Pleasure hiking in Bad Elster 4: Heink hut/ Friedrich-August-Stein

From the Floral Temple, go directly to the small bridge at Louisasee to cross the still young White Elster here.

Paul Schindel, the former Royal Garden Director and thus park designer of Bad Elster, created a chain of open spaces along the natural course of the White Elster with this nature-oriented park in the English style. Many more of his creations still significantly shape the image of Bad Elster today. This park has borne his name since 2004 in his honor. Straight ahead at this point, you look at the former residence (Prince Bismarck) of Paul Schindel, today the popular pastry café Schindel.

The hike leads to the right, and after a short time, you reach the Catholic Church of St. Elisabeth, embedded in the Paul-Schindel-Park. Behind the church, a short piece of roadway leads to Dr.-Richard-Schmincke-Straße, which you follow briefly to the right, then after a few meters at the fork, go left up Endersstraße. It passes the BSW Vitalhotel "White Elster" to the Mediclin Clinic and senior residence at Brunnenberg. There, follow the path to the right, which then changes to Adorfer Weg at the sports hall. You will see, among others, the signage "Kurelsterbank," including a name explanation, a few meters further uphill on the left side. After a short steep ascent — the only slightly steeper one on the route, all other paths rising gently — this path flows into Almweg (yellow X), which you follow to the right for 1.2 km to the Obersohl district. Here, you leave Almweg and turn right into Ringweg (green circle). After about 300 m, it crosses the street at the former inn "Waidmannshöh'" and continues straight ahead along the edge of a small meadow to the forest edge. Once you reach this at about 100 m distance, the path course is clearly visible again. After a short time, you reach a clearing with a radio tower. After about 200 m, this path merges into a wider one, which you follow to the left to a crossroads. Cross this straight ahead and shortly after reach the Heink hut, inviting you to rest.

The secret government counselor Heink — leading administrative officer in the Saxon Ministry of the Interior until 1921 — was a friend and supporter of Bad Elster. The further path to the Friedrich-August-Stein is well signposted. A few meters after the Heink hut, a hiking trail leads to the Gürther Cross, which you follow to the right. The signpost also provides a direct indication to the Friedrich-August-Stein, located about 600 m away. This stone commemorates the last hunting visit of the former Saxon king and marks the spot where Friedrich August III. shot his last capercaillie in 1930 in the forest district of Bad Elster.

For the return to Bad Elster, go back to the Heink hut. After about 100 m, a connecting path leads left back to the Ringweg. Follow this (green circle) again to the left until reaching the Bavarian beech. Here the path then leads right into the valley. This path is additionally marked with the sign for the Vogtland Panorama Trail. You will remain on this quality hiking trail to the Floral Temple at Louisasee. It will first lead you to the Elster district Heißenstein with its impressive 300-year-old pedunculate oak. You continue straight here and then follow the Forsthausschänkeweg, where you will reach, beside the historic natural pool (a must-see!), the spring house of Spring Source 2. Then cross the White Elster on the left at the Schubert Bridge and arrive again within a few meters at the Floral Temple.

Bad Elster can be reached from the A72 - Plauen South exit along the B92 to the Bad Elster junction. From Bavaria, you can alternatively take the A 93 to the Regnitzlosau exit. Drive towards Oelsnitz past the Saxon-Bavarian state border and turn right behind Posseck to Adorf. You will finally reach Bad Elster via the B 92.

In Bad Elster, there are sufficient public parking spaces available (both paid and free) → Info here: www.chursaechsische.de/besucherservice/anreise

Information about bus and train travel is available from the Vogtland Tourist and Transport Centre at 03744 / 19449 or www.vogtlandauskunft.de

You can reach Bad Elster with the Vogtlandbahn. Information on schedules and prices is available at www.vogtlandbahn.de

or at the Vogtland Tourist and Transport Centre at 03744 / 19449 or www.vogtlandauskunft.de

Tourist Information Bad Elster in the Royal Spa House

Phone 037437 53900

https://badelster.de/touristinformation

Event overview: https://chursaechsische.de/veranstaltungen/veranstaltungskalender

There are various dining options in the Royal Facilities Bad Elster

Brochure "Pleasure Hiking Bad Elster" The Royal Hiking-Nature Paradise

available at the Tourist Information Bad Elster

Detour to the Bad Elster natural pool in the Paul-Schindel-Park on the return journey

Visit to the equipage in the Paul-Schindel-Park annually on Pentecost Sunday

City map of Bad Elster with all hiking trails from Verlag Dr. Barthel

ISBN: 978-3-89591-239-9, 6th edition

Hiking, skiing, and cycling map of the Vogtland Music and Spa Region, Bad Elster, Markneukirchen

ISBN: 978-3-89591-021-0, 7th edition

each available at the Tourist Information Bad Elster