The view has to be earned, it seems. Because after the exciting excursion into the history of technology in the "Frohnauer Hammer", the cosiness is over for now. The tarmac in the direction of Schlettau climbs quite steeply. The cyclist has just had the pounding of the huge hammer mill in his ears and now his own heartbeat takes over this rhythm. Over a distance of just under two kilometres, around 150 metres of elevation gain until the vast surroundings unfold as a colourful Erzgebirge panorama. The landscape looks like a model railway layout with forests and meadows, interspersed with individual farms, cowsheds and villages with church towers. And to complete the picture, a short train of the Erzgebirge scenic railway rolls through the valley near Schlettau. The pretty castle greets you along the way in Schlettau, whose predecessor buildings probably secured the "salt road" to Bohemia 1,000 years ago. Later, a monastery was established, which soon after the Reformation had to make way for a hunting lodge that attracts many visitors today. Behind the village, the cycle path follows the railway line for quite a while, often on narrow paths through the forest. The ascent to Scheibenberg is leisurely and steady. The perspective around the village is constantly changing. Sometimes you can see the famous basalt "organ pipes", then the observation tower comes into view again. Behind it, three thousand metre peaks form the horizon: Keilberg, Fichtelberg and Auersberg
As if in flight
A strong westerly wind is blowing. It chases the clouds over the hilly fields and all the cyclists who are now flying over the highlands on the "Mittelgebirgsroute". A tailwind like this turns the Mittelgebirgsroute into an experience and makes the tiny cars in the valley look like colourful beetles crawling over the mighty viaduct between Raschau and Markersbach. On the other side of the valley, the upper water reservoir of the Markersbach pumped-storage power station glistens in the sun. The brisk bike ride comes to an end in Langenberg and the last stage leads once again over rough gravel and quite steeply into the forest. But the effort is short and the view of the destination Schwarzenberg is all the more beautiful. The old town rises up at the edge of the valley, the gleaming white St George's Church and the castle can be seen from afar above the Black Water. The nickname "Pearl of the Erzgebirge" seems all the more fitting from this perspective, and a few more metres up to the town centre are undoubtedly worthwhile. Incidentally, this also applies to the climb up the 36 metre high keep of the castle. It served as a prison for many centuries and the marvellous panoramic view of the Ore Mountains around Schwarzenberg makes you want more. Much more.
Information on
Saxon Central Uplands long-distance cycle route
Start and finish location
Start: Schöna on the Elbe cycle path
Destination: Eibenstock-Carlsfeld in the Ore Mountains
Route length approx. 245 km
Accommodation recommendation
You can find information on cycle-friendly accommodation at www.erzgebirge-tourismus.de or in the ERZApp Active.
Worth seeing
- Altenberg with its mining museum
- Neuhausen with the first nutcracker museum in Europe and over 5,000 wooden journeymen
- Seiffen - centre of Erzgebirge wood art
- Annaberg-Buchholz - St Anne's Church, Manufactory of Dreams
- Schwarzenberg - old town with castle, church and fountain with Meissen carillon
- Keilberg 1,244 metres - highest peak in the Ore Mountains
Stop off on the way
You can find more information in the ERZApp-Aktiv.
Active & Vital
- The spa town of Warmbad with the oldest and warmest healing spring in Saxony
- Wiesenbad thermal baths
- Altenberg summer toboggan run
- Eibenstock bathing gardens
Further route suggestions
- Cycle: Zschopautalweg, Seiffen tour "One for all", ridge tour, Karlsroute
Special tip
- Stoneman Miriquidi - MTB experience, unique in Germany. www.stoneman-miriquidi.com
- TrailCenter Rabenberg, Germany's first MTB singletrail park. www.trailcenter-rabenberg.de
Bike service
- adrenalin radsport, Dippoldiswalde, www.radsport-erzgebirge.de
- Sport Gahler, Oberwiesenthal health resort, www.sportgahler.de
- Radsport Weinhold, Marienberg, www.radsportweinhold.de
- Radschlag, Annaberg, www.radschlag-annaberg.de
Literature/Maps
- Order cycle tour guide and overview map of the Saxon Central Uplands long-distance cycle route online at www.erzgebirge-tourismus.de
Organiser for bicycle tours
sport + marketing agency härtel: www.radwandernerzgebirge.de
General information and contact
Tourism Association Erzgebirge e. V.
Adam-Ries-Straße 16
09456 Annaberg-Buchholz
+49(0)3733 18800-88
www.erzgebirge-tourismus.de
