Baltic. For walkers who want distance without the vertical punishment of mountains, the Naturparkweg is among the most accessible long routes in Germany.

Route Overview & Stages

The E9A follows the corridor Ratzeburg → Schwerin → Warin → Neustrelitz → Torgelow → Usedom → Heringsdorf. Because the European Ramblers Association publishes the E-paths as a framework rather than a fixed daily itinerary, the stages below are a practical division into walkable day sections. Distances are approximate and based on linking established regional trails and the Naturparkroute network.

Total comes to roughly 330 km. Most walkers complete the route in 12 to 14 days, averaging 22–28 km per day on terrain that is overwhelmingly flat. The single biggest variable is not gradient but the frequency of lake detours, which can add kilometres without adding effort.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Ratzeburg Cathedral — the trailhead sits on an island in the Ratzeburger See; the 12th-century brick Romanesque cathedral is one of the oldest in the region and marks the symbolic start of the inland variant.
• Schaalsee Biosphere Reserve — a UNESCO biosphere straddling the former inner-German border, with 24 lakes and rare otters; the old death-strip is now a green ribbon of regenerated nature.
• Schwerin Castle — the fairytale lakeside palace, seat of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament and a 2024-inscribed UNESCO World Heritage site, sits directly on the route.
• Müritz National Park — Germany's largest land national park at 322 km², protecting ancient beech forests listed under UNESCO and a stronghold for white-tailed sea eagles and ospreys. The official Müritz National Park authority publishes ranger-led tours and current path conditions.
• Lake Müritz — at 117 km² the largest lake wholly within Germany; the trail traces its eastern shore through reed beds alive with cranes in autumn.
• Feldberger Seenlandschaft — a nature park of clear glacial kettle lakes and the Hullerbusch beech reserve, beloved for swimming and birdwatching.
• Peene Valley & Stettiner Haff — sometimes called the "Amazon of the North," a vast untamed river wetland near Torgelow rich in sea eagles, beavers and kingfishers.
• Island of Usedom — the sun-blessed finale, home to the grand Imperial Spas of Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin with their wide white beaches and historic pier architecture.

Best Time to Hike the Europäischer Fernwanderweg E9A (Naturparkweg)

The walking season runs from late April to mid-October. September is the single best month to hike the Naturparkweg. As of 2026, climate-normal data for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern shows September averaging daytime highs of 17–19 °C with markedly lower rainfall than the July–August peak, while the crowds of the Baltic beach season at Usedom have thinned and accommodation prices on the coast drop sharply after the German school holidays end.

September also brings the region's signature wildlife spectacle: tens of thousands of cranes stage on the lakes and fields of the Mecklenburg Lake District before migrating south, and the beech forests of Müritz National Park begin turning copper. Spring (May to early June) is the runner-up, offering long daylight, blooming heath and active birdlife, though lakeside mosquitoes can be fierce in the wetland stages near the Peene. July and August are warm and reliable but busy on Usedom and humid inland. Avoid November through March: many small guesthouses close, ferries run reduced winter schedules, and the flat exposed lakeland turns grey and waterlogged.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The E9A passes through a well-served tourist region, so wild camping is neither necessary nor legal — Germany prohibits free camping in nature parks and reserves, which is exactly what most of this route is. Plan instead around villages and small towns. Expect to pay roughly €60–95 per night for a double room in a Pension or Gasthof, dropping to €25–40 for a bunk in a DJH youth hostel (there are well-placed hostels in Ratzeburg, Schwerin, Waren and on Usedom). Campsites are abundant around the larger lakes such as the Müritz and Krakower See, charging around €12–20 per pitch plus a small per-person fee and the regional Kurtaxe (visitor tax) of €1–3. On Usedom in high season, book the Imperial Spa towns weeks ahead; inland, midweek availability is usually easy. Many lakeshore campsites add a Baltic-region tourist tax that funds the trail and beach upkeep.

Getting There & Back

The trailhead at Ratzeburg is reached via Lübeck; Lübeck Hauptbahnhof connects to Hamburg in about 45 minutes, and Hamburg Airport is the nearest major international gateway, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes from Ratzeburg by train and bus. From there a regional bus or the short branch line reaches Ratzeburg in under 30 minutes. At the finish, Heringsdorf and Ahlbeck on Usedom sit on the Usedomer Bäderbahn (UBB) line, which links to Züssow on the mainland; from Züssow direct InterCity and regional trains run to Berlin in about 3 hours and to Hamburg via Stralsund. Heringsdorf also has a small regional airport with seasonal flights. Deutsche Bahn covers the entire corridor, so a one-way linear hike needs no shuttle car.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to walk the E9A — Germany's right-to-roam tradition (the Betretungsrecht) gives free pedestrian access to forests and open countryside. The only costs are the local visitor tax (Kurtaxe) levied by spa and lakeside municipalities, typically €1–3 per night and often bundled into your accommodation bill, which in return gives free or discounted local transport and beach access. Drones and off-trail entry are restricted in Müritz National Park and the Schaalsee and Vorpommern reserves, so stay on marked paths. The route is waymarked with the standard white-on-blue E9 sign and supplementary regional Naturparkroute markers. For the definitive corridor description and downloadable overview maps, consult the European Ramblers Association E9 in Germany page, the official authority for the whole network.

Gear & Packing List

This is a low-altitude, hut-free route, so your pack revolves around comfort over many flat kilometres rather than technical climbing kit. A 35–50 litre pack is plenty for a self-supported lakeland walk staying in guesthouses; the Abisko Hike 35 suits a light guesthouse-to-guesthouse style, while campers carrying a tent and stove will be better served by the Aircontact Lite 45+10 or, for ultralight devotees, the 2400 Windrider. Prioritise waterproofs and quick-dry layers: the Baltic hinterland is humid and rain can sweep in even in summer. Pack good insect protection for the Peene and Schaalsee wetland sections, sturdy trail shoes rather than stiff boots (the ground is soft and flat), and a swimsuit — the glacial kettle lakes of the Feldberger Seenlandschaft are some of the cleanest swimming water in Germany.

Because daily distances are long, dial in your fuelling. Our guide on how many calories you need hiking a full day helps you plan resupply in the small village shops along the way, which can be sparse on the wilder eastern stages. If you are weighing up your pack choice, the round-up of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 is worth a read before you commit.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the European E-path network appeals, several sibling routes cross Germany with the same blend of accessible terrain and long-distance ambition. For more coastal and upland variety, look at the parallel branches of the E8 in the west of the country, or follow the E11 east across the Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt plains. Each shares the European Ramblers Association waymarking system and the same gentle, lake-and-forest character that makes the Naturparkweg so welcoming.

• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E8, Rheinland-Pfalz — 4,390 km
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E8, Nordrhein-Westfalen — 4,390 km
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E11, Sachsen-Anhalt (W) — 2,070 km
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E11, Sachsen-Anhalt (O) — 2,070 km
• Europäischer Fernwanderweg E11, Brandenburg (O) — 2,070 km

For a complete change of scale and a taste of dramatic mountain hiking, the cross-border Theth to Valbona trail in Albania is the opposite of the flat Naturparkweg — steep, alpine and unforgettable.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the E9A Naturparkweg?
September is the standout month. Daytime temperatures of 17–19 °C, lower rainfall than midsummer, thinning Baltic crowds and falling accommodation prices combine with the autumn crane migration across the Mecklenburg lakes. Late April to October all work, but September offers the best balance of weather, wildlife and value for a 12–14 day walk.

How difficult is the E9A and how fit do I need to be?
The route is rated easy to moderate. There is almost no climbing — cumulative gain is around 1,500 m spread over roughly 330 km of flat lakeland and coast. The challenge is endurance, not gradient: long daily distances of 22–28 km on soft ground. Any reasonably fit walker comfortable with consecutive full days can complete it without technical skills.

How many kilometres per day should I plan?
Most hikers average 22–28 km a day, finishing the roughly 330 km route in 12 to 14 days. Because the terrain is flat, these distances are far less tiring than equivalent mountain days. You can shorten stages easily thanks to frequent villages and rail connections, making it a flexible route for slower or part-time walkers.

Where do I sleep along the route?
Accommodation is village-based: guesthouses and Pensionen at €60–95 a double, DJH youth hostels at €25–40 a bunk, and lakeside campsites at €12–20 a pitch. Wild camping is illegal in the nature parks the trail crosses. Book ahead on Usedom in summer; inland midweek availability is usually relaxed. A small Kurtaxe visitor tax often applies.

Do I need a permit to walk the E9A?
No permit is required. Germany's right-to-roam law grants free pedestrian access to forests and countryside. The only charge is the local visitor tax (Kurtaxe) of €1–3 per night in spa and lakeside towns, usually added to your accommodation bill and giving free local transport in return. Stay on marked paths inside Müritz National Park and the protected reserves.