Pankeradweg

The Panke Cycle Path

Formerly "Stinkepanke", now "Green Ribbon" through Berlin

In the 19th century, Berlin's Panke was a small river of the common people. Its banks, especially in the Wedding district, were inhabited by craftsmen, millers, and tanners. There were eight mills and 23 tanneries along the Panke in that area alone. To process leather, 500 buckets of dog feces were used daily. It is no wonder that the approximately 30-kilometre-long Panke, which rises in the meadows near Bernau (north of Berlin) and flows into the shipping canal in Berlin-Mitte, was colloquially known as "Stinke-Panke" (Stinky Panke).

Today, little remains of the Stinkepanke, quite the opposite. The cycle and hiking path connecting Berlin with Bernau is embedded in a "green ribbon." A cycling or hiking map of the region is advantageous since there are occasional discrepancies along the route.

The path runs almost entirely along the bank, and from Schlosspark Niederschönhausen, the Berlin-Usedom long-distance cycle route joins, now also signposted.

We start our approximately 16-kilometre tour at Wedding S-Bahn station and ride via Nettelbeckplatz to Gerichtsstraße. There we turn onto the Panke cycle path and continue our journey north through a former industrial area.

We cross Pankstraße and enter the former "Red Wedding". This area was a communist stronghold where street battles raged in 1929. A commemorative boulder at the Wiesenstraßen bridge still reminds of this today. We continue cycling along the Panke on Uferstraße. A few metres on, we stand in front of Uferstraße 8. The Piano Salon Christophori is both a workshop where grand pianos, especially historic hammer pianos, are carefully restored, and a place where the instruments are also played. Every 2-3 weeks, chamber music evenings are held in the informal workshop atmosphere over good wine.

We cross Badstraße, keep right, and after a few metres immerse ourselves in the green area next to the Panke. We are now on Travemünder Straße. The corner house Badstr.39/Travemünder Str. (Luisenhaus) was built in the 18th century after it was found that an iron-rich spring there could be marketed as a healing spring. With royal support, a spa operation was established with up to 1000 tub baths per day. However, the "Friedrichs-Gesundbrunnen" did not last long, and the revival as "Luisenbad" from the 19th century was also not a lasting success.

After Osloer Straße, we switch to the left bank of the Panke, then at Gotenburger Straße take the right bank again. At the height of Gottschalkstraße, we have to switch sides several times but follow the "Pankeweg" signposting.

The Panke gave its name to the Pankow district, and the two main parks are crossed by the Panke. In summer, when the roses bloom in the Bürgerpark, it is worth stopping to enjoy quietly and take a break. Before entering the second park with Schönhausen Palace, we follow the elegant Parkstraße. Paul Nipkow, who invented the "Nipkow disc", lived at number 5. He broke images down into individual points to transmit them similarly to sounds on the telephone. It was the fundamental invention for later television.

In the park, one should definitely visit the palace complex because Schönhausen Palace has an interesting history that cannot be elaborated on here. Just this much: after the reunification, the "Round Table" met here; thereafter, the palace fell into a deep sleep. Only in 2005 was it taken over by the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation and restored as a museum palace.

At the carp ponds near Pasewalker Straße, the city boundary of Berlin is reached. The A 114 motorway, which we now follow for quite a stretch, is unmistakable. We pass a allotment garden colony and take the second pedestrian bridge over the motorway to continue cycling on the Pankeweg. The ramp onto the bridge is confusing, so be sure to watch the red and white signs. Immediately behind the bridge, two paths diverge, both usable. We choose the left path marked for Buch.

We reach the Karower Teiche, which were once dug for peat extraction and fish farming and today form a large nature reserve. Numerous bird species can be observed from the viewing platforms.

In the last kilometres, we lose sight of the Panke a little because the S-Bahn line runs in between. However, we have reached our destination (the Panke cycle path continues beyond Bernau) and use the train at Buch station to return to Berlin. Text and photos: Klaus Tolkmitt