It was later that we found that much of the Iron Curtain Trail (ICT) in Germany follows close to the German-German border quite rigorously. This is sometimes something of a ritual because the border has been removed; except in a few places, all the paraphenalia, including the fences and other barriers, have gone - as they should have. We saw a series of photographs in ther museum in Schlagsdorf (later) showing the track of the border, just after this removal, then a few years later then quite recently. The first is a scar of bare earth through the countryside, then it has got low-level vegetation, then it has trees growing and actually would be difficult to find if one did not know what one is looking for. The intention, I believe, is that most of it will remain a green corridor through the countryside.
Up to the edge of Lubeck (Lubeck itself was in West Germany) the border had been the sea edge. Here there was an exclusion zone and access to the seaside was restricted in many places, but it was not quite so intrusive, so far as I can tell.
The ICT was along near the seaside until it reached the point where the border itself turned inland. It then followed close to the old land border, with a side trip into Lubeck, but this bit twisted and turned following the border and is quite long. We did not give importance to this inland section, and I was not up to another very long day either, so we decided to go along the coast, then cross by ferry to Warnemunde which is North of Lubeck and then either cycle into Lubeck, but more directly and not on the ICT, or go by train to Lubeck. In the event, we went by train.
We left Zierow, going to Boltenhagen, on ordinary roads. Boltenhagen used to have thremal baths and we anticipated going to them. But it turned out that the baths had closed a few years ago, for financial reasons. It is tourist area, as shown by the facilites provided.
We had a nice lunch there, and continued. The place itself is something of a spa town, even if no actual spa anymore, and had that sort of feel about it. Soon after we cycled on, there came a real heavy downpour. I have not commented on the weather during this ride much. During the earlier part of the ride, the Curonian spit, Kaliniongrad and Poland, it was sunny, not too hot and really excellent. The it was more cloudy, but not wet - until this, which was extreme.
I am not sure if it was becuase of this rain, but we took or more inland route than the ICT itself, which goes aklong a coastal path. We probably missed some beautiful coastal scenery, but the route we did follow went through was also beautiful and went through pretty villages. About two thrids of the way from Boltenhagen, we coud divert to the coastal path and did so.
A few km after this, we came to the site of a former large farm house, or Manor house, that had got removed in thne time of the border, as it "got it the way". This sort of thing did happen, in many places. Here is a rather poor photo of the notice aboutnit, and a mound that mustb have been the house.
We also came to a wayside food place and plate of chips and mayonnaise was very welcome.
The coast path is well made up and through beautiful countryside, wooded and with fields, but one sees very little of the sea unless one goes specifically down a side path. But we arrived at the point where the iron curtain itself turned South. Here is what it is now and what it used to be (on an explanatory poster):-
Soon, we were in Priwall, the town opposite Warnemunde, and took the ferry across. We then decided definitely to go to Lubeck by train. We also wanted to see a 4-master sailing ship in the harbour, so there was a certain amount of cycling here and there in a somewhat confused state.
We did find a station, and a train was due in 10 minutes. On it to Lubeck, and on arrival, on to our hotel, called the Kaiserhof.
Up to the edge of Lubeck (Lubeck itself was in West Germany) the border had been the sea edge. Here there was an exclusion zone and access to the seaside was restricted in many places, but it was not quite so intrusive, so far as I can tell.
The ICT was along near the seaside until it reached the point where the border itself turned inland. It then followed close to the old land border, with a side trip into Lubeck, but this bit twisted and turned following the border and is quite long. We did not give importance to this inland section, and I was not up to another very long day either, so we decided to go along the coast, then cross by ferry to Warnemunde which is North of Lubeck and then either cycle into Lubeck, but more directly and not on the ICT, or go by train to Lubeck. In the event, we went by train.
We left Zierow, going to Boltenhagen, on ordinary roads. Boltenhagen used to have thremal baths and we anticipated going to them. But it turned out that the baths had closed a few years ago, for financial reasons. It is tourist area, as shown by the facilites provided.
We had a nice lunch there, and continued. The place itself is something of a spa town, even if no actual spa anymore, and had that sort of feel about it. Soon after we cycled on, there came a real heavy downpour. I have not commented on the weather during this ride much. During the earlier part of the ride, the Curonian spit, Kaliniongrad and Poland, it was sunny, not too hot and really excellent. The it was more cloudy, but not wet - until this, which was extreme.
I am not sure if it was becuase of this rain, but we took or more inland route than the ICT itself, which goes aklong a coastal path. We probably missed some beautiful coastal scenery, but the route we did follow went through was also beautiful and went through pretty villages. About two thrids of the way from Boltenhagen, we coud divert to the coastal path and did so.
A few km after this, we came to the site of a former large farm house, or Manor house, that had got removed in thne time of the border, as it "got it the way". This sort of thing did happen, in many places. Here is a rather poor photo of the notice aboutnit, and a mound that mustb have been the house.
We also came to a wayside food place and plate of chips and mayonnaise was very welcome.
The coast path is well made up and through beautiful countryside, wooded and with fields, but one sees very little of the sea unless one goes specifically down a side path. But we arrived at the point where the iron curtain itself turned South. Here is what it is now and what it used to be (on an explanatory poster):-
Soon, we were in Priwall, the town opposite Warnemunde, and took the ferry across. We then decided definitely to go to Lubeck by train. We also wanted to see a 4-master sailing ship in the harbour, so there was a certain amount of cycling here and there in a somewhat confused state.
We did find a station, and a train was due in 10 minutes. On it to Lubeck, and on arrival, on to our hotel, called the Kaiserhof.
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