Gourmet Hiking in Bad Elster 6: Elsterschanze
- 2:00 h
- 7.73 km
- 129 m
- 129 m
- 476 m
- 605 m
- 129 m
- Start: Rosengarten Bad Elster
- Destination: Rosengarten Bad Elster
This circular hike leads from the Royal facilities into the catchment area of the Kesselbach, which feeds the Louisa Lake. This stream receives its tributaries from several small springs, with individual paths branching off like a fan into the valleys. The terrain is almost entirely forested and diversely structured - typical of the Elster Mountains.
The path passes by Schubertplatz, the old core of the village of Elster. You can still discover some very old weavers' houses there.
You reach the Elsterschanze facility, where the ski jumping youth of Bad Elster train. Over the only somewhat steeper ascent of this round through the Bärenloch you get to the Ringweg and then through the valley of the Klitschenbach back to the center. You pass through the Waldsiedlung and Kessel districts and finally enjoy the sight of some beautiful Art Nouveau villas on the way back to the town center, including Villa Merz, a very impressive example.
Waypoints
Good to know
Pavements
Best to visit
Directions
The hike starts directly at the Rosengarten on Johann-Christoph-Hilf-Straße. It is named after the father of the Hilf musician family, who conducted the spa music in Bad Elster from 1817 to 1851. This eventually gave rise to today's Chursächsische Philharmonie.
You walk along the street, on which the Brandbachweg (yellow square) also runs its first section, passing the Schubertplatz. Here you are now in the former core of the old village of Elster, which you can clearly recognize by some very old houses. Since until the second half of the 19th century a loom clattered in almost every little house, these are also called weavers' houses.
Now continue uphill on Heinrich-Heine-Straße and then follow the Brandbachweg towards Elsterschanze, which you will reach after a short hike. Here there is an information board with all sorts of interesting details about the individual ski jumps.
To the right of the path you see a phyllite rock and at its foot a small shelter hut, the Theresenruh.
Continue your hike on the Brandbachweg through meadows and marshlands and beautiful high forest. Shortly before you reach the Ringweg, about 600 m after the ski jump, you reach a small forest path on the right that leads up in a few meters to an idyllic resting place. It is a former water-filled quarry. It is called Devil's Lake or Black Pond. According to old records, this place was once the execution site of the people of Elster. According to legend, one should not visit the place at midnight, as at this time former executed persons would search for their heads...
Back on the Brandbachweg you soon reach the Ringweg (green circle). You follow it to the left until the junction with the Klitschenbachweg (pay attention to the signpost), which takes you back to Elster in the Waldsiedlung district.
The Brandbach, Klitschenbach and the stream of the third valley flowing into the Kessel district, the Ködersbach, merge here and form the Kesselbach, which supplies the Louisa Lake with water. Louisa Lake was designed by Paul Schindel, who created it in a former peat pit after the peat deposits in the area of today's lake were mined in 1895.
You now leave the Waldsiedlung district, walk a little to the right on Heinrich-Heine-Straße until the Kesselstraße branches off to the right. For the return route, you pass through the Kessel district. Kesselstraße joins Max-Höra-Straße, on which you return to the town center.
Max Höra was a master builder in Bad Elster and worked according to his own plans as well as on behalf of various architects. His former residential building stands on this street. Here you can see some beautiful Art Nouveau villas, with Villa Merz at the far left end being a very impressive example. The garden arbor is also present, completing the architectural ensemble.
Soon you will meet the Kesselbach, which you follow towards the Rosengarten and Louisa Lake.
Tour information
Cultural Interesting
Loop Road
Stop at an Inn
Tour with Dog
Directions & Parking facilities
There are sufficient public parking spaces available in Bad Elster (both paid and free) → more info here: www.chursaechsische.de/besucherservice/anreise
Information on arrival by bus and train is available from the Vogtland Tourism and Transport Center at 03744 / 19449 or www.vogtlandauskunft.de
You can reach Bad Elster by Vogtlandbahn. Information on times and prices can be found at www.vogtlandbahn.de or from the Vogtland Tourism and Transport Center at 03744 / 19449 or www.vogtlandauskunft.de
Additional information
Bad Elster Tourist Information in the Royal Spa House
Phone 037437 53900
https://badelster.de/touristinformation
Event overview: https://chursaechsische.de/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungskalender
Various dining options are available in the Royal Gardens Bad Elster
Literature
Brochure »Gourmet Hiking Bad Elster« The Royal Hiking Nature Paradise
available at the Bad Elster tourist information
Author
Vogtland - Sinfonie der Natur
Organization
Vogtland - Sinfonie der Natur
License (master data)
Vogtland - Sinfonie der Natur
Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author
a visit to the Saxon Bath Museum - exhibition on the development of Bad Elster from weavers' village to world-famous spa!
Map
City map Bad Elster with all hiking trails by Verlag Dr. Barthel
ISBN: 978-3-89591-239-9
Hiking, ski and cycling map Vogtland music and spa region, Bad Elster, Markneukirchen
ISBN: 978-3-89591-021-0
available at the Bad Elster tourist information
Nearby
Download GPX file