Flint fields in the Schmale Heide nature reserve
Flinestone fields in the Schmale Heide nature reserve near Sassnitz OT Mukran
North of the Baltic Sea resort of Binz, between Prora and Mukran on the island of Rügen, lie the flint fields in the Schmale Heide nature reserve. The 40-hectare nature reserve is one of the most unique natural phenomena on the German Baltic coast in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and is of international standing.
14 boulder walls made of flint - formed around 4,000 years agoThe heart of the Schmalen Heide is formed by 14 consecutive boulder ramparts that extend for around two kilometers parallel to the Baltic Sea coast. The ramparts consist of around 90 percent flints and crystalline boulders of Nordic origin and are around one meter high. They were raised 3,500 to 4,000 years ago by strong storm floods, when the sea level was one to one and a half meters higher than it is today. At that time, the small Jasmund Bodden was still an open bay. Loose vegetation consisting of trees, shrubs, lichens and heather grows between the shimmering gray-white rubble.
Hiking to the flint fields - signposted trail from Mukran
From Mukran, a signposted hiking trail leads directly to the flint fields. The starting point is at the "Feuersteinfelder" parking lot in Mukran. The area is a popular excursion destination for nature lovers and hikers who want to experience the pristine coastal landscape of Rügen off the beaten track.