The Linde originates in the municipal area of the town of Woldegk, on the north side of the Helpter Berg, a kilometer south-southeast of the village of Helpt from the confluence of a small pond and a stream from the forest.

From Helpt, the Linde flows westwards as a still small and partially piped body of water.

In Lindetal its incised erosion valley begins, which reaches its greatest depth between Stargard Castle and Neubrandenburg.

The Gätenbach, a canal south of Neubrandenburg's city centre, carries the majority of the Linde water into the Tollensesee at a flow rate of 0.55 m3/s (19 cu ft/s),[1] from which it then flows into the Tollense river, although probably for the most part through its left arm, the Ölmühlenbach.

Its bifurcation near Blankensee is already shown in the Schmettauschen maps of the 18th century, with emphasis on the branch to the Wanzkaer See, whose outflow is the Nonnenbach.