We will start the 2024 pilgrimage season with a weekend of pilgrimage.

The first day from Starkow to Schuenhagen

Since we have already walked the first stages of the Greifen pilgrimage route between Bodstedt and Starkow many times, this weekend we want to explore the last part of the route from Starkow via Schuenhagen to Richtenberg.

We are greeted by the first rays of spring and the awakening of nature at the St. Jürgen Basilica in Starkow. Let's go. With the song “Vertraut den neuen Wegen” (Trust in new ways) in our heads, we leave the wonderful idyll of Starkow via the Barthe bridge in the direction of Altenhagen. Once there, we cross the Barthe again and reach the enchantingly beautiful manor house park with its old oak avenue that once led to Dotten Castle. Here you can still sense the life of times gone by. At the same time, we can feel how nature is unfolding anew, right here and now. It is fascinating to experience and admire the cycle of growth and decay.

Today we are making very slow progress. It has rained heavily in the last few days and so the path leads us over very wet meadows. Again and again we have to walk back a little to avoid larger, deeper puddles. So we need a little break, also to dry our wet socks a little in the sun. What an adventure.

Then we walk a little way along the Barthe before we reach the forest of the forest area around Schuenhagen. Here we also come across the remains of the old railway embankment that used to lead from Richtenberg to Velgast.

On this last section of the pilgrimage route, we can walk on firm, dry forest soil. Accompanied by the scent of the forest and the singing of the birds, in which we gladly join, we reach Schuenhagen after 7 km.

Arriving at the forester's lodge, today's destination, we are happy that we have come one step closer to completing the entire GreifenWeg.

Day 2 from Schuenhagen to Richtenberg

The exploration of the second part of our 4th stage of the Greifenweg, we can start again with bright sunshine 7 pilgrims friends who have gathered in Schuenhagen.

The trail begins at the Schuenhagen forester's lodge, where there is also a habitat trail for the lesser spotted eagle to discover and experience. The lesser spotted eagle is one of the smaller birds of prey. ...

From the forester's lodge, the path leads to the street “an der Müß”. And after just a few steps, we reach the Kronenwald forest. Fortunately, the entire path is easily accessible today (no wet meadows and feet, as on the previous day). Today, too, we start the day of pilgrimage with our familiar song. We follow a path already marked on old maps.

Where there are no benches, tree trunks invite us to rest. With joyful singing, we thank the Creator and creation and reach the edge of the forest after about 7 km. Unfortunately, when we leave the forest, the sunshine also leaves us. A heavy shower of heavy rain and hail accelerates our pace towards Richtenberg. But that's just how it is. That's also part of the pilgrimage.

The Church of St. Nicholas offers us shelter and a space for a short final prayer and we give thanks for the experience of fellowship along the way.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Franzburg-Richtenberg parish, who opened the church especially for us this afternoon.

Here at the Nikolaikirche in Richtenberg, the GreifenWeg meets the pilgrimage route of Saint Birgitta, which leads from Lund in Sweden via Sassnitz, Stralsund, Richtenberg, Tribsees and the Templin Pilgrim Monastery to Schwerin.

And until we meet again, we trust in God's hand.

Wolfgang and Annett Drews