Gransee is one of the best-kept medieval towns in Brandenburg, still enclosed by almost the full ring of its brick walls, with gate towers and defensive turrets. In the middle stands the great brick Gothic church of St Mary, and on the market square a curious cast-iron monument designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel marks the spot where the coffin of Queen Louise of Prussia rested overnight in 1810 on its way to Berlin. Louise was hugely popular, and her early death caused national mourning.
The countryside around Gransee is typical of northern Brandenburg: gently rolling farmland, pine and oak forests, and countless lakes left by the glaciers of the last Ice Age. To the north lie the Stechlin and Ruppin lake districts, beloved of the writer Theodor Fontane, who described the region in his famous travel writings. The lakes are clear and quiet, perfect for a summer swim.
The riding here is relaxed. Roads run through forests and fields, often lined with avenues of old trees, which are beautiful but leave no room for error. Some villages still have cobblestone streets. Traffic is light, apart from the B96 main road, which runs north from Berlin towards the Baltic coast and can be busy, especially in summer. Wildlife is abundant, so watch for deer and wild boar, particularly at dawn and dusk.
Gransee has fuel stations, supermarkets and a few cafés and restaurants. It is a good place for a break: walk around the walls, visit the church and the Louise monument, and enjoy the calm of a small town that has kept its character. Next, the road continues towards the Lusatian lakes, a very different landscape shaped by mining.