The E11 Pohodniška pot je 2.560 km pohodništvo pot v Evropi skozi Nizozemska, Nemčija in Poljska. Je ena izmed enajst pešpoti koordinira Evropska organizacija ramblerjev (ERA), znano tudi kot (nemško) Europäische Wandervereinigung (EWV) in (francosko) Féderation Européenne de la Randonnée Pédestre (FERP).
Vsakodnevno upravljanje poti, od označevanja do preusmeritve, izvaja nizozemska nacionalna organizacija ramblers Wandelnet, kvango in krovna organizacija nizozemskih rabling klubov, nekaterih nemških regionalnih ramblerskih organizacij in poljske nacionalne pohodniške organizacije PTTK. Na Nizozemskem in v zahodni Nemčiji gre E11 po regionalnih pešpoteh (večinoma neprimernih za druga prevozna sredstva); vzhodno od Harz gore, E11 je bil zasnovan po padcu železne zavese, lahko pa ga pokrije tudi kolo; na Poljskem pa je E11 združba manjših in večjih delov lokalnih in regionalnih poti, po katerih bi lahko šli peš ali na sedlu.
Razen gorovja Harz gre E11 skozi ravno ali valjasto zemljo. Številni deli so pokriti z gozdom ali vsaj komercialnim lesom, toda tam so odprta agrarna in neizkoriščena zemljišča. Zahodno Nemčijo prečka niz nizkih gričev, ki so nastali v zadnji ledeni dobi pred približno 12.000 leti. Po gorah Harz skorajda ni opaziti nobene višine. E11 nekaj časa pogosto sledi vodnim potim, ki jih prečkajo s trajektom ali mostom, včasih pa morajo biti jezera obdana, na primer v Masurija na Poljskem. Med rekami, ki jim sledijo in prečkajo, so reke IJssel na Nizozemskem, Elbe in Havel v Nemčiji Oder ali Odra na meji med Nemčijo in Poljsko ter Visla (Wisła) na Poljskem.
Razumeti
E11 je nastal leta 1980 z niza kratkih nemških poti kot mednarodna pot med pobratenima mestoma Haarlem na Nizozemskem in Osnabrück v Nemčiji in je bil takoj razširjen na gore Harz. Po padcu železne zavese je E11 postal eno izmed številnih sredstev za spodbujanje integracije zahodne in nekdanje vzhodne, danes srednje Evrope. Zato se je v devetdesetih letih podaljšal v Berlin in nato na Poljsko. Kot zastoji okoli Amsterdam onemogočilo nadaljevanje prijetne poti iz Haarlem, začetek je bil premaknjen na Scheveningen. Na regionalni mednarodni ravni je Euregio začel izkoriščati odsek med državama Deventer na Nizozemskem in Osnabrück v Nemčiji na komercialen način, v upanju, da bo podkrepil svoja prizadevanja za zbliževanje prebivalstva na obeh straneh mednarodne meje.
Na progi so opazne etnične in zgodovinske razlike. Odprtost pokrajine Zahodna Nizozemska (Nizozemska), bogato kmetijstvo na vzhodu, mejnike velikih pruskih posesti in njihova neskončna polja, ki so jih obdržali ali oživili v času NDR, in brazgotine, ki so jih ustvarili stoletja nemško-poljskega konflikta ter nemškega in sovjetskega zatiranja - vsi so vidno vzdolž E11. To potrjuje dejstvo, da je poljski del E11 večinoma na ozemljih, ki so bila do leta 1918 ali celo leta 1945 nemška. Če želite bolj uživati v svojem pohodu po E11, lahko v Wikipediji preberete enciklopedični članek o evropski poti na dolge razdalje E11. ob E11 boste našli tudi na stotine povezav do mest.
Pripravite se
E11 ne zahteva priprave, ki presega normo za pohodništvo na dolge razdalje (glej Pohodništvo in odsek "Pripravi" v Apalaška pot). Prepričajte se, da ste v dobri fizični kondiciji in imate dobro opremo (ne posegajte po poceni pohodniških čevljih ali poceni nahrbtniku) in dober nabor zemljevidov. Prepričajte se tudi, da imate dovolj hrane in vode, da se preživite.
V nekaterih delih Poljske je razdalja med kraji, kjer se lahko spi v postelji (in ne v šotoru), lahko do 35 km. Če vam ni do tega, da korakate po takšnih razdaljah (ali še bolj, če se izgubite), potem imejte šotor in spalno vrečo. Bodite pripravljeni na dež (in sneg pozimi) in nosite hitro sušeča oblačila, če jih nameravate oprati med potovanjem.
S pomočjo spletne strani nemškega železniškega podjetja DB E11 je enostavno razdeliti na odseke, ki so izvedljivi v enem samem počitniškem potovanju v dveh ali treh tednih. Razen Haag, Bad Bentheim, Osnabrück, Hannover, Halle (Saale), Berlin, Frankfurt (Oder), Poznań, Teči in Olsztyn so mesta, iz katerih se človek zlahka odpravi z vlakom. Hannover, Berlin in Poznań ponujajo tudi letalske storitve.
Ko določite odseke E11, po katerih boste hodili, poskrbite, da boste pridobili vse spodnje zemljevide, priporočene za ta odsek. To bo trajalo nekaj tednov, če ne celo mesecev, saj se vse trgovine in založniki ne odzovejo hitro.
Na Nizozemskem in v Zahodni Nemčiji vas običajno razumejo, če komunicirate v angleščini, če pa greste na vzhod, vzemite s seboj osnovne besednjake v nemščini in poljščini. Pomaga, če se naučite izgovarjati imena in druge besede na nizozemski, nemški, poljski način, saj je odkrit anglofonski naglas hud hendikep, ko se želite najti ali pa ste lačni.
Ostani varen
Največja nevarnost ob E11 je komaj vidna: kljukico. Nevarnost ni toliko v tej majhni živali, čeprav bi njen ugriz občasno povzročil okužbo. Nevarnost je v parazitih, ki jih lahko prenašajo. Na celotni progi je znano, da so klopi okuženi (včasih do visokih odstotkov) z boreliozo. Vzhodno od gorovja Harz lahko prenašajo tudi klopni meningoencefalitis. Pazljivo preberite ustrezne članke v Wikipediji ali drugje in si priskrbite cepljenje proti klopnemu meningo-encefalitisu, preden se odpravite na območje Harza ali bolj proti vzhodu. Proti lymski boreliozi ni profilakse, vendar jo je mogoče zgodaj pozdraviti z antibiotiki.
Poleg občasnega srečanja s seštevalcem, merjascem, volkovim čopičem ali celo risom ali ugrizom katerega koli sesalca, okuženega s steklino, je pot sicer popolnoma varna in jo lahko celo spremljamo pozimi, če je človek ustrezno oblečen in ima dovolj hrane in (vročih) pijač. Poljska zima je dolga in hladna! Če šotora ne nosite, se prepričajte, da lahko premagate razdaljo 35 km, saj je nastanitev (in avtobusnih postajališč!) Na Poljskem včasih malo.
Vstopi
Začetek E11 v Ljubljani Scheveningen je zlahka dosegljiv z vseh koncev sveta: poleti do Schiphol, letališče Amsterdam, se z enim zelo pogostih vlakov odpeljite do "Den Haag CS", ene od železniških postaj v Ljubljani Haag, tramvaj 9 pa vas pripelje do Kurhausa na trgu "Gevers Deynootplein". Mogoče je tudi mednarodni vlak iz Belgije ali Francije do Rotterdam in tam prestavite vlake za Den Haag CS. Mednarodni vlaki iz Nemčije ponujajo povezavo do Den Haag CS z menjavo vlakov v Ljubljani Utrecht ali Amersfoort. Če prihajate iz Anglije, se običajno pripeljete s hitrim trajektom iz Harwich do Hook of Holland in nato po belo-rdeči označeni evropski obalni poti E9 v Scheveningen.
Ramblerji iz Združenega kraljestva in Irske, ki želijo do začetka E11 peš, naj poskrbijo, da bodo prispeli do Harwicha ob Essex Way, od koder naj se odpeljejo s trajektom Hook of Holland in nato sledite E9, kot je omenjeno zgoraj. Do Scheveningena je prav tako mogoče doseči isti E9 z južne Anglije, severozahodne Francije in belgijske obale. Druga možnost, da peš pridete do Hook of Holland, je E2 (poznan tudi kot GR 5) iz Lepo, vzhodno Francijo in skoraj vso Belgijo.
Mimogrede, Gevers Deynootplein pred Kurhausom ni tak kraj, kjer bi parkirali svoj avto, medtem ko bi se potrudili po 2500 km E11. Tudi če vam uspe najti brezplačno parkirno mesto, boste morali plačati več evrov na uro.
Hodi
Z izjemo članka, ki ga zdaj berete, natančno usmerjanje E11 sploh ni dokumentirano v angleškem jeziku. Če obvladate nizozemsko in nemško, boste brez težav prišli do gorovja Harz, v vzhodni Nemčiji in na Poljskem pa je težko najti celo podrobne vire v lokalnih jezikih (nemščini in poljščini). Za ta članek smo dobili in prevedli nemško knjigo, ki je že izšla iz tiska, ter letake in druge dokumente iz pisarn razburkanih organizacij v Kasselu, Pragi, Poznanu, Torunu in Olsztynu, pa tudi lokalno prodane topografske zemljevide. Nekateri odseki so označeni lokalno smiselno; drugi niso.
E11 na Nizozemskem (355 km)
Na Nizozemskem je E11 enak kot Marskramerpad (Peddlers Way), ki povezuje Scheveningen več kot 368 kilometrov do nemškega mesta Bad Bentheim. Zadnjih 13 km je na nemškem ozemlju, kar pomeni 355 km do nizozemskega ozemlja. Kot večino nizozemskih poti na dolge razdalje tudi Marskramerpad upravlja Wandelnet kje Wandelnet: "Marskramerpad", ur. avtor Wandelnet, Amersfoort, 2009, ISBN 9789071068782, lahko kupite vodnik v nizozemščini z zelo uporabnimi podrobnimi zemljevidi. To knjižico je treba uporabljati v obratnem vrstnem redu, tj. Zemljevid, ki prikazuje Scheveningen, je zadnji zemljevid v vodniku. To lahko pojasni, zakaj v naslovnem besedilu vodnika napačno piše, da se nizozemski del E11 začne v nemškem mestu Bad Bentheim.
Nizozemske pohodniške poti, vključno z Marskramerpadom, so običajno popolnoma označene. Vendar se poti pogosto spreminjajo, včasih tudi v glavnem, in te spremembe so opisani samo v nizozemščini. Decembra 2012 Omenjenih je bilo 55 sprememb.
Vse spremembe niso majhne. Eden od njih (med Achterveldom in Terschuurjem) znaša dodatnih 8 km (5 milj), poleg 360 km, omenjenih na naslovnici vodnika. Zato so bile 4 karte v knjižici ("kaart 42", 42A, 43 in 44) popolnoma spremenjene. Zato je priporočljivo naročiti vodnik in preveriti tudi oznake Marskramerpada na terenu za nedavne spremembe. Samo na glavnem naslovu strani najdete štiri dna, od katerih drugi levo pripravi zelo podroben zemljevid najnovejše poti poti (uporabite funkcijo povečave). Drugje na strani na desni strani najdete gumb z imenom overnachtingsadressen. S klikom na to boste dobili naslove nastanitev vzdolž poti.
Možno je prenesti GPS pot najnovejše različice Marskramerpada. To je zasebna publikacija, ki je Wandelnet ne izda in ne preveri. Verjetno tudi ne zajema vseh sprememb v usmerjanju. Zaradi avtorskih pravic tukaj ni mogoče najti niti te GPS poti niti natančnega opisa poti, vendar povezave v naslednjih odstavkih ponujajo možnost, da poiščete več informacij o mestih ob poti.
Nizozemski odsek E11 prečka iz 1 Scheveningen skozi središče mesta 2 Haag, nato zavije proti severovzhodu, da mimo nekdanje palače kraljevega dvorca 3 Huis ten Bosch, se nadaljuje na posestva 4 Wassenaar, gre mimo dvorca Kralj Willem-Alexander, zapusti gozdnato zemljo, da gre med nekaj pašnikov, vstopi v veliko vasico 5 Voorschoten in nadaljuje do drugega največjega starega mestnega jedra Nizozemske, tistega od 6 Leiden. Nadaljuje se 7 Leiderdorp in 8 Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk skozi verodostojne poldere in mokrišča v preteklosti 9 Hoogmade in skozi slikovito 10 Woubrugge do 11 Rijnsaterwoude, najnižja točka poti na 5 metrov pod morsko gladino. Naprej gre 12 Nieuwveen in 13 Zevenhoven do 14 Noorden in mesto 15 Breukelen ki ima železniško postajo. Po 16 Maartensdijk, pokrajina se iz mokrišč spremeni v gozdnate sipine, skozi katere mesto Ljubljana 17 Amersfoort je doseženo. Tu najdete medkrajevne vlake nazaj v Haag in Leiden, do mest, kot so Osnabrück, Hannover in Berlin, in če želite za en dan zapustiti progo, Amsterdam. Amersfoort pa ima dovolj za dan ali dva počitka.
Po Amersfoortu in 18 Leusden, Marskramerpad / E11 vstopi v široko mokro dolino, ki je bila v zgodnjem srednjem veku sestavljena iz barja, vendar je bila pred 1000 leti spremenjena v male polderje. Pot gre mimo 19 Achterveld, 20 Terschuur in 21 Appel v regiji imenovani Gelderse Vallei. Zdaj smo v občini Nijkerk, kjer so bili prvi naseljenci iz New York City prišel iz (Kiliaen van Rensselaer je bil trgovec iz Amsterdama, vendar je bila njegova družina v lasti še vedno obstoječe kmečke hiše "Rensselaer" med Nijkerkom in Puttenom, lokalno prebivalstvo pa mu je bilo tako všeč, da je mnoge sinove odpeljal na današnji Manhattan) .
To območje je tudi vrata v gozdove in gozdove Ljubljane Veluwe, največje območje, pokrito z drevesi v Ljubljani Nizozemska. Šarmantne vasice kot 22 Stroe in 23 Kootwijk, nekdanji antenski stolp Radia Kootwijk in mestnih občin 24 Hoenderloo in 25 Beekbergen so človeške znamenitosti v morju dreves. Potem pa pokrajina spet postane odprta in mokra 26 Klarenbeek (železniška postaja) in 27 Voorst so sprejeti. Pot zdaj nekaj časa sledi reki IJssel, pelje pod dvema velikima mostovoma z avtocestami, nato pa se s trajektom odpelje v staro mesto 28 Deventer (v določenih okoliščinah, kot so poplave ali led na reki, trajekt ne bo šel in čez drugi most boste morali prečkati IJssel).
Deventer je prvo okrožje v regiji Salland in provinca Overijssel. Poleg možnosti, da se peljete z enakimi medkrajevnimi vlaki kot v Amersfoortu (glejte zgoraj), je Deventer morda še eno mesto, kjer si oddahnete, preden se podate na vzhod Nizozemske. Pohodniki, ki gredo skozi Deventer pred sprehodom v Nemčijo, lahko izkoristijo obisk Wandelwinkel, knjigarna, specializirana za publikacije o pohodništvu in z njimi povezanih športih na prostem, kjer so na voljo vsi nemški podrobni zemljevidi. Trgovina je nasproti Bergkerka (Gorska cerkev; zgrajena je na gričku) v najbolj slikovitem delu mesta.
29 Diepenveen, 30 Lettele, 31 Okkenbroek in 32 Espelo so majhne vasice, obdane z odprto kmetijsko zemljo, vendar se Marskramerpad / E11 nato povzpne na vrsto hribov blizu mesta 33 Holten (železniška postaja). Zdaj vstopimo v regijo Twente. Kmalu pridemo do nadaljne široke doline z odprtimi polji in pot se vije proti zanimivemu mestu Delden. Namesto da bi prečkala mesto, ima pot raje lepoto posestva 34 Twickel, nato zavije sever proti 35 Azelo in 36 Zenderen, se dotakne najnovejših stanovanjskih predelov Ljubljane 37 Borne in Hengelo, in prehaja 38 Deurningen na poti k očarljivemu 39 Oldenzaal.
Železniška postaja Oldenzaal je križišče dolgih pešpoti, kot je Naoberpad ali Noaberpad na nizozemski in nemški meji ter različne nizozemske poti. E11 se nadaljuje proti jugovzhodu, izogiba se različnim naseljem na tem območju in na koncu prečka cesto 40 Nemška meja tik pred vasjo Gildehaus, del Ljubljane Bad Bentheim. Upoštevajte, da se oznake spremenijo takoj, ko vstopite v nemško zemljo: belo-rdeče oznake so zdaj na belem T mestu na črni podlagi. Zadnjih 13 kilometrov Marskramerpada je nemških.
EUREGIO izkorišča vzhodni del Marskramerpada in njegovo nadaljevanje v Nemčiji (skupaj tvori odsek Deventer - Bad Bentheim - Osnabrück) pod imenom Handelsweg. Njegova dvojezična (nizozemska, nemška) spletna stran ponuja prenose topomapov in rezervacij nastanitev in prevoza prtljage. Ta del E11 je dolg 229 km. Ime se spet nanaša na starodavne trgovce, vendar se prevede kot "Trgovska pot".
E11 v Nemčiji (996 km)
_april_®_DJE_2006_01.jpg/300px-BAD_BENTHEIM_(D)_april_®_DJE_2006_01.jpg)
Prvih 13 km v Nemčiji skozi 1 Gildehaus in 2 Bad Bentheim, so še vedno del nizozemskega Marskramerpada in jih lahko najdemo na zemljevidih 1 in 2 nizozemskega vodnika. Oznake segajo v čas, ko je bil ta del del Töddenwega: bela velika črka T na črni podlagi. Bad Bentheim je tudi prva izjemna nadmorska višina, v nasprotju z ravničarskimi in mokrišči ter občasnimi sipinami na Nizozemskem. Bad Bentheim ima zanimiv grad in muzej ter očarljivo mestece s središčem spa v gozdu v bližini.
V preostali Nemčiji E11 sledi nekaterim starim regionalnim potim, predvsem Töddenwegu, Wittekindswegu (Widukind's Way) in delu Wesergebirgswega. Ostanki Wanderweg Harz - Niederlande (Pohodniška pot Harz - Nizozemska) in novo ustvarjena pot v nekdanji NDR tvorijo preostali del E11 v Nemčiji. Pot prečka nekdanjo Zahodno Nemčijo po verigi grebenov, ki potekajo od zahoda proti vzhodu, nato mimo gorovja Harz, ne da bi šla visoko, in na koncu daje vtis o velikih agrarnih podjetjih, ki jih je ustanovila Brandenburško-prusko plemstvo v 17. stoletja in je še naprej obstajalo v obliki družb v lasti ljudi v času NDR.
E11 je običajno označen na različne regionalne načine in le redko je treba opozoriti, da gremo po evropski poti. Zato je nujno poznati imena teh poti in njihove simbole, kot je navedeno spodaj. Ker so prikazani tako kot oznake na drevesih in stenah kot na podrobnih zemljevidih, na katerih so označene poti, za doseganje poljske meje ni potrebno nadaljnje znanje nemškega jezika. Te zemljevide običajno najdemo samo v lokalnih knjigarnah, specializirane pa imajo morda zemljevide z drugih področij na zalogi. Falk in ADAC objavljata cestne atlase v merilu 1: 200 000, na katerih je E11 izjemno dobro označen. Očala se prodajajo po vsej Evropi.
Töddenweg in Wittekindsweg (205 km)
E11 sledi meji med nemškimi zveznimi deželami (Dežele) od Spodnja Saška in Severno Porenje-Vestfalija preko 200 km, kar pomeni, da se vsaj vsak dan prečka njihova meja. To velja tako za Töddenweg kot za Wittekindsweg, ki tvorita ustrezna nadaljevanja Marskramerpada.
Töddenweg (regionalno ime, ki naj bi ga prevedli kot Peddlers Way) se je začelo v Oldenzaalu na Nizozemskem, zdaj pa se je začelo leta Bad Bentheim, stari sedež nemškega plemstva s srednjeveškim gradom (delno muzejem) in delujočim zdraviliščem. Prelaz Töddenweg gre 3 Schüttorf, 4 Rheine, 5 Dreierwalde, 6 Ostenwalde, 7 Hopsten, 8 Recke, 9 Mettingen in 10 Westerkappeln do konca na osrednji postaji Ljubljana 11 Osnabrück. Komplet 3 zemljevidov lahko prenesete ali naročite pri EUREGIO. Na spletni strani lahko dobite drugačen zemljevid Spazieren.de (kliknite na "T - Töddenweg (prenos, GIF-Datei, arhiv / ZIP, 167 KB)) V sedanji obliki, od Bad Bentheima do Osnabrücka, Töddenweg meri 110 km. Označene so z nalepkami z belo tiskanim črko T na črni kvadrat ali s preprostim T. naslikan na drevesih in stenah. GPS sled lahko prenesete tukaj. Križari nekoliko povišano nad okoliško agrarno zemljo.
Pokliče se nadaljevanje po Osnabrückovi monumentalni železniški postaji Widukindova pot (Wittekindsweg), poimenovana po vojnem vodji iz 8. stoletja, ki se je uprl osvojitvi Saške s strani Karla Velikega in pozneje postal prvi saški vojvoda pod vodstvom Karla Velikega. Wittekindsweg, dolg 95 km, sledi grebenu Wiehengebirge, mimo 12 Pravilo, Mühlenortnear Engter, 13 Vehrte, 14 Ostercappeln, 15 Wehrendorf, 16 Barkhausen, 17 Oberbauerschaft in 18 Bergkirchen do 19 Porta Westfalica. Tik pred senzacionalnim spustom do Porte Westfalice pot vodi mimo velikanskega spomenika v čast Wilhelmu I., nemškemu cesarju od leta 1871 do njegove smrti leta 1888. Stavba je postavljena tako, da so tudi danes vsi, ki gredo mimo vlaku ali na avtocesti, si oglejte visoko na pobočju, ki konča Wiehengebirge.
Wittekindsweg je označen z ukrivljenim belim križem na črni podlagi (ali na drevesih in stenah) od Osnabrücka do Mühlenorta, nato pa z belimi in rdečimi črtami, ki spominjajo na Francijo in države BeNeLux. Odsek od Osnabrücka do Wittekindsberga, južno od mesta Minden, je tudi na Zemljevid Kompass 750 (na voljo v kateri koli dobri knjigarni po Evropi). Tako Töddenweg kot Wittekindsweg sta pod vodstvom Wiehengebirgsverband Weser-Ems, quango, ki promovira turizem in druge komercialne interese regije. Objavljajo in prodajajo podrobne zemljevide s potjo, ki jih lahko naročite pri njih Spletna stran. Za tiste, ki berejo nemško, je morda koristna njihova knjižica s podrobnim opisom načrta poti. Lahko prenesete drug zemljevid poti Spazieren.de in kliknite na "Wittekindsweg (prenos, GIF-Datei, arhiv / ZIP, 209 KB)). Nekaj podrobnih informacij o poti je v nemščini podal Wanderbares-Deutschland.de (na seznamu poti v levem stolpcu strani kliknite Wittekindsweg). GPS sled lahko prenesete iz Wanderkompass.
Vzhodna spodnja Saška in gorovje Harz (186 km)
Po Porta Westfalica E11 ostaja v Spodnji Saški skoraj 200 km. Sledi 50 km regionalne pohodniške poti Wesergebirgsweg, ki križari čez greben naslednjega grebena, Vzpetine Weser do srednjeveškega mesta Hameln. E11 doseže višino 440 metrov naprej 20 Gora Hohe Egge, sredi dih jemajočih skal in pragozdov. Nato prečka odprte padce naokoli 21 Hameln (križišča z E1) in 22 Coppenbrügge, blizu rek Hamel in Weser. Slednja občina ponuja zadnjo možnost nakupovanja, preden se E11 povzpne na naslednji greben, Ith in ostane na svojem grebenu v celotni dolžini.
Mimo 23 Eschershausen, srednjeveški 24 Alfeld, Helleberg ("Pekel") in 25 Bad Gandersheim, E11 doseže Pogorje Harz v okrožju 26 Seesen. Čeprav gorovje ponuja vrhove 1000 in več metrov (slavni Brocken nad 1100 m), se E11 ne povzpne višje od 500 m in se večinoma drži spodnjih delov severnih pobočij. Preči se skozi nekaj mest, znanih iz zgodnje nemške zgodovine: 27 Goslar (križišča z E6) in 28 Bad Harzburg. Rečica Ecker je bila nekoč 29 Nemško-nemška meja in zdaj ločuje zvezne države Spodnja Saška in Saška-Anhalt.
Podrobne informacije o tem delu poti najdete v nemški publikaciji, E11Mittel - Der E11 durch das Norddeutsche Mittelgebirge (2010); Fernwege.de; ISBN 9783937304809 (ta vodnik opisuje E11 od Porta Westfalica do mesta Halle an der Saale v Saški-Anhalt), na nemški spletni strani FernwegeE11 in na več podrobnih topografskih kartah, kot so Kompass 450. E11 je na drevesih in stenah označen z belim poševnim križcem (X), občasno na črnem kvadratu in / ali s črko N, da ne pride do zamenjave z drugimi potmi. N se nanaša na staro ime poti, Nizozemska - gore Harz. Upoštevajte pa, da se oznake "X11", tudi z belim križem, nanašajo na drugo pot, ki poteka vzporedno z E11.
Pogorje Harz in Saška-Anhalt (244 km)
V letih po ponovni združitvi Nemčije je klub Harz vložil veliko truda v obnovo mreže razgibanih poti v vzhodnem delu gorovja Harz. Posledica tega je bil popolnoma nov podaljšek E11 skozi zvezno deželo Saška-Anhalt. Preteče 30 Ilsenburg, 31 Wernigerode, 32 Thale, 33 Gernrode in 34 Ballenstedt, se končno prebije skozi greben gorovja Harz (ki so tu prej hribi kot gore) 35 Pansfelde in 36 Wippra, in doseže 37 Lutherstadt Eisleben. Slednje mesto je znano kot mesto rojstva Martina Lutherja, cerkvenega reformatorja, in nosi njegovo ime v svojem uradnem imenu.
Nadaljnja razširitev, ki je bila dolgo načrtovana, vendar izvedena šele leta 2007, vodi E11 skozi rudarstvo in obsežno kmetijsko območje do vasi 38 Höhnstedt in naravni park Spodnji Saale (Naturpark Unteres Saaletal) E11 nadaljuje do 39 Schochwitz in 40 Dölau v veliko mesto Halle. Odsek do Halle je označen na enak način kot prejšnji deli, torej beli križ (X), po možnosti na črnem kvadratu.
Izjemno mesto 41 Halle preživel drugo svetovno vojno skoraj nepoškodovan in ohranja veliko stavb, ki odražajo Jugendstil, Bauhaus in druge arhitekturne sloge. Za Halleom se E11 vzpne na samotni hrib 42 Petersberg in se nadaljuje po ravnem, odprtem zemljišču. Pokrajina odraža tako obsežen obseg agrarnih podjetij v NDR kot tudi Brandenburško-pruskega plemstva v 18. in 19. stoletju. E11 preide 43 Görzig in 44 Quellendorf priti do mesta 45 Dessau, zibelka Bauhausa. Nato E11 potopi v vznemirljivo naravo Biosferni rezervat Srednje Labe. Preteče 46 Vockerode, 47 Wörlitz in 48 Coswig in vstopi v gozd naokoli 49 Senst. Kmalu za vasjo E11 doseže mejo z zvezno državo Brandenburg. Po Halleju je E11 označen po tradicionalnem sistemu v nekdanji komunistični Evropi: tri vodoravne črte, bela, modra in bela, kar lahko razlagamo tudi kot modro črto na belem kvadratu.
V Saški-Anhalt je E11 na zemljevidih, ki jih je objavil Kompass 450 ali 452 in 453 (Gore Harz do Eislebena), 457 (Eisleben do Halle), 458 (Halle do Dessaua) in 456 ali 747 (po Dessau). Topografske karte lahko dobite tudi lokalno. Koristne informacije v nemškem jeziku najdete na spletni strani Fernwege.de s klikom na "PDF Touren download", "Wander-Shop" in "Fernwanderwege in Deutschland" (del med Halle in Coswig še vedno manjka).
Brandenburg in Berlin (348 km)
E11 vstopi v Brandenburg v bližini 50 Groß-Marzehns in prečka obsežno agrarno zemljo brez dreves do slikovitega mesta 51 Belzig. Pot se nadaljuje skozi prostrane lovske gozdove, ki so bili v 19. stoletju last Brandenburško-pruskega plemstva in so služili kot zelena cona okoli Berlin in Potsdam v 20. stoletju. Približno 20 km pred Potsdamom E11 doseže prvo od a 52 rezultat jezer povečala številna nekdanja počitniška naselja NDR, od katerih se nekatera še vedno zadržujejo.
Južno od točke 53 Potsdam pot se sreča z E10, ki poteka v smeri sever-jug. To zaznamuje velik kamen približno 200 m južno od osrednje železniške postaje v Potsdamu. E11 vzame malo časa, saj se izogne zanimivemu zgodovinskemu središču mesta in razkošnim palačam nekdanjih vojvod Brandenburg, ki so postali kralji Prusije in nemški cesarji. E11 se prikrade skozi eno najbolj vročih točk na nekdanji meji Ljubljane Berlin, 54 Klein Glienicke. To majhno naselje, zaprto z vodo in razdeljeno z zarezano mejo, je bilo v času hladne vojne polno vohunov obeh velesil. Most Glienicke je bil leta 1989 priča odprtju in padcu železne zavese.
Pot po nekdanjem Zahodnem Berlinu preseneča z veliko površino gozda pred 55 Olimpijski stadion v Charlottenburg je doseženo. Ta del Berlina je bogat z zgodovinskimi gradovi, vključno z zimsko rezidenco pruskih kraljev, ki so tukaj ustanovili tudi nekaj muzejev. Večina znanih berlinskih muzejev pa se nahaja v Ljubljani Mitte (zgodovinsko središče Berlina in tudi središče Vzhodnega Berlina v času NDR. E11 tu ne gre, ampak sledi stari zahodno-berlinski poti ob reki Spree in 56 Kanal Landwehr, tako da manjkajo najbolj zanimivi deli nekdanjega Vzhodnega in današnjega Berlina.
Območje 57 Köpenick je kraj, kjer E11 vstopi v nekdanje ozemlje vzhodnega Berlina E11 se ležerno zadržuje med reko Spree in nekaj rekreacijskimi parki, nato pa s trajektom prečka reko na veliko območje mestnih hiš in bungalovov, da 58 Friedrichshagen. Tu E11 pušča urbanizacijo, da se poda na sever v enega najlepših delov poti, dolino malega 59 reka Erpe ali Neuenhagener Mühlenfließ. Ko zavijemo proti vzhodu, pot zdaj poteka skozi 60 Neuenhagen in Naravni park Märkische Schweiz do 61 Gusow v bližini mesta 62 Seelow. Od tu lahko rambler izbere bolj zahodno pot čez hribe Lebus do Jacobsdorfa ali bolj na vzhodu pot, ki po vasi 63 Reitwein, sledi reki Odri proti jugu. Obe različici se srečata v 64 Frankfurt (Oder), kjer se nemški del E11 konča na mostu čez Odro na Poljsko.
_01.jpg/220px-2006-08_Frankfurt_(Oder)_01.jpg)
V Brandenburgu in Berlinu je oznaka E11 označena na različne načine. Belo-modro-bele črte, ki prihajajo iz Coswiga v Saški-Anhalt, se nadaljujejo do Luisiuma. Belo-rdeče-bele oznake prevzamejo vasico Wörlitz (Brandenburg; ne večje istoimensko naselje v Saški-Anhalt) in belo-modro-bele črte pripeljejo rambler v Potsdam. Pred monumentalno osrednjo železniško postajo v Potsdamu (Potsdam Hauptbahnhof) se sreča E11 E10, ki teče sever-jug in je označena tudi z belo-modro-belo. Rumeni X pelje skozi nekdanji Zahodni Berlin do začetka Köpenicka, od koder vodijo belo-rumeno-bele črte skozi to četrt in Friedrichshagen. Sledijo belo-rdeče-bele črte, ki pohodnika pripeljejo do njega Neuhardenberg. medtem ko belo-modro-bele črte spremljajo pot do Frankfurta (Oder).
Ta del E11 je opisan v knjigi nemškega jezika Wanderungen durch Brandenburg, Unterwegs auf den Europäischen Fernwanderwegen E10 in E11 (Opis E10 in E11 v zvezni deželi Brandenburg), Trescher Verlag (2003). ISBN 9783897940338. Seznam 150 naslovov, ki ponujajo prenočišča na poti, tudi v nemščini, najdete v specializiranih knjigarnah Übernachtungsverzeichnis zum europäischen Fernwanderweg E11 v BrandenburguISBN 9783937304410. Nekaj koristnih informacij najdete na Fernwege.de vendar kot taka premalo za sledenje poti. Toplo priporočamo, da nosite a mestni načrt Berlina med hojo od Potsdama do Neuenhagna. Lokalno kupljeni topografski zemljevidi bodo naredili preostanek poti v Brandenburgu.
E11 na Poljskem (1209 km)
Na Poljskem E11 nadaljuje proti vzhodu, nato proti severovzhodu, da gre mimo mest Międzychód, Poznań, Gniezno, Teči, Brodnica, Iława, Olsztyn in Gołdap v kraj Ogrodniki v Ljubljani Sejny Okrožje na Litovsko meja. Ker je 30% Poljske pokrito z gozdom, ne bo presenetljivo, da večina E11 prečka velika območja z drevesi (večinoma posajena in izkoriščena na komercialni način) in različnimi oblikami divje narave, kot so jezera in sipine . V bližini Poznana pa se rambar dneve sprehaja po agrarnih in polindustrijskih deželah, ki so jim prijetna nekatera starodavna mesta in zgradbe.
Ker je Poljska precej redko poseljena, še bolj, ko gremo na vzhod, moramo biti pripravljeni na brezpotnike na dnevne razdalje med 25 in 35 km. Če je pot spodaj podrobno prikazana, se imenu mesta doda razdalja od začetka odseka, ki označuje, da mesto ponuja neko obliko nastanitve. Na primer, "Wronki (88 km)" v oddelku "Międzyrzecz - Poznań-Kiekrz" pomeni, da je v mestu Wronki, 88 km za Międzyrzeczom, hostel, hotel ali druga nastanitev.
Nobena poljska regionalna pot v celoti ni del E11. Pot raje preskakuje z ene obstoječe poti na drugo, navadno po sledenju takšne poti le na kratki razdalji. Poleg tega E11 na polju ni naveden, z nekaj izjemami, ki lahko pomenijo en znak na vsakih 100 km. Regionalne poti pa so označene, čeprav ne vedno dovolj dobro, da bi rambler lahko našel E11 brez zemljevida. Sistem označevanja je vedno skupni srednjeevropski, torej belo obarvan-bel, vendar se zaradi številnih sprememb od ene poti do druge barva zelo razlikuje. Zato je v podrobnostih poti vsakega odseka spodaj navedena barva oznak. Na primer, "Drzecin (rumena)" pomeni, da v Drzecinu E11 začne slediti poti, označeni z rumenimi črtami na belem kvadratu.
Nekateri topografski zemljevidi prikazujejo odseke E11, drugi pa lahko prikazujejo samo poti, ki so osnova za to. Zato se je treba osredotočiti na dokumente, ki opisujejo, kateri odseki katerih poti skupaj tvorijo E11. Te so žal težko dostopne ali nepopolne:
1. Nemška knjiga s povzetkom poti vseh enajstih evropskih daljinskih poti. Soteske Hans Jürgen: Auf Tour v Evropi, ur. Kompass & European Ramblers Association (1999/2000 in 2002). This is an (even second-hand) completely sold-out summary of the E-trails, getting obsolete due to changes in the routings.
2. A series of Polish topographical maps (with legend in English) showing hiking trails, but not always indicating which of these belong to E11. "Poltopo" Oddział Topograficny Sztabu Gen. WP: Mapa Topograficzna Polski §, where § stands for the number of the map, i.e. "N-33-125/126" for the first map after Frankfurt (Oder). These and some more detailed maps may be ordered from abroad at the specialized map shop Grupa.18[prej mrtva povezava] in Poznań.
3. Later changes in the Polish routing can be found (in Polish) in the offices of PTTK, the Polish tourist organization. and (in English) at the secretariat of the European Ramblers Association in Prague.
4. You can't find your way with the help of German maps, however detailed they are. These maps tend to show the German names of townships as they were in use until 1945, but these names are nowhere to be found in the area. The German inhabitants of old were forcibly resettled in Germany and are no longer there, whereas the present Polish inhabitants are mostly the children of those who were equally forcefully resettled from areas that once belonged to Poland, but are now parts of Belorusija in Ukrajina, some thousand kilometers to the east. Thus none of the locals is able to trace an old German name to a modern Polish settlement.
Oder bridge - Międzyrzecz (141 km)
Once the bridge across the River Oder (and the now open border between Germany and Poland) has been passed, E11 (here unmarked) goes straight through the town center of 1 Słubice, until 1945 a suburban part of Frankfurt (Oder) under the name of Dammvorstadt, but a separate township in a different country since then. Going straight all the time for two kilometers, the rambler reaches a small parcel of forest. Here E11 curbs left toward the little village of Drzecin, where the first white-yellow-white markings are found. These lead in a few days to Lubniewice, where the markings change to white-blue-white. Up to here, map N-33-125/126 suffices, although it does not mention E11. Map N-33-127/128 has a new edition that shows the precise course of E11 from Trzebów. The detailed routing is: Oder bridge between Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice - town center of Słubice (no marking) - 2 Drzecin (yellow) - 3 Stare Biskupice - 4 Sułów - 5 Drzeńsko - 6 Lubiechnia Wielka - 7 Lubiechnia Mała - 8 Ośno Lubuskie (34 km) - 9 Trzebów - 10 Jarnatów - 11 Lubniewice (67 km).
The blue trail passes Kursko in vodi do Kęszyca Leśna, a former army base of the SovjetskiRdeča armada that now tries to build up a second life as an industrial and tourist settlement. The former staff quarters now function as a hotel, where the hiker may rest as a Soviet general. A little further lies Kęszyca, where a German system of underground corridors and strongholds can be visited. This dates back to the 1920s, when democratic Germany (the Weimar Republic) felt the need to defend itself against a possible attack from the east. In the 1930s already, this defense system started to deteriorate as dictator Adolf Hitler was more interested in attacking himself to the east and saw no need for a defense system that, from his point of view, lay somewhere inland in his dreamed Greater Germany. The spot offers now the unique possibility of following E11 underground.
(blue) - 12 Osiecko - 13 Bledzew (78 km) - 14 Chycina - 15 Gorzyca - 16 Kursko (93 km) - 17 Kęszyca Leśna (100 km) - 18 Kęszyca - 19 Rez. Nietoperek - between Kaława and Wysoka - 20 Gościkowo, with Paradyż abbey (112 km) (green) - 21 Szumiąca - 22 Bobowicko (141 km). The blue trail carries E11 until the township of Gościkowo, where the Paradyż Abbey sometimes hosts tired ramblers overnight, provided they accept the sober rules of monk life. After Gościkowo, white-green-white marks lead through some 30 km of forest to Bobowicko.
Med Kursko and Bobowicko, E11 follows a large bow around the city of Międzyrzecz. The city has bus and train connections with various townships on E11 and may be used as a pleasant station for two or three days of walking without much luggage. Bodowice is at walking distance (2 km) from the train and bus stations of Międzyrzecz. Due to its train connections to Poznań and Germany, Międzyrzecz is also a good place to end or start a tour of one or more weeks along E11. The city has an interesting regional museum and a lively score of restaurants and bars.
Międzyrzecz - Poznań-Kiekrz (133 km)
From Bobowicko, the green trail continues till after Stołuń, where E11 begins to follow white-blue-white to Villa Toscana, a lonely hotel between the villages of Nowe Gorzycko and Stare Gorzycko. The blue trail and E11 continue to the twin cities of Międzychód in Bielsko, which offer many opportunities for shopping (fashion, antiquities, arts) and staying overnight. E11 now enters the area that, for a long time, was No Man's Land and War Front Zone between Prussia (later the German Empire) and Poland. Many monuments remind of this tragedy, but the explanatory texts are in Polish only. In Bukowar the markings change to white-red-white and in Obrzycko to white-green-white. Słopanowo marks the end of the forests; E11 now enters the agrarian open space of the province of Greater Poland around the city of Poznań. There are no marks after Szamotuły. The village of Kiekrz is where E11 reaches Poznań.
Maps N-33-127/128, N-33-129/130 and N-33-117/118 do not mention E11, but show the underlined trails in the right color until Szamotuły. The precise routing of E11 is: Bobowicko (green) - 23 Żółwin - 24 Kuligowo - 25 Stołuń - 1 km before Rybakówko (blue) - Villa Toscania (27 km) - 26 Stare Gorzycko - 27 Słodewy Młyn - 28 Międzychód (33 km) - 29 Bielsko (36 km) - 30 Ławicá - 31 Góra - 32 Sieraków (53 km) - 33 Piaski - 34 Bucharzewo - 35 Bukowar (red) - 36 Pustelnia - 37 Chojno - 38 Chojno Błota - 39 Mokrz - 40 Wronki (88 km) - 41 Obrzycko (99 km) (green) - 42 Słopanowo - 43 Kobylniki - 44 Twardowo - 45 Szczuczyn - 46 Szamotuły (113 km) (no marking) - 47 Kępa - 48 Baborówko - 49 Pamiątkowo - 50 Krzyszkowo - 51 Rokietnica - 52 Starzyny - 53 Poznań-Kiekrz (133 km).
E11 through Poznań (33 km)
From behind the railway station of Kiekrz, a white-green-white marked trail leads through a vast city park to 54 Golęcin, from where a few black or blue marks guide the rambler to the tramway stop of 55 Sołacz in 56 Nad Wierzbakiem. After this point, E11 is not defined, but the obvious choice of a rambler interested in one of the oldest, biggest and most beautiful town centers along E11 is to turn right (south) toward 57 Rynek Jezycki. Here begins The Royal-Imperial Route in Poznań which, in a more or less straight West-East line, passes all touristic highlights of Poznań, among others the 58 central square of Poznań, Rynek and Rondo Środka. This tourist trail ends at the medieval little Church of St. John of Jerusalem Outside the Walls near Lake Malta. The quiet northern shore of this 59 Jezioro Maltańskie offers interesting views of the many sports accommodations on and around the lake and guides the E11 rambler to Krańcowa/60 Nowe Zoo and the start of the well-marked but curving Cistercian bicycle track (black monks on a white field or simple black stripes). Its many curves lead around the zoo, through 61 Poznań-Antoninek to the last residential area of Poznań, 62 Zieliniec. Lodgings and buses back to town are found just across the border of the city in 63 Gruszczyn (35 km). For this part of the track, a detailed plan of the city is recommendable. Free street maps of the center of Poznań and leaflets with information about the Royal-Imperial Route are found in many hotel lobbies and in the tourist information centers.
Poznań-Zieliniec - Gniezno (55 km)
Crossing the main road in Gruszczyn, E11 goes straight, now following a different bicycle trail, which is marked with a black stripe on a white square (the Cistercian route, by the way, turns left here and ends after two kilometers at the railway station of Kobylnica, although Map N-33-131/132 suggests that it continues straight to Pobiedziska.) E11 passes over a tar road through a nondescript area of small businesses and workshops related to agriculture until, just before the little village of Pomo (not shown on map N-33-131/132), it turns left and immediately right again into a sandy forest road. This spot is marked by a stone pillar indicating various hiking and biking trails.
Having ventured into the forest for 2 or 3 kilometers, you reach a crossing of sandy roads where a hiking trail marked white-green-white comes from the left. E11 and the black bicycle trail turn right to follow the green trail over several kilometers and across a paved road, until finally all black or green markings disappear. Here you should follow white-blue-white markings which, after another kilometer, turn out to mark the same trail as the green hiking and black biking routes. The scale of the topo-map, 1:100,000, does not allow to display all these details, so that a good sense of direction (assisted by a compass and sunny weather) is required.
The combined blue, green and black routes reach a second tar road, which they follow to the left (north) over a few hundred meters. The green and black signs are nowhere to be seen, but the blue trail turns right into a sandy forest path and the map indicates that this is E11. After about a kilometer, the markings leave the path and invite the rambler to find his steps among the trees. The blue stripes are now corroborated by green stripes (both on a white square) and are convincingly frequent, so that it is quite frustrating to learn that both routes, after splitting up, die somewhere in the forest and the dunes. Romantic ramblers may be reminded of Hansel and Gretel and start searching for the edible house of the bad witch, but in earnest, there seems to be no other solution than to go back to the tar road and follow it to the right (north) to the township of Pobiedziska, where E11 is found back.
The stretch between Pobiedziska and Gniezno is poorly documented. The only known source is a big map of the area, placed on the central square near the main church of Trzemeszno, a township further down E11. In Pobiedziska, a clearly marked trail guides hikers and bikers to the local railway station, but E11 and two bicycle trails follow, unmarked, a different street. This is the ulica Gnieźnieńska at the left of the church on the central square of Pobiedziska. After a kilometer the road and the routes cross the railway. In Glówna, bicycle trail #12 turns left, but E11 proceeds along an unnumbered bicycle trail, also marked black, to the village of Węglewo. E11 and the unnumbered bicycle route make two right turns in Węglewo and a left turn just outside, to continue on a stony dirt road.
Five hundred meters before the dangerously busy main road #5 is reached (don't put your hopes on signs indicating that meals or drinks might be served), in the long-stretched village of Moraczewo, E11 and the bicycle route curve left toward Lednogóra where white-red-white markings join the trail. This is from now on the colour of E11 over more than 100 km. From the church in the little village with scattered houses, it is about 2 km to the main road #5, which is followed to the left over a newly paved footpath along a swampy lake. After another kilometer on this path, a crossing in the main road is reached. A huge red neon sign draws attention to a motel ahead on the main road; a humble signpost points to the youth hostel of Dziekanowice to the left; but E11 turns right to cross the main road and follow a tar road to the South. At the crossing a road sign says that it is now 22.2 km to Gniezno.
The tar road and E11 reach the railway track and follow it to the left, but where the tar road crosses the rails, E11 goes straight on a stony dirt road parallel to the railway. There are no markings here; the first white-red-white stripes are found just before the station of Fałkowo, where E11 turns right across the tracks into the township. Fałkowo is crossed at full length until you reach a motorway (in September 2011, the road was still under construction and a new routing of E11 had not been established. Please add new information here.) After Leśniewo scarce white-red-white signs can be found again, leading the aware and persistent rambler to Gniezno.
Gniezno was the first capital of Poland, way back in the Middle Ages, but it is now dreaming away as a provincial town. Old and beautiful houses and other buildings around the central square testify of an interesting past, whilst decaying factories refer to the recent communist past. The university offers the most lively corner of the town. The white-red-white marks of E11 lead along the most interesting churches, museums and other sites, and finally to the railway station.
The routing of E11 in this section can be summarized as: Poznań-Zieliniec (bicycle track marked with a black Cistercian on a white square) - Gruszczyn (1 km) (bicycle track marked white-black-white) - 64 Uzarzewo - 65 Biskupice - Rez. Jezinowo Dębiniec (green) - Rez. Drazynek (blue) - forest near Kapalice (no markings) - 66 Pobiedziska (22 km) (bicycle track marked white-black-white) - 67 Glówna - 68 Węglewo - 69 Moraczewo - 70 Lednogóra (red) - 71 crossing near Dziekanowice (33 km) - 72 Fałkowo - 73 Leśniewo - 74 Pierzyska - 75 Wożniki - 76 Gniezno (55 km).
Gniezno - Toruń (136 km)
A few signs in front of the railway station of Gniezno indicate distances along the red-marked trail that is E11. The 40 km to Mogilno are correct, but the distance to Kruszwica is severely exaggerated. The trail follows the road parallel to the tracks to the Northeast and turns then right into a tunnel under the railway. After another right turn, it passes through a modern industrial area, older residential quarters and a surprisingly wild patch of forest. The red markings lead through open agrarian land to the long-stretched industrial village of Trzemeszno. The trail passes in front of the railway station, crosses the tracks a little further, and reaches Mogilno via the village of Wydartowo.
The maps needed for this section are N-33-131/132, N-34-121/122, N-34-109/110 and N-34-97/98. E11 is not mentioned on these maps, but the red marked trails are partially covered, namely from Gniezno to Trzemeszno. From Trzemeszno to Strzelno, the E11 is shown on a locally published topographical map Mogilno na Szlaku Piastowskim, ur. Artem, Witkowo, 1:50 000, ISBN 8391396967 . The precise course of E11 in this section is: Gniezno (red) -Pławnik - 77 Kędzierzyn - 78 Nowa Wieś Niechanowska - 79 Krzyżówka - 80 Miaty - 81 Trzemeszno (23 km) - 82 Niewolno - 83 Folusz - 84 Wydartowo - 85 Duszno - 86 Izdby - 87 Gozdawa - 88 Wyrobki - 89 Mogilno (41 km)
The white-red-white stripes die out in Mogilno. E11, now invisible, turns right in the little park around the lake, not far from the railway station, and immediately right again, to follow the waterside toward the medieval Benedictine monastery. E11 turns left (east) along a busy narrow road to Bystrzyca, where it turns into a backstreet to Olsza. The lengthy village street of Podgaj and Kawka delivers the rambler at the lonely motel of Goryszewo Kwieciszewo. The exact routing in this part of the trail is: Mogilno - 90 Bystrzyca - 91 Olsza - 92 Goruszewo - 93 Kwieciszewo (51 km).
Here, the first white-red-white stripes since Mogilno are found. These fail to mark where E11 leaves the main road and hops to a dirt road running parallel to the main road, a few hundred meters to the South. The dirt road is scarcely marked until the entrance of a forest; then the marking activities have stopped completely. Ramblers who go straight through the wood, find red markings at the other side. E11 passes through Jeziorki and follows a sandy dirt road to Strzelno (the hotel indicated on maps in this town has shut its doors many years ago). After Strzelno, a Polish Way of St. James follows more or less the same route as the E11, so that the yellow and blue shells yield an alternative marking. E11 and the Way of St. James pass the attractive baroque church of Strzelno and the nearby village of Starczewo and, via Ksiaż, reach Polanowice. In this soviet-industrial village two rusty signs with white-red-white stripes are found, which still clearly indicate E11 (200 km after the previous E11 sign!) A rustic tree lane brings the rambler to Kruszwica, a provincial town with some interesting churches. The details of E11's course in this paragraph are: Kwieciszewo - 94 Jeziorki - 95 Strzelno (both red and Way of St. James) - 96 Starczewo - 97 Ksiaż - 98 Polanowice - 99 Lagiewniki - 1 Kruszwica (72 km).
Kruszwica shows no clue where E11 and the Way of St. James continue. Gorges invites to look for a trail marked blue, but the only blue trail to be found makes a short circuit through a suburb of Kruszwica. A better bet is to follow the busy main road to the North, which is marked with the shells of St.James. After 7 km, near Łojewo, one may take a quiet asphalt road to the skewed left, soon unpaved and marked blue. The blue signs lead finally through long-stretched suburbs to the city center of Inowrocław. The part of E11 in this paragraph runs: Kruszwica (Way of St. James shells) - 2 Szarlej - 3 Łojewo (blue) - 4 Szymborze - 5 Inowrocław (87 km).
Near the railway station of Inowrocław, a torn map of the city is found, which indicates where the red-marked E11 leaves the town. At a few points in town one still finds the white-red-white stripes. No markings whatsoever have survived in the villages up to Kolonie Szadłowice, but one may follow a green-marked bicycle trail. Somewhere among its scattered farmhouses, E11 turns right into a skewed dirt road that enters a forest, passes a military site (not on the map), curves to the North and turns right after about one kilometer into a sandy road that curves to the Northeast. All the time passing through the forests of Błoto Ostrowskie, E11 follows this sandy road without curves over almost three kilometers, until it reaches a T-junction and a wooded bank. The main road turns sharp right; a minor path goes left; E11 however breaks through the wooded bank into a large piece of grassland. If one enters the field and keeps to the left, one finds the next white-red-white stripes on a lonely tree in the grassland. It is an arrow this time, pointing back to Inowrocław, but if one follows the signs in the opposite direction, one comes to the village of Wierzbiczany. After a right turn outside this village, both the red markings and the blue shells of St.James lead through agrarian land to Gniewkowo. From the railway station of Inowrocław, E11 runs (red) - 6 Jacewo - 7 Balin - 8 Slońsko - 9 Pieklo - Kolonie Szadłowice - 10 Błoto Ostrowskie - 11 Wierzbiczany - 12 Gniewkowo (106 km).
At the railway crossing at the entrance of Gniewkowo, the red signs turn left to the railway station, but E11, now marked blue, and the Way of St. James go straight into the center of the township. They follow a right curve and leave the town on the asphalt road towards Cierpice to the North. In spite of Gorges E11 no longer passes through Suchatówka. The trails now enter a large forest, leave the tar road after some kilometers and make a wide curve of 16 km to the village of Cierpice, the first of a chain of suburbs of Toruń. The blue signs bring the E11 rambler without problems from Cierpice to and through Mała Nieszawka, but after this village, shortly before the railway station, the trail turns left without notice, into a road plastered with concrete. The trail climbs over a dyke and reaches the river Vistula (Wisla). Here it turns right into an unpaved track, to pass a few ruins and reaches the bridge to Teči. The blue trail ends at the PTTK office in the town centre, after running Gniewkowo (blue) - 13 Cierpice (122 km) - 14 Mała Nieszawka (130 km) - 15 Teči (136 km).
Toruń - Brodnica (87 km)
From the PTTK office in Teči, E11 is identical to a trail marked white-yellow-white, which leads all the way to Samborowo, 200 km to the northeast. The maps N-34-97/98, N-34-109/110 and N-34-99/100 do not mention E11, but the yellow trail that is used by E11, is shown in violet between Toruń and Golub-Dobrzyń, as well as from Pólka Duża to Brodnica.
E11 and St. James Way avoid the historical town center of Toruń and pass between city walls and river Vistula (Wisla), but it is far more interesting to cross the city center from the PTTK office by Różana, Szeroka and Wielkie Garbary to the railway station of Toruń-Miasto.
Out of town, the trails follow a main road till Fort Sobieskiego, then turns right into the forest near the river Vistula, but is forced to enter a (badly marked) suburban residential area after only two km. It is only after Kaszczorek and Złotoria that the trails pass through forest for a couple of hours. After crossing the busy motorway A10 near Brzozówka Kuyavian, you may turn right to reach a motel at 1 km. The details of this stretch are: Toruń (yellow) - 16 Kaszczobek - 17 Złotoria - 18 Brzozówka (20 km).
Back at the crossing of Motorway A10 near Brzozówka, E11 turns left into an overgrown footpath and later reaches Mierzynek over a sandy road. Map N34-97/98 shows an older routing by Szembekowo. Od 19 Lelitowo do 20 Ciechocin (32 km) and again to Golub-Dobrzyń, E11 continues through a variety of natural and commercial forests along the river Drwęca, passing 21 Dulnik and Antoniewo to 22 Golub-Dobrzyń (44 km).
Map N-34-99/100 displays an erroneous course for the yellow trail until Pólka Duża (this village is not mentioned in the map). Actually, E11 leaves the twin cities without markings near the Post Office and the cemetery on National Road # 534 to Rypin. The trail turns left, to follow the river Drwęca to the North-East, and the first yellow signs are found in the forest. The trail then alternates between river side woods and agrarian settlements. Some of these remind of the composer Chopin who lived in this area and now has a museum in Szafarnia.
In Radziki Duże E11 turns left over a paved road with heavy lorries carrying loads from a sand quarry. It takes about an hour to reach a bridge over the Drwęca and escape from the road into the forest on the other side of the river. This sandy forest road continues till Mszano, but in a new suburb under Szabda it turns into a paved road and subsequently a boring main road leading to Brodnica, entering the city near the only hotel. The details of the course are: 23 Białkowo - 24 Szafarnia (53 km) - 25 Płonne - 26 Rodzone - 27 Tomkowo - 28 Kierz Radzikowski - 29 Radziki Duże - 30 Kupno - 31 Pólka Duża - 32 Słoszewy - 33 Mszano - 34 Szabda - 35 Brodnica (87 km).
Brodnica - Olsztyn (237 km)
Maps N-34-99/100, N-34-87/88, N-34-89/90 and N-34-77/78 do not mention E11, but show the underlying regional trails in the correct color (yellow being replaced by violet), with one exception: no trail is shown between Marianowo and Ostrowite.
E11 and St. James Way leave Brodnica well-marked, but avoiding the nice but neglected old city centre. The trails follow Motorway A15 and an abandoned railway track into forest, and meet the A15 again near the bridges of Tama Brodzka. Right after the bridge, the trails turn left into a small paved forest lane leading to Bachotek, where they split. The St. James Way offers a 24 km shorter option by Nowe Miasto Lubawskie do Radomno. E11 makes a few curves through the nature conservation area of Zbiczno lake and meets a trail marked green. Here the yellow signs are missing, but the green signs must be followed to the North until a paved road. The asphalt is followed to the East over about one kilometer between two lakes. Here the green trail and the yellow-marked E11 split up. (The green trail offers another short alternative for E11. It enters some of the most gratifying and adventurous pieces of wild nature in the area, reducing the distance by about 20 km.) E11 makes an almost full circle through rather dull woods and open land, passing twice near the tourist resort of Ciche and turning West to Górale, then North to the railway station of Ostrowite, and finally East.
The correct routing along the trails in various colors is: Brodnica (yellow) - Tama Brodzka (7 km) - 36 Bachotek (13 km) - Zbiczno lake - 37 Leśniczówka Rytebłota (23 km) (lodgings may be found near Ciche at 2 km) - 38 Górale - 39 Wonka (39 km) - 40 Ostrowite - 41 railway station of Ostrowite - 42 Łakorek (50 km, lodgings may be found again in Ciche, by following the paved road to the South over 4 km).
From Ciche one need not turn back to Łakorek by the paved road; the green-marked trail mentioned before offers a sensational alternative (pick it up in the forest East of Ciche). From the crossing of the green trail with E11, the now yellow-marked E11 continues to the East; through wood it goes to Sluzka, then through open agrarian land to the remarkable church ofGryżliny}}. A new routing carries E11 to Radomno, where it unites with the St. James Way. Both turn North at the eastern side of a string of lakes to reach Iława amidst rail tracks. In detail, E11 runs from the crossing with the green trail (yellow) - 43 Sluzka - 44 Skarlin - 45 Lekarty - 46 Gryźliny - 47 Radomno (73 km) - 48 Katarzynki - 49 Iława (85 km)
The trails pass the modern center of the city, which was heavily destroyed in the Second World War (first by the German Army, then by the Russian Red Army), and continue North through long-stretched Szalkowo, a water sports resort. E11 continues on a paved road between fields to Wiewiórka, then enters wooded land to reach the railway station of Samborowo. In detail: Iława - 50 Szałkowo (91 km) - Wiewiórka - 51 Tynwałd (99 km) - 52 Frednowy - 53 Wiewiórka - 54 Samborowo (112 km).
At the railway station of Samborowo, a blue-marked section of E11 to Waplewo, passing the historical site of Battle of Grunwald začne. Right after the start it is difficult to find: in the village of Samborowo it turns unexpectedly right, along the main road, to take the second bridge to the left and follow an old railway track over 9 km. Where it reaches a lone roadside cafe, E11 follows a paved road to the left, then another one toward long-stretched Pietrzwałd and the forests around Wysoka Wieś. There is a cheap hostel in Pietrzwałd with no visible signpost, while various luxury places can easily be found in Wysoka Wieś. Samborowo (112 km) (blue) - 55 Turznica - 56 Gruda - 57 Naprom - 58 Pietrzwałd (129 km) - 59 Wysoka Wieś (132 km).
A variety of wild and tamed nature (forest, wood, neglected fields, wasteland and farmland) decorates the trail past Grunwald to Waplewo. This Grunwald is the most important national site of the Polish people: it commemorates a medieval battle in which the Polish defeated an army of the German Knights. The trail is sometimes difficult to follow, as markings are scarce and the path may be overgrown, so good sense for direction and a compass are required. The villages along this part of E11 are Wysoka Wieś - 60 Dylewo - 61 Marcinkowo - 62 Samin - 63 Grunwald (156 km) - 64 Ulnowo - 65 Lubianek - 66 Sitno - 67 Waplewo.
After Waplewo, the scenery changes radically: open land makes place for wood, then forest. Two natural parks protect a great number of rare species (plants, mammals, birds and insects) and justify the large detour that E11 makes to the South before turning North. After Maróz there is only one place where one can find a bed: the "agroturystyka" in Brzeżno Łyńskie of a Polish lady who speaks English, French, German and Russian. To begin the 25 km long stretch through the Las Warminski natural reserve from here is a feast, which is regrettably disturbed by the extended apartment buildings and city motorways of Olsztyn. This section of E11 passes Waplewo - 68 railway station of Waplewo (black) - 69 Maróz junction (183 km; lodgings in Maróz at 1 km) - 70 Żelazno (yellow) - 71 Łyński Młyn (green) - 72 Orłowo - 73 Likusy - 74 Brzeżno Łyńskie (203 km) - 75 Kurki - 76 Las Warminski - 77 Ruś - 78 Bartążek - 79 Jaroty (232 km) - 80 Olsztyn (237 km).
Olsztyn - Gołdap (243 km)
Zemljevidi N-34-77/78, N-34-65/66, N-34-67/68 in N-34-69/70 do not mention E11, but display the underlying regional trails in the colors with which they are marked (yellow shown as violet). Exception: the stretch from Lidzbark Warmiński do Kętrzyn is not shown in the maps. Part of this, however, is shown in blue on a detailed map of eastern Masuria that can be acquired locally: PPWK/Copernicus: Grosse Masurische Seen 1:100 000, ISBN 9788376970035 .
Olsztyn has a most interesting historical city centre that to a large extent has been restored. The museums and shops invite to a day of rest, before one sets out to follow E11 on the Copernicus Path. Its red markings lead from the PTTK office to the North of the city and under a huge railway viaduct. The trail follows the western bank of the river Lyna, but the eastern bank offers a number of attractions, including a canopy walk and a rope bridge over the river. After the Smętka bridge the city noises are no longer heard and the trail becomes a quiet footpath through river bank wood. The village of Dywity used to be on the trail, but is now passed at a distance. Wood dominates until the rural settlement of Swobodna; fields and pastures follow, while E11 and the St. James Way pass the pilgrim's hostel of Głotowo and the provincial town of Dobre Miasto. The details of the routing are: Olsztyn (red) - Os Wojska - 81 Braswald - 82 Barkweda - Strusiolandia (18 km) - 83 Cerkiewnik - 84 L. Chmury - 85 Swobodna - 86 Głotowo (32 km) - 87 Dobre Miasto (37 km).
From Dobre Miasto a narrow paved road with busy traffic leads E11 Northwest through Kunik. After this village the red markings of the Copernicus Path and E11 turn right into a one-lane paved road that gives access to the bishop's palace of Smolajny. There is no doubt that the trail swarves over the clerical grounds, then crosses another paved road and enters the open fields at the other side of the road. But when, after about 1 km, it enters a marsh, all traces of markings are vanished. No path seems to continue from here, except for an overgrown cart track that leads back to the church grounds. The only way out of this maze is to go back to the paved road and take it to the left (Northeast) through the village of Smolajny up to its ending at National Motorway #51. This must then be followed over 5 km until a large parking space and rest area is reached. Here one finds the red markings again; they lead into wood and later through a puszta type of landscape, pass the lonely and almost deserted village of Wróblik to Pilnik, a residential neighbourhood of Lidzbark Warmiński. In detail: Dobre Miasto - 88 Kunik - 89 Smolajny - 90 Wróblik - Nowosady - 91 Pilnik - crossing 92 Lidzbark Warmiński (62 km).
The red-marked Copernicus Path turns left at this point, but this is not where the E11 rambler should go. It is tempting to go straight to the vast town centre and find a bed, but the E11 turns right, leaving the town again, it seems, to follow the black markings of a local trail that joins the river Lyna and follows its meandering valley. For some obscure reason this walk avoids most of the medieval beauties of the town and passes along some apartment buildings from the communist era to the railway station. For those who stick to the precise course of E11, a second deception follows after the uninteresting railway station: A trail marked blue takes them back along the same apartment buildings to the entry of the Lyna valley, allows a view of the Knights' Castle and then leaves the town. It is therefore advisable to spend a day in Lidzbark Warmiński to visit the many remnants of medieval Christian Knighthood.
The blue trail will carry E11 over 69 km to Kętrzyn, but sets out by visiting a war cemetery from the First World War. Straight East it goes then to the monastery of Stoczek Klasztorny (Warmiński), where pilgrims on the St. James' Way and other ramblers may find a simple meal and a bed. The blue trail continues through open land and over the long main street of Sulowo to charming Bisztynek, another town reminiscent of the medieval German Knights. An old railway track carries E11 out of town to the East and on a sandy road more or less parallel to the old track, the extended village of Sątopy-Samulewo is reached. E11 goes straight, past a new settlement of apartment blocks and to an older settlement where it turns right. The paved road becomes a gravel road, the gravel makes place for sand, then grass, and after a while the rambler must find a thorny way by going straight and noticing the occasional blue mark. When a paved road is reached, E11 follows it to the left and finally reaches the next medieval town, Reszel which also offers an unusual rich variety of dishes. The townships passed are Lidzbark Warmiński - 93 Sarnowo - 94 Stoczek Klasztorny (Warmiński) (80 km) - 95 Kiwity (85 km) - 96 Rokitnik (88 km; hotel at 1 km) - 97 Sulowo - 98 Bisztynek (94 km) - 99 Nowe Wieś Reszelska - 1 Sątopy-Samulewo - 2 Troksy - 3 Biel - 4 Czarnowiec - 5 Reszel (114 km).
Reszel is also left over an old railway track, but E11 soon turns right (South) toward the popular pilgrimage church of Święta Lipka. It offers beds in a pilgrim house and accommodation in hotels for every budget, and the company of bus loads of tourists. After this busy beehive, E11 finds the silence of a detour through forest and a long walk over an old railway track through fields to the industrial village of Smokowo. A feeder road brings the rambler to a main road with heavy traffic. This highway, followed to the right (East) ends up at the beginning of the long high street of Kętrzyn. This is mainly a flourishing modern provincial town, but it lodges some memories of the medieval past. It also harbors the last railway station before the ending of E11, about 300 km further. Ramblers who want to interrupt their walk in any township after Kętrzyn, will have to study the time tables in Polish of the regional bus services, instead of using www.Bahn.com in English. The places passed on this stretch are Reszel - 6 Święta Lipka (121 km) - 7 Pieckowo - 8 Smokowo - 9 Biedaszki - 10 Kętrzyn (137 km)
Near Kętrzyn was Hitler's strongest hide-away, the so-called Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair). As the map shows, it was a huge military complex. House No. 6 was the location of a plot by Claus von Stauffenberg and others to kill Hitler in a late stage of World War II. Once the troops of the Red Army had conquered the place, they tried to destroy it with tons of dynamite, but large ruins can still be seen and visited.
After Kętrzyn follow 11 Kruszewiec - 12 Karolewo - 13 Czerniki - Szaniec - 14 Parcz (black) - 15 Jankowo - 16 Skrzypy (red) - 17 Pilwa - 18 Radzieje (155 km) - 19 Łabapa - 20 Sztynort (black) - 21 Sklodowo - Kolonie Harsz - 22 Harsz (169 km) - 23 Okowizna - 24 Ogonki (176 km) (blue) - 25 Pozezdrze (182 km) - 26 Sapieniec - 27 Przytuły - 28 Wilkus - 29 Jasieńczyk - 30 Jasieniec (193 km) (lodgings will be found in Jeziorowski, 2 km) (green) - 31 Żabinka - 32 L. Diabla Gora - Rogonie - 33 L. Leśny Zakątek (210 km) - 34 Czerwony Dwór - L. Olszanka - 35 Jabłonowo - 36 Golubie Wężewskie - 37 Wilkasy - 38 Kamionki - 39 Pietrasze - 40 Suczki - 41 Osiedłe - 42 Gołdap (243 km).
Gołdap - Lithuanian border (144 km)
V Gołdap, E11 offers a choice between a trail marked white-green-white that comes very close to the Russian border, or a white-red-white trail along the main road to the East. Both trails meet again after 31 km in Stanczyki. The green trail passes through uninhabited woodland and should not be recommended to ramblers with a weak sense of orientation, or those who fear Russian red tape when crossing the border unintentionally and without visa. That one reaches the Russian border before Litva, may be surprising to those who are not aware that Rusija has an exclave around Kaliningrad, formerly German Königsberg.
For this section, the rambler will need maps N-34-69/70 and N-34-71/7. Zemljevid N-34-57 / 58 je potreben (slabo!) Le za zeleno pot ob ruski meji, Gołdap (zelena) - 43 Botkuny - 44 Jurkiszky - Hajnówek - 45 Blędziski - 46 Stanczyki (31 km). Rdeča alternativa je Gołdap (rdeča) - L. Kumiacie - Botkuny - Jurkiszki - Galwiecje (12 km) - Pluszkiejmy - Budwiecie - Stańczyki (31 km).
Iz Stańczyki je usmerjanje: Stańczyki (rdeča) - 47 Maciejowieta (32 km od Gołdapa) - 48 Pobłędzie - 49 Rakówek (rumena) - 50 Kłajpedka - 51 Kłajpeda - 52 Dziadówek (rdeča) - 53 Dzierwany (modra) - 54 Smolniki (50 km) (zeleno) - 55 Puopuchowon - 56 Udziejek - 57 Czajewszczyzna (58 km) - 58 Kazimierówka - 59 Jeleniewo (62 km) - 60 Krzemianka (64 km) - prehod z glavno cesto št. 8 (= E 67) v Ljubljani 61 Swajcaria (Črna) - 62 Stare Folwark (88 km) (zeleno) - 63 Magdalenowo - 64 Czerwony Folwark - 65 Rosochaty Rog - Węgzał (modra) - 66 Maćkowa Ruda - 67 Wysoki Most (most) - 68 Jeziorki - 69 Karolin - 70 Wiersnie - 71 Giby (116 km) (prenočišča v Sejny na 7 km) (rdeča) - 72 Zelwa - 73 Berżniki - 74 Dworczysko - J.Szłabinki (136 km) (prenočišča v Sejny, 5 km naprej po rdeči poti) (črna) - 75 Mejna postaja Ogrodniki (144 km).
Pojdi naprej
E11 se konča na poljsko-litvanski mejni postaji, 3 km od Ogrodnikov Najbližja prenočišča so v Sejny, 11 km po glavni cesti ali 13 km po črni poti nazaj in nato po rdeči poti desno. Tisti, ki se podajo v Litva lahko najdete gostišče v Lazdijaj. Nobeno mesto nima nobene vlakovne povezave; do vlaka domov ali na letališče lahko sledimo rdeči poti od Sejny več kot 25 km do železniške postaje Trakiszki v bližini Puńska. V poljskem mestu so tudi železniške postaje Suwałki in litovsko mesto Sestokai. Bodite pripravljeni na dolgo čakanje; zdi se, da iz teh krajev vozi le en vlak v obe smeri, razen Suwałki, ki dnevno ponuja tri vlake do Białystok. Najnovejše urnike lahko preverite na Bahn.com.
Camino Lituano začne se pri Sejnyju in vodi proti severu proti Latviji. Camino Lituano razširja idejo o Pot_Sveto_Jamesa v Litvo in je lahko dober vir za preseganje E11.
Via Baltica lahko tudi alternativa. Od Sejny vodi cesta (651) severozahodno do Szypliskega na avtocesti 8, ki je del ulice Via Baltica, lahko pa prestopite na litovsko stran, se sprehodite do Lazdijai in severozahodno po lokalnih cestah 134 in 131 do Kalvarije in se priključite cesti tam. Čeprav je ta načrt v glavnem za voznike in na pohod verjetno niste pripeljali avtomobila, je ob avtocestah še vedno mogoče hoditi. Tudi kolesarjenje je teoretično možno, čeprav bolj nevarno. Približno 800 km in tri baltske države kasneje boste prišli Talin.