The area surrounding Hamburg is characterized by impressive landscape diversity: to the north, the charming lakes of Holstein Switzerland; to the east, the Lauenburg Lakes, the oldest nature park in Schleswig-Holstein, the famous Hanseatic city of Lübeck, and the original West Mecklenburg. To the south, the hiking area extends to the Lüneburg Heath, and to the west, it reaches the Wingst. The Hamburg author Michael Schnelle has compiled 50 varied tours: romantic paths along the Elbe, enchanting half-timbered towns, picturesque circular walks around lakes, quiet forest trails, paths through raised bogs and marshland, beautiful heathland hikes, and even a "mountain climb" in the Wierener Mountains invite you to exciting and enjoyable hiking tours. The featured tours include a balanced mix of cozy, shorter hikes and somewhat more strenuous, longer (half-) day hikes.