A walk in the countryside with your child — what could be better than fresh air, lots of greenery and lots of animals and birds chirping in their subtle, elegant language? If you're on holiday in Berlin with the kids and have some time to spare, we recommend a visit to one of Germany's most beautiful nature parks, Johannismühle Wildlife Park, about 70 kilometres from the capital.
The 100-hectare fenced-in and beautifully maintained area includes mixed woodland, ponds, marshes, meadows with walking trails and much more.
As soon as you enter the park, you have to decide which route to take. At Johannismühle there are two routes: a short one and a long one. If you have time, it's best to take the long route around the nature reserve, where you'll find many interesting and unusual things.
There will be signs along the way with pictures of the animals so you know which way to go to see them. The animals live in natural conditions. There are no enclosures, bars or fences. Each animal is free to roam the grounds and mix peacefully with the other residents.
There are no dangerous predators in the park, so you can be sure your child is safe. The inhabitants of the forest include fallow deer, bison, mouflon, roe deer, lynx, grey and polar wolves, horses, owls, eagles, black woodpeckers and the many different species of fish in the waterways.
The local arboretum is also worth a visit. Take a walk through the woods of Johannismühle Nature Reserve, where you'll find an abundance of trees, shrubs and plants. Huge pines, old firs, yews (some over 1000 years old), eucalyptus trees up to 50 metres high and fast-growing species such as poplars, alders, willows, birches, oaks, limes and many more.
If you want to spend a whole day in the wilderness of the reserve, you can bring your own food and picnic, as many local people do. If you wish, you can visit the restaurant that is almost at the entrance to Johannismühle. While you are waiting for the menu, having lunch and enjoying some German food, your child can play in the playground just outside the restaurant.
Parents with children under the age of 2 should bring a comfortable pushchair with large wheels. This is because much of the park is unpaved and there are areas where a pushchair with small wheels simply won't fit.
