On 31st of August 2025, I arrived in Hamburg after spending a week in Berlin. I love hiking, hence this blog, and had packed my hiking gear but I’d been told by many people including the German Embassy that there are not many hiking opportunities North of Germany where I would be stationed. I arrived on a sunny evening early Autumn and a lovely lady picked me and my colleague up from the Hamburg Hauptbahnhof and drove us to our respective residences. Meanwhile, Luneburger Heide kept appearing on my instagram explore page, and the purples, the sheep and the nature kept calling me. So on 6th September Iris, Aïnhoa and I set out to, unbeknownst to me, Fischbeker Heide and not Luneburger Heide.
The goal was simple; experience the purple vegetation and the sheep.
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Getting to Fischbeker Heide
Fischbeker Heide is located in Hamburg-Harburg and is a nature reserve.
We took the S-bahn to Neugraben and we followed the map below.
Map courtesy of Iris.
You can see Neugraben at the top of the map.
Below was the image from the start of the trail.
Fischbeker Heide Trails
In Kenya, the trails are usually marked with a red ribbon but in Hamburg, especially in a big nature reserve, the trails are marked with actual directions with symbols, in this case H, and we only needed to follow the H, or another symbol, to get to where we were going.
Here are some wild berries from the trails.
We followed the map and the directions on the reserve, stopping to take pictures and observe the purple plants. People hike, bike and walk their dogs at Fischbeker Heide. This cutie, called Pete, wanted to say Hi. The weather was sunny with great temperatures and the heath was in bloom. We actually did not get to see the Heidschnucken sheep but the heath alone was enough. Having met Iris and Aïnhoa the previous weekend and spent a week with Aïnhoa, this hike provided an opportunity for us to get to know each other more.
A view of Hamburg from the sky
We followed the Heidschnuckenweg and it led us to a Fluggelande, where we sat and took selfies. Then we observed gliders and small planes land and take off. I was so excited! I don’t think I’ve taken as many photos of planes as I did that day. First we watched from afar for a while. Then we got invited to come forward and have a look. Of course we had a look. Then we got invited for gliding, 10 minutes thereabouts at 40 Euros per person.
This was a battle of nerves and decision making but also an opportunity. How many times does a Kenyan find themselves in Neugraben? My Pilot, Hannes, was kind and explained how to fit in the glider, what to do in case I get sick and want to vomit and most importantly assured me that they had not had an incident in over 75 years. Our flight had a little turbulence, and I was quiet at first because there’s some pressure on your neck during takeoff and then that’s it. You’re good. I saw Hamburg, the Airbus plant, the Elbe river, the Hamburg airport and other areas, evident from this Instagram reel.
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Segelflug-Club flies from the end of March to the end of October. In winter, they offer theoretical lessons on Saturdays at 2.00 pm.
Freilichtmuseum am Kiekeberg
From gliding, we continued walking towards Freilichtmuseum and Kiekeberg walking through villages and farms in Alevesen and Rosengarten. It was great to hike in such beautiful weather and company, admiring farms, horses, flowers, berries and eating overflowing plums.
Then came the traditional German houses, which reminded me of traditional Kikuyu houses, where human beings, animals and firewood would stay together in a house. We did not go deep into exploring the museum as we had spent a lot of time gliding and exploring the Heide and the farms but below are the museum’s opening hours.
FAQs on Gliding and Hiking at Fischbeker Heide
- Do I need to book gliding in advance? We were walk ins and we were there pretty early so it was easy for us to go gliding. Later on, there were people who had booked in advance and the queue gets longer as the day progresses.
- How long is the hike? It depends on the route you choose. It was my second week in Hamburg and I pretty much followed Iris, but from the map above, there’s lots of entry/exit points based on the activities you want to do at Fischbeker Heide.
- How do I get to Fischbeker Heide? Take the S-Bahn (S3 or S31) to Neugraben station. From there, the reserve is walkable. Follow the signs or use the map above as a guide.
- Is there an entry fee? Fischbeker Heide is a free public nature reserve. The gliding at Segelflug-Club costs €40 per person for a roughly 10-minute flight.
- When is the best time to visit for the heather bloom? The heather (Heide) is typically in bloom from late August to mid-September, which is exactly when we visited. Outside of that window, the reserve is still beautiful but you’ll miss the purple.
- How long does the gliding flight last? Ours was about 10 minutes, which sounds short but once you’re airborne over Hamburg it feels like enough. You cover a surprising amount of ground.
- Do I need any experience for gliding? No. Your pilot handles everything. Hannes walked me through what to expect before takeoff, including the pressure on your neck during ascent and what to do if you feel sick.
- Is Fischbeker Heide the same as Lüneburger Heide? No. I made this mistake myself! Lüneburger Heide is a much larger heathland further south in Lower Saxony. Fischbeker Heide is Hamburg’s own nature reserve and a great alternative if you’re based in the city.
- Will I see the Heidschnucken sheep? Not guaranteed. We didn’t spot them on our visit despite following the Heidschnuckenweg trail, which is actually named after them. Consider it a bonus if you do.
- Can I combine the hike with Freilichtmuseum am Kiekeberg? Yes, and I’d recommend starting earlier than we did if you want time for both the museum and gliding. We arrived at the museum late and didn’t get to explore it fully.
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