Schöna - Geising From the Elbe into the mountains
Start: Schöna-Schmilka/railway station Finish: Geising/railway station
From the train station, cycle down the Elbe to the Saxon Central Mountains route, then uphill towards Schöna, past the towering Kaiserkrone (351 m), Zirkelstein (384 m) and Großer Zschirnstein (561 m) - the highest mountain in Saxon Switzerland. The rocky landscape of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in the background is simply impressive! Via Kleingießhübel and Cunnersdorf, past the Waldbad, we reach Rosenthal after a wooded ride. Bizarre sandstone rock towers such as "Sachsenstein", "Herkulessäulen" or "Großvaterstuhl" in the Bielagrund offer fantastic panoramic views and invite you to linger. Continuing along clear streams, we come to Hellendorf in the Bahratal valley, one of the districts of the spa town of Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel. Oelsen, the Gottleuba dam and Breitenau are further stops before crossing under the A17. Having now arrived in the Osterzgebirge mountains, we continue uphill to Fürstenwalde, leave the Müglitz valley for Fürstenau and soon see the Kohlhaukuppe (786 m). A detour there is very strenuous, but the fantastic view from the tower makes up for it. Continuing along the RSM, a beautiful cycle path leads to the stage destination at the foot of the Geisingberg (824 m) with its viewing tower. In Geising with its historic town center, the SM route turns left, but the stage ends straight ahead at the train station.
Geising - Olbernhau From the Eastern Ore Mountains to toyland
Start: Geising/railway station Finish: Olbernhau-Grünthal/railway station
From Geising, we follow the SM route in the direction of Zinnwald uphill past evidence of mining history, the "Vereinigt Zwitterfeld" show mine, the Georgenfelder Hochmoor and the Lugsteinen and on route 30 to the Kahleberg (905 m). From the highest elevation in the Eastern Ore Mountains, we can see the spa and sports town of Altenberg with its spa center "Raupennest", the Galgenteichen, the Binge, the Geisingberg (824 m) and in the distance Dresden, Saxon Switzerland and, on a clear day, even the Giant Mountains. The route now descends through spruce forest to Rehefeld-Zaunhaus and continues along the German-Czech border next to the former Nossen-Moldava railroad line, which was closed in 1972, past Neuhermsdorf with its railroad museum. From Teichhaus, the cycle route leads uphill to Oberholzhau with magnificent views of the Mulde valley. The long "Ringel" straight to the hikers' parking lot guarantees relaxation. From there, we cycle via Cämmerswalde above the Rauschenbach dam to Neuhausen with the 1st nutcracker museum in Europe with over 5,000 wooden journeymen. Passing Purschenstein Castle in the town center, the route now leads uphill to Schwartenberg (789 m) with panoramic views, then on to the resort town of Seiffen, which has become world-famous as a center of Erzgebirge wood art and with its baroque round church. A stopover to visit the toy museum or one of the many show workshops is always worthwhile. Picking up speed again, we follow the markings to Heidersdorf, up the Ore Mountain village and over the Hüttengrund past the Gnade-Gottes-Erbstollen to Olbernhau, the town of the seven valleys. We end the tour at the Saigerhütte monument complex. Olbernhau-Grünthal railroad station is in the immediate vicinity.
Olbernhau - Thermalbad Wiesenbad From toyland to the thermal spa region
Start: Olbernhau-Grünthal/Bahnhof Destination: Thermalbad Wiesenbad/Bahnhof
From Olbernhau-Grünthal railroad station and after getting to know the adjacent Saigerhütten area, a museum complex of non-ferrous metallurgy that is unique in Europe, the RSM leads us via Dörfel through beech forests up to the Kriegwaldmoore bird sanctuary. Via Viererweg we descend into the valley of the Schwarze Pockau. The Schwarzwassertal nature reserve invites you to stop and take a breather before continuing across the valley to the mountain village of Pobershau. Once you arrive in the picturesque resort town on the village road, we recommend visiting the Molchner Stolln show mine as you follow the road downhill. Continuing in the opposite direction towards Gelobtland on the low mountain route, we pass the cooper's factory with its various exhibitions. Continuing along Brettmühlenstraße, we reach the Rätzteich tourist center with its forest pool. From Gelobtland, we ride downhill and catch sight of the mountain town of Marienberg with its striking St. Marien church. Crossing the only preserved ideal Renaissance town complex north of the Alps, we reach Lauta and the horse-drawn galley on the Rudolphschacht. Here we vividly experience the development of the region shaped by mining. We continue through the industrial area to Hilmersdorf and the spa town of Warmbad with its oldest and warmest healing spring in Saxony. Treat yourself to some relaxation in the spa gardens before crossing the B101 and heading uphill again to the small mountain town of Wolkenstein. In the listed town center, the castle high above the clouds on an 80 m high mountain spur brings back memories of the Middle Ages. The route now leads down into the legendary Zschopau valley, past the railroad station along the river valley via Niederau and Himmelmühle to Thermalbad Wiesenbad. This eventful stage ends at the railroad station next to the spa gardens. Relaxing in the thermal spa "Therme Miriquidi" regenerates you for the next day of cycling.
Thermalbad Wiesenbad - Schwarzenberg From the thermal spa region via Annaberg-Buchholz to the pearl of the Ore Mountains
Start: Thermalbad Wiesenbad/Kurpark Destination: Schwarzenberg/Bahnhof
Train-bus: Bus connection Am Platz des Friedens in Eibenstock in the direction of Aue, Johanngeorgenstadt and Schönheide to the train stations
The tour starts in the spa gardens of Thermalbad Wiesenbad. After a short climb, we reach Mildenau. From there, the route continues via Königswalde below the Pöhlberg to Annaberg-Buchholz. The route leads right through the old town past St. Anne's Church, the Manufactory of Dreams and the market. The route leads past the Frohnau hammer, with its fully functional 17th century hammer mill, to Schlettau. Past the castle, the tour continues along the route of the Erzgebirge scenic railroad to Scheibenberg, where the unique basalt columns "Orgelpfeifen" and the observation tower can be seen from afar. Via the Emmlerweg trail, we enjoy a fantastic panoramic view of the Keilberg, Fichtelberg and Auersberg peaks, as well as Raschau-Markersbach with its modern and historic bridge and the "Oberbecken" reservoir of the Markersbach pumped-storage power station, before reaching Schwarzenberg, the pearl of the Erzgebirge. The old town with its castle, church and fountain with Meissen carillon is well worth a visit.
Schwarzenberg - Eibenstock On the road in the Westerzgebirge
Start: Schwarzenberg/train station Destination: Eibenstock/city center
Rail connections (in):
1) Aue/BahnhofAfter Bockau, turn right onto the Mulderadweg and cycle through the tunnel towards Aue to the train station (stage length approx. 18 km)
2) Johanngeorgenstadt/railway station
Cycle the next stage to Oberwildenthal on the RSM and before the border gate on the KammTour via Oberjugel to Johanngeorgenstadt, before the border crossing turn left towards Breitenbrunn to the railroad station (stage length approx. 39 km)
Starting at Schwarzenberg railroad station, we ride above the idyllic Schwarzwasser and over the listed Neuwelt covered wooden bridge, also known as the Hammerbrücke, to Lauter with its "Alte Laborantenkunst" spirits museum. On leaving the town, the route continues along forest paths to Bockau, the laboratory workers' village with a tradition in the production of medicines and herbal liqueurs, which can be experienced in the "Wurzelbucke". Downhill we reach the Mulde cycle path. Passing through the old railroad tunnel in the opposite direction to the RSM is a special experience. The route continues back along the old railroad embankment of the former Chemnitz - Aue - Adorf line to Blauenthal, where several cycle routes intersect. Here, the RSM also runs along the main Karlsroute along the Große Bockau. On the way, we come across the Blauenthal waterfall, the largest waterfall in Saxony. At the junction towards Eibenstock, we leave the RSM and follow the signs to the town center of Eibenstock, the destination of the stage.
Eibenstock - Bozi Dar From Saxony to the Czech ridge of the Ore Mountains
Start: Eibenstock/town center Finish: Bozi Dar/town center
Rail connection: Start in Johanngeorgenstadt via the ridge tour to the border gate (stage length approx. 32km)
Oberwiesenthal/Bahnhof From Bozi Dar we use the connecting route RSM/23 to the border crossing and then continue on the II-25 to the train station. (Stage approx. 44 km)
From the start in Eibenstock, we take the Euregio Egrensis long-distance cycle route towards Sosa and turn right onto the RSM in the valley of the Große Bockau, which is also the Karlsroute. Climbing steadily uphill, we reach the village of Wildenthal and the border crossing "Grenztor" via Oberwildenthal. Continuing along the Karlsroute, we meet the Erzgebirgsmagistrale no. 23. A short relaxation awaits us downhill to the small village of Jeleni (Hirschenstand), before it goes uphill again past the Scheffelsberg and Zaječi vrch (Rammelsberg 1009 m) to the mountain town of Horni Blatna (Platten). And if you like, take the turnoff to the lookout tower on Blatensky vrch (1043 m). Back on the 23, in Myslivni (Forester's Houses) with a pond, we reach the Christ Child Trail, a child-friendly themed trail to Bozi Dar (Gottesgab), birthplace of the Erzgebirge native singer Anton Günther. The stage ends here.
Bozi Dar - Kalek From the Keilberg to the Chomutov district
Start: Bozi Dar/CenterDestination: Kalek
Rail connection: To the start: From Oberwiesenthal station via the II-25 to the border crossing then R23 (stage approx. 53km).
Olbernhau/train station
From Kalek we take the RSM/23 connecting route through Rübenau and meet the RSM to the north, which we follow to Olbernhau and Grünthal station. (Stage approx. 61 km)
From the center of Bozi Dar (Gottesgab) we follow route 23 past the Neklid and Klinovec ski areas (Keilberg 1244 m), the highest peak in the Ore Mountains. From the viewing plateau with its reconstructed viewing tower, which has been open again since 2013, you can enjoy a comprehensive panoramic view of the Ore Mountains and large parts of northern Bohemia. The route continues effortlessly along other thousand-meter peaks to Medenec (Kupferberg ). Mining products and minerals can be viewed here in the visitor mine. Further downhill we come to the Pressnitz dam, a drinking water reservoir for the people of the Eger valley and northern Bohemia. Here we turn off at the 50 m high dam wall and head uphill at Jeleni Hora (Hassberg 993 m) along the German-Czech border along the high moor area to Načetin (Natschung) and on to Kalek (Kallich), a small mountain village at 700 m above sea level with a mountain church visible from afar. The stage ends in the border town.
Kalek - Cinovec Over the Erzgebirge ridge into the Osterzgebirge mountains
Start: Kalek Finish: Cinovec/parking lot at the golf course
Train connection: To the start: From Grünthal station on the RSM to the Königsweg, then via the connecting route to Kalek (stage approx. 67km)
From Cinovec we cross the border, ride on the RSM to just before Kahleberg and turn right onto the connecting route to the train station in Altenberg (stage approx. 58 km).
On this stage with constant ups and downs, we cycle via Rudollice, Maly Haj with its church visible from afar at 900 m above sea level to Mikulovice (Niklasdorf) and Nova Ves (mountain village). Continuing directly along the border river Schweinitz we reach Mnisek (Einsiedel),
Following Route 23, the Flaje dam is soon in sight. Here the cycle route splits into 23a and 23, but we continue along 23 and cycle south around the dam, which dams the Flöha and supplies drinking water for the district of Most. Climbing uphill again, we reach the Grünwaldské vřesovištĕ high moor area, Nove Město (New Town). Continuing along the ridge past the Georgenfeld high moor directly on the border, we reach the stage destination of Cinovec (Bohemian Zinnwald).
Cinovec - Dĕčin From the Eastern Ore Mountains to the Elbe
Start: Cinovec/car park at the golf course Finish: Dĕčin/main railway station
We start in Cinovec, past the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a spring fountain, and cycle leisurely along Route 23 through forests to the turn-off to Komáří hůrka (Mückenberg). On the way, the view from the new Semihurska vyhlidka rest area is well worth the detour to the Mückenentürmchen with the oldest observation tower in the Ore Mountains. You can also take the oldest and longest cable car from Bohosudov (Mariaschein) to the summit; bicycles are also transported. After enjoying the panoramic view, continue on the 23 to Fojtovice (Voitsdorf), Adolfov (Adolfsgrün) and Krasny Les (Schönwald). After passing under the A17/D8 highway, we reach Petrovice and then Tisa, the entrance to the Tissa Walls rock area, which was declared a natural monument in 1996. An educational trail leads through the sandstone formations, which are popular with climbers. The 23 continues to Snĕžnik. Here, too, we recommend a stopover at Děčínský Sněžník (High Snow Mountain) with its viewing tower. Via Maxičky we then ride steeply downhill to the Elbe town of Dĕčin (Tetschen) along the Elbe to the main railway station as our destination. The Renaissance castle with its baroque rose garden, the Schäferwand with its zoological garden and via ferrata are just some of Dĕčin's attractions.
