Cross-border hiking in Ferdinandsthal

This moderately difficult hike offers magnificient nature and historic places. After crossing the border to Czech Republic there is much to learn and discover about the history of glassmaking and the long separation during the Cold War. On the bavarian side the tour leads through the wilderness of Bavarian Forest National Park with giant trees and remainig primeval forest. The railway station Bayerisch Eisenstein and its manifold exhibitions in the NaturparkWelten offers the opportunity to delve into the border region.
 
Advice: Tour of medium difficulty with some longer but moderately steep ascents. Refreshment point in Bayerisch Eisenstein and Železná Ruda (Please inform about the opening hours). Please bring your passport – you will cross the border to the Czech Republic.
 
Local public transport network:
Train station Bayerisch Eisenstein (Waldbahn)
For timetables see:  www.bayerwald-ticket.com
 
Navigation:
Grenzbahnhof Bayerisch Eisenstein
Bahnhofstr. 54
94252 Bayerisch Eisenstein
 
Stages:
Railway station Bayerisch Eisenstein - Železná Ruda – Debrník – border crossing Ferdinandsthal – Hans-Watzlik-Hain featuring Waldhaustanne – Hochbergsattel – Railway station Bayerisch Eisenstein
 
Tour description:
We start at the historic railway station in Bayerisch Eisenstein. Until 1989 the iron curtain between Czechoslovakia and West Germany ran cross the builiding. Today a small colour strip on the floor reminds at it. The railway station is now a symbol for german-czech cooperation and understanding and therefore a popular hub and starting point for trips.
 
Tip: Take your time for a visit of NaturparkWelten with its manifold exhibitions directly in the railway station building.
 
We begin our hiking tour with crossing the border to Czech Republic and go along the railway area. After leaving the Railway Station, we follow the yellow sign through Železná Ruda. The path first goes along the road and later it follows the river Regen/Řezná. At the next crossroads we make a right turn, leave the rails and go uphill for about 1.5 km towards Debrník featuring old military facilities.
After that we turn right and go downhill through Ferdinandsthal up to border crossing Ferdinandsthal/Debrník. Along the way we consistently encounter information boards concerning historic places and old military facilities in this border region right next to former iron curtain. At the border crossing Ferdinandsthal we find information about the importance of Ferdinandsthal as a glassworking site.
 
We follow the partially asphalted way to the northern end of the village Zwieslerwaldhaus. Then we turn right on the trail with the sign ‘Siebenschläfer‘ that winds down through the forest to parking area Brechhäuslau. At the end of the parking area we turn right and cross the bridge over river Deffernik.
 
We keep to the half-right and go up the trail with the sign ‘Schwarzstorch‘ towards Hans-Watzlik-Hain. After about 500 m we reach the so-called Große Waldhaustanne, a huge silver fir which is over 50 m tall and has a circumference of more than 6.50 m. We follow the log paved path and go into the unmarked forest trail at its end. The trail leads us into Hans-Watzlik-Hain which is a conservation area since 1950 and impresses with ancient giant trees, gigantic deadwood trunks and dynamic natural rejuvenation.
 
After about 500 m we reach a gravel road again. We cross it and follow the path ‘Grünes Dreieck‘ upwards to Hochbergsattel featuring a small refuge. Amon the shades of large beech, spruce and all kinds of deadwood we experience first hand how a new generation of trees grow up and how a pristine forest emerges. After the refuge we keep to the right and turn into the hiking trail ‘Goldsteig/Bussard‘ which leads us downhill towards Bayerisch Eisenstein.
 
There we cross the rails and already see the railway museum with historical locomotives and railway facilities on the right. We make a right turn and follow the street back to the railway station Bayerisch Eisenstein.
 
Correct on the go – all the time:

• Always ensure to have good equipment: card, sturdy shoes, something to drink, first aid kit, bad weather clothing.
• Beware of falling trees and deadwood! The use of the path is at your own risk. At strong wind, please leave the forest for safety reasons!
• Path regulations in order to protect endangered plants and animals in certain areas of the national park

 
 
Did you know it?
 
Hans-Watzlik-Hain
Named after a Bohemian poet, the Hans-Watzlik-Hain is home to ancient tree giants, including the oldest tree within the Bavarian Forest National Park, the so called Große Waldhaustanne. It has a circumference of more than 6.50 meters and a height of 53 meters. On the ‘Grünes Dreieck’ hiking route, you can make a small detour that leads through the middle of the wilderness with its standing and lying tree giants. In 1950, the primeval forest was already under protection.
 
A new native forest area emerges in the national park
Within the national park, there is no interference with natural development processes on most of its surface. Natural disturbances, such as windthrow, bark beetle and snow break, change the appearance of the landscape enormously within a relatively short time. Old trees die and remain in the forest. Between their remains, a new and stable native forest area with great biodiversity is created. Standing and lying deadwood is very important, as it offers a wide variety of habitats for a variety of life. Insects and fungi benefit from deadwood, for example. Young trees grow up under great living conditions in the area around deadwood with a good supply of water, nutrients and substrate.
 
Railway station Bayerisch Eisenstein featuring NaturparkWelten
NaturparkWelten, which have been redeveloped in 2014, in the railway station Bayerisch Eisenstein has five different exhibition layers that informatively, impressively and excitingly demostrate the diversity of Bavarian Forest Nature Park. Every exhibition is fully accessible. Railway station Bayerisch Eisenstein was the tourism railway station of the year 2017.