E11 European long distance path
The E11 European long distance path or E11 path is one of the European long-distance paths, running 4700 km west-east from The Hague in the Netherlands through Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia to Tallinn, Estonia. It starts in Scheveningen, a fishing community, commercial harbor and spa in The Hague on the Dutch coast of the North Sea. It ends in Tallinn, a medieval Hanseatic town situated side by side with the 21st century city of modern glass buildings, located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea.
The E11 is one of three European long distance paths running East from the Benelux to the Baltic states. In the North, following the German, Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian coasts of North Sea and Baltic Sea, the E9 offers a variety of polders, sandy and rocky beaches, dunes, coastal meadows and commercial harbors. In Estonia the route goes along the very seashore for around 100 km, mainly between Haapsalu and Tallinn. But in other places crossing the coastline becomes difficult as it is shaped by numerous capes, peninsulas, wetlands with reeds, floodplains, lagoons and shallow coves, which is why the remaining distance of around 500 km has to be covered via seaside trails, roads and along motor roads. More to the South, the E3 crosses through the long range of medium-sized mountains that links the mainly Belgian Ardennes to the Carpathian Mountains. The E11 takes an intermediate course through the rolling lowlands of Northern Germany and Poland, then goes through the Baltic states. Nowhere on the way to Estonia does it touch a sea, but it passes a single medium-sized mountain range, the Harz Mountains in the center of Germany. But in Estonia on the northern shores of Lake Peipus and in some places along the Gulf of Finland it runs along sandy beaches or stony, rocky and sometimes overgrown shores. European long distance footpaths are strictly developed as hiking trails, but almost all of E11 can be travelled on a saddle - be it on a horse or a bicycle.
Geology and biology
Most of the landscape along E11 was formed in the last 14,000 years, i.e. in the current Holocene or warmer period since the last ice age. The melting ice in Northern Europe caused huge rivers to carve out wide valleys, whilst the sea level rose significantly and flooded low land. It is known that the river Thames in England was once a tributary of the river Rhine on the continent; Britain was then not separated from the continent by the North Sea. In what is now known as the Netherlands and in the plains of Northern Germany and Poland, rivers began to flow to carry the melted ice towards what became the Baltic Sea or the North Sea. These areas are now characterized by low-lying land, marshes, sandy old dunes alternating with older layers of peat.From the Dutch and German border to the Harz, however, E11 passes through a different and much older geological area. It consists of a range of low mountain ridges, created almost 100 million years ago from marine sediments which started to rise. The Harz mountains themselves are even much older and stem from a variety of complicated geological processes. After the Harz, E11 drops back to the estuaries of the rivers in the plains.
Large parts of the E11 cross through forests, for which sometimes considerable detours are made. Open scenery is found in small parts of The Netherlands as well as in Eastern Germany and around the Polish city of Poznań. Nevertheless, the E11 links some interesting cities, such as The Hague, Amersfoort, Deventer, Osnabrück, Goslar, Luther's Wittenberg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Poznań, Gniezno, Toruń, Olsztyn, Lidzbark Warmiński and Kętrzyn. Lakes and rivers are not uncommon along the trail. The trail can be walked at any time of year, but the Polish winter is long, with a lot of snow. The highest point of E11 is 514 meters on the slopes of the Harz Mountains, whereas the lowest point is slightly under sea level in one of the polders in the West of The Netherlands.
Apart from getting lost in the vast Polish forests, there seem to be few hazards other than the occasional wild boar or gray wolf, or even a rare Eurasian lynx. It is only at the end of a severe winter season, when the animals are hungry, that extra care must be taken. In the summer, one might tread on a venomous adder and in any season one might be bitten by a rabies infected mammal. The one really big danger, however, is the almost invisible tick as it may be infected with tick-borne diseases, especially Lyme disease and tick-borne meningoencephalitis.
History
In a sense, E11 is the oldest European footpath among the ERA network. There is archeological evidence that messengers and traders followed the range of low hills in what is now Northern Germany, thousands of years ago. Especially after the Middle Ages, the route became a backbone of east–west trade. Pedlars and other travelers preferred the dry and sandy ridge to the swamps to the North and South of it. At present, ramblers feel the same for a different reason: the forested hilltops are more pleasant to walk in than the congested lower areas.From 1970, a regional hiking trail in Germany was gradually extended into The Netherlands until in 1980 the twin cities Haarlem and Osnabrück could present an ongoing international long distance path from West of Amsterdam to the then internal German border in the Harz Mountains. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the unification of Germany in 1990, the need was felt to extend the trail to the East on a partially new course, partially making use of existing trails in the former East Germany.
Parallel to the extension of the European Union to the East, the E11 was extended over the existing network of Polish local and regional hiking trails.
E11 in The Netherlands (355 km)
The Dutch section of E11 is known as the Marskramerpad, paying tribute to those who walked through the centuries along the same track. The Marskramerpad links Scheveningen in The Hague over 368 kilometers to the German township of Bad Bentheim. The last 13 km are in Germany, which leaves 355 km for the Netherlands. Like most Dutch long distance trails, the Marskramerpad is managed by Wandelnet, where a detailed guide of the trail can be bought.The Marskramerpad links some typically Dutch landscapes, such as the wetlands and polders in the West of the country, and the sandy hills and broad river valleys in the Center and East of the country. It also crosses some of the most interesting towns and cities, including The Hague, Leiden, Amersfoort, Deventer and Oldenzaal.
EUREGIO exploits the eastern part of the Marskramerpad and its continuation in Germany under the name of Handelsweg.
E11 in Germany (996 km)
The first 13 kilometers in Germany, through Gildehaus and Bad Bentheim, are part of the Dutch Marskramerpad.E11 in Poland (1177 km)
In Poland, E11 continues east, then northeast, to pass the cities of Międzychód, Poznań, Gniezno, Toruń, Brodnica, Iława, Olsztyn and Gołdap to the township of Ogrodniki, Sejny County on the Lithuanian border.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 and Bielsko.E11 leaves the twin cities without markings near the Post Office and the cemetery on National Road # 534. The trail follows roughly the river Drwęcą 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.
E11 in Lithuania (747 km)
The Lithuanian part of E11 is known as "Miško takas". It starts at Polish - Lithuanian border near the town of Lazdijai in Lithuania and passes through Dzūkija National Park and Žemaitija National Park and eight regional nature parks in Lithuania. The total length of the route in Lithuania is 747 km and it is divided into 5 sections: Dzūkija ethnographic region, Along Nemunas river loops, Kaunas and Kaunas District, Along the banks of the Dubysa river valley, Žemaitija ethnographic region. These sections are divided into ~20 km long stages with accommodation and transport options.There are specific markers on trees and other objects along the route to help you get your bearings in nature and not lose track of the road. In populated areas, it is marked by stickers on road signs and other objects. The Forest Trail can be started from any physically available location and it can be hiked in both ways.
Dzūkija ethnographic region (140 km)
The most forested area of LithuaniaThe Dzūkija landscape was shaped by a glacier more than 10,000 years ago. The Forest Trail passes through a vast, sparsely populated woodland and small villages along forest roads. Features and traditions of Dzūkija ethnographic region have been shaped by the forest. People’s occupation and the traditional lifestyle are linked to the forest. Since ancient times, they have been going to the woods to pick and later sell mushrooms. Hence there is the saying of the people of Dzūkija: "If not mushrooms and berries, the girls of Dzūkija would be naked”. The resort of Druskininkai has evolved thanks to springs of salty natural mineral water. The name of the town originates from the Lithuanian word druska — salt. The town of Merkinė, at the confluence of the Merkys and the Nemunas, is among the oldest settlements in Lithuania. In this region, the Forest Trail passes through Dzūkija National Park.
Highlights: Dzūkija forests - rich in mushrooms and berries, blossom of yellow dwarf everlasts, swimming in clear lake-waters, Druskininkai resort town and salt water springs, spectacular landscapes of Sūduva and Dzūkija Uplands, Dzūkija National Park — an intact area where people live in harmony with nature, ethnographic villages with wooden building, hive trees and craft traditions.