"You'll hardly find a trail density like here in the Alps," says Peter Hanke after our tour in the Fichtelgebirge. Still buzzing from the trail rush I've just experienced on the Ochsenkopf, my gaze sweeps across a vast forest landscape from the wooden terrace of the Bullhead House at the foot of the mountain. Storm clouds are now towering above. The scenery is just as impressive as the tour I have just completed. An excursion that really rocked. Sometimes it was over flowing paths, sometimes blocked rock and root trails required skill and concentration.
Peter is the boss and founder of the Bullhead House bike station at the foot of the Ochsenkopf and is probably one of the best connoisseurs of the Fichtelgebirge trails. "We don't have to hide from the big bike destinations here," says Peter with a hint of pride in his voice. And then he talks about a Facebook post by local bike bolder Jörg Wanitschek around 15 years ago. "A friend commented curiously at the time: 'Where are you right now - in BC? A comparison that's not so far-fetched." I think about it for a moment - it's true. The Ochsenkopf-Flow tour really did have something of British Columbia about it: green, sprawling forests, ferns and thick cushions of moss along the way, small moorland lakes and ponds and, in the middle of it all, mighty granite giants.
The Fichtelgebirge really does look like a miniature version of Vancouver Northshore, Whistler or Squamish in Upper Franconia. The weather here between 700 and 1000 metres above sea level, not far from the Czech border, can also be rough and cool, just like on Canada's west coast. "Geology and climate shape the character of the trails," says Peter the next day on the challenging trail tour to Schneeberg. "In the upper sections, medium-steep, rocky terrain is typical. Towards the bottom, the mountains become flatter, the trails more rooty, gentler and flowier. You can see this on all the high mountains in the Fichtelgebirge: the Kösseine, the Ochsenkopf, the Waldstein and the Schneeberg."
Time and again, Peter shines during the tour with his geological expertise. No wonder, the Upper Franconian native, who grew up in Sparneck in the northern Fichtelgebirge, is a qualified geologist specialising in the exploration of gold deposits. Due to a lack of lucrative precious metal deposits in his home region, Peter moved to North and South America after his studies, where he worked for large mining companies. "My jobs there were almost like working on an oil platform: eight weeks of toil, then longer breaks." Peter used these to travel - and eventually ended up working as a travel guide and product manager for a large nature tour operator. "A good 15 years ago, something clicked for me," says Peter. He had since returned home and asked himself: "Why shouldn't I use my travel expertise at home?"
As is so often the case when you pursue a plan with determination, one building block fell into place after another. The Fichtelgebirgsverein was looking for a new tenant for its largest hikers' accommodation at the time. Peter's goal: away from the red-sock image. Towards a base for bike tours. Bikers can be grateful to the hikers in the Fichtelgebirge. "As a child, I roamed the forests countless times with my parents," recalls Peter. The Fichtelgebirge Association was one of the largest and most active hiking organisations in Germany - the basis for the astounding density of trails and paths. "It wasn't until I travelled the world and rented a mountain bike for the first time in Moab at the end of the 90s that it dawned on me what these narrow paths could be worth."
Similar to the bizarre rock formations in Moab, the Fichtelgebirge rock towers such as the Weißmainfelsen on the north side of the Ochsenkopf or the Drei-Brüder-Felsen on the Rudolfstein were formed by weathering processes. Sometimes they resemble stacked pancakes, sometimes daringly stacked potato tubers. The only difference: they are made of granite like the rocks around Whistler and not sandstone like in Moab. "The love of nature that I had developed in America gave me a completely different view of my homeland. Suddenly I thought: How cool is this? We have everything you need for great bike tours here."
Peter's "partner in crime" is Matthias Lenk, who works as a tour guide in the Fichtelgebirge. Together they work out new routes and know more trails than are even marked on the maps. "I have them all in my head, on my internal hard drive," says Peter and taps his forehead with a grin. "The region is a huge trail construction kit, like freestyle Lego - without building instructions. Should a dinosaur come out or a snake? For me as a trail scout, creativity takes centre stage." After a few ups and downs, the flow tour leads along a winding stream. Small char dart like arrows from one stone hiding place to the next. "The stream was actually once an industrial project," says Matthias.
With the Bocksgraben, the people of Fichtelberg dug a few springs for the people of Warmensteinach to operate the mills for their ironworks. Disused quarries bear witness to iron ore mining. Proterobas was also mined here. The dark green and white speckled, basalt-like rock with the exotic name was used for a long time as a raw material for glass production. Glass beads and buttons from the Fichtelgebirge were exported as far away as Ethiopia. Glass from northern Bavaria has even gone down in the history of space travel: After returning from the first moon landing, NASA presented the three astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins with a glass plate with a space motif, made in Warmensteinach. We, on the other hand, land back at Bullhead House after our tour.
In 2012, Peter bought the hiking hostel from the Fichtelgebirgsverein and spent years modernising and renaming it. Today, the house serves as an outdoor and bike lodge with a shop, hire and guiding as an ideal base camp for bikers. There is even a course behind the house with banked turns, jumps and Northshore elements. And when the new cable car on the south side of the Ochsenkopf goes into operation next year, more natural trails will be added to the existing downhill route. "It's a good thing we're travelling with a motor," says Sarah during the enduro tour the next day. She has just switched to an e-bike and is thrilled at how easy it is to tackle the rocky passages on the Rudolfstein. Peter knows: "Many trails that you ride downhill on a bike, Sarah, are exciting to ride in both directions on an e-MTB." This doesn't bother anyone, especially on more remote trails. "If we use these remote trails consistently, the region can easily cope with even more bikers," says Peter confidently. "Within a radius of five kilometres, I can still find places here where hardly anyone is out and about. That's a quality of life that nothing can replace." And Peter savours it, at least in the evening, when he gets on his e-bike at sunset. Somewhere where he can switch off from the hustle and bustle. When the motor revs up on the uphill, Peter rides down. "Then a feeling of calm and contentment sets in," he says. He won't find a vein of gold that will make him rich in the Fichtelgebirge. "But the trails are a goldmine for my soul."
What you need to know about the Fichtelgebirge
As high as the density of exciting trails is, the infrastructure in the Fichtelgebirge is manageable. However, the few top addresses that do exist offer mountain bikers a full programme.
The precinct
Massive granite rocks are the hallmark of the Fichtelgebirge - almost like Whistler or the Bavarian Forest, depending on your perspective. Either way, the low mountain range landscape in the north-east of Bavaria, with its vast forest landscapes and lakes, has a lot to offer. From rocky, blocked, alpine-style trails to relaxed flow passages, it has it all - and lots of it. The density of partly deserted hiking trails is enormous. The ideal starting point is the Bullhead House in Fleckl near Warmensteinach on the Ochsenkopf, which is served by cable cars. From here, a diverse trail paradise opens up, where even demanding e-mountain bikers get their money's worth. But don't worry, less experienced riders can usually avoid tricky sections on forest paths.
Accommodation
Bullhead House: Probably the most iconic accommodation for mountain bikers at the foot of the Ochsenkopf near Warmensteinach. With outdoor and bike lodge, hire (cube bikes) and restaurant directly in the house, info: bullheadhouse.de Landhaus Preissinger in Warmensteinach, landhaus-preissinger.de Campingplatz am Fichtelsee, camping-fichtelsee.de
Bike shops & hire:
Bullhead Bike: The Bullhead House bike shop is open from the beginning of April to the end of October (Wed - Sun, 9am - 6pm) and offers a workshop as well as bike and accessory hire, guided tours and various riding technique courses (including for e-mountain bikers), info: bullheadbike.com
Fichtelrad in Weißenstadt: Guided tours, e-MTB hire, cosy café with first-class coffee (Sundays only) and rental of newly renovated rooms. Season: April - October, daily from 9 am to 6 pm, Info: fichtelrad.de
Food and drink
The most perfect burgers (veggie and vegan too) are definitely to be found at Bullhead House, bullheadhouse.com
Maria Alm in Bischofsgrün: Snack bar at Ochsenkopf Nord with sun terrace, fast food and homemade cakes, info: hammerschmiede-bischofsgruen.de
Hotel am Fichtelsee: Modern Franconian cuisine directly on the lakeshore (overnight stay also possible), hotel-am-fichtelsee.de
The best ice cream is available in the Poststraße in Fichtelberg: ice cream parlour "Lust auf Eis & mehr".
Certainly not alone, but with great views and good food, you can sit in the two summit huts that you pass on the three tours anyway: Kösseinehaus (939 m) at the summit of the Große Kösseine, koesseinehaus-official.de and in the Asenturm on the Ochsenkopf (1024 m), asenturm.de
Bike park
The bike park on the Ochsenkopf (south side) is getting a new cable car this year and will be extended by several flow sections for the season opening in April 2025, in addition to the well-known, challenging 2.3-kilometre-long downhill route. Season: April - October, day ticket incl. bike transport: 39 euros.
General information: fichtelgebirge.bayern.de
The 3 top trail tours in the Fichtelgebirge
You could let off steam for days in these forests on the border with the Czech Republic. But first we wanted to get to know the three favourite trails of the locals. Here are the three best trails in the Fichtelgebirge.
1st Flow-Tour Ochsenkopf
- Length: 40.6 kilometres
- Uphill: 897 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 30 per cent
- Difficulty: easy to medium, S0-S1
Starting point: Bullhead House in Fleckl, at the foot of the Ochsenkopf.
Tour description: A tour for trail beginners with flowing, varied trails. The nature trails are full of roots, but not too steep. There are many natural highlights and viewpoints along the route. After the start, you head straight onto the first trail, past impressive granite rock castles. The route meanders along the idyllic Bocksgraben towards Fichtelberg. Afterwards, smooth uphill trails alternate with forest paths - up to the Klausenlift mountain station in Mehlmeisel with a fantastic panorama over the Fichtelgebirge.
Continue along the lonely Jägersteig trail to the southern border of the Fichtelgebirge. Then another 200 metre climb up a forest path to the Klausen lift, where the start of the trail descent to Hüttstadl and Fichtelberg awaits. Afterwards, undulating trails lead to Fichtelsee before the much more strenuous but final ascent to the Ochsenkopf summit, the second highest mountain in northern Bavaria, begins. But even this is rewarded with a flowing trail descent down to Bullhead House.
Key points: Apart from a few roots in the forest, no major obstacles.
Retreat A tour on which you definitely don't have to starve, as there are various places to stop for refreshments: Bayreuther Haus at the Klausen lift mountain station, the ice cream parlour "Lust auf Eis & mehr" in Fichtelberg, the restaurant at Fichtelsee, the Asenturm at the summit and the Bullhead House in the valley.
2nd Kösseine Trail circuit
- Length: 50.4 kilometres
- Uphill: 1240 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 34 per cent
- Difficulty: medium - difficult, S0-S2
Starting point: Bullhead House in Fleckl, at the foot of the Ochsenkopf.
Tour description: A tour with flowing, but also crisp, rocky trails (can be bypassed on easier routes) in the eastern part of the Fichtelgebirge to the Kösseine. Start at Bullhead House and over undulating terrain to Fichtelsee. Continue partly on flowing paths to Nageler See. This is followed by the ascent to the third highest peak in the Fichtelgebirge, the Kösseine. From there, a trail-rich descent over the Haberstein to the famous rock labyrinth at the Luisenburg near Wundsiedel. The trail fun continues to Tröstau. Then up to the Hohe Matze. Up- and downhill trails alternate before the route takes a leisurely ride up to the Seehaus. Then downhill on trails towards Fichtelsee and up to the Ochsenkopf summit. If you like it rocky, take the downhill route down to Bullhead House. For a more leisurely ride, take the flowing "Blaupunkt Trail" downhill.
Key points: There are a few very challenging sections in the forest (S2) on the tour. Especially if you choose the downhill route at the end. However, 80 per cent of the tour is on easy to moderately difficult trails.
Retreat: At the Kösseine summit, the self-service terrace of the Kösseinehaus overlooks the entire Fichtelgebirge ridge. The Hotel-Restaurant Bauer in Tröstau and the Seehaus at Lake Fichtelsee are well worth a stop.
3rd Enduro Schneeberg
- Length: 56.3 kilometres
- Uphill: 1361 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 29 per cent
- Difficulty: medium - difficult, S0-S2
Starting point: Bullhead House in Fleckl, at the foot of the Ochsenkopf.
Tour description: This crisp trail tour with many exciting kilometres requires good riding technique and fitness. It leads over the highest mountain in northern Bavaria, the Schneeberg (1053 m). After the start at the Bullhead House, there are plenty of uphill flow trails to the Ochsenkopf summit. At the top, after enjoying the view over the Fichtelgebirge mountains, mostly on trails to the source of the Weißmain and to Karches. Then the long ascent to the Schneeberg summit begins. From up there, continue on trails to the Rudolfstein with its fascinating granite rock formations. Even on the way there, bizarre rocks decorate the trail. A flowing descent takes you via Schönlind to Weißenstädter See. The ascent to the Waldstein summit then begins. A ruined castle sits enthroned there next to rock castles. A longer trail descent leads back to the lake, then up to the Egerquelle spring. Now on trails to Bischofsgrün on the north side of the Ochsenkopf. From here, halfway around the mountain and with a detour via a narrow trail into the Löchleinstal valley to Warmensteinach. From there uphill back to the starting point.
Key points: The uphill trails are much easier to fly over on an e-MTB. Downhill, winding forest switchbacks, root carpets and rocky steps await on this tour. You need very good riding technique (S2) for around 30 per cent of the trails.
Retreat: The tour is long, so the timing of the break should be carefully considered. You pass Weißenstadt twice halfway through the tour and there are various places to stop for refreshments directly by the lake and in the village. However, the Waldsteinhaus at the summit and the Maria Alm in Bischofsgrün, above the valley station of the lift, offer better views. In Warmensteinach, the locals can recommend the Hotel Restaurant Brigitte.
The GPS data for all 3 tours can be found in the BIKE tour portal:
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