- 2:15 h
- 7.64 km
- 165 m
- 165 m
- 473 m
- 587 m
- 114 m
- Start: Music pavilion in front of the Royal Spa House
- Destination: Sculpture of Hygiea behind the Royal Spa House (enclosed in winter months)
With this circular hike - initially with a moderate ascent, but then mostly level - starting from the spa town center, you head into the northern area of the ring path network of Bad Elster. Most of the route runs on the Vogtland Panorama Path. Look forward especially to the impressive beautiful view of Bad Elster on the way back.
Various Kirchsteige have been preserved around Bad Elster. These paths were used by residents of the surrounding parishes Arnsgrün, Raun or Mühlhausen for church attendance. Via the Arnsgrüner Kirchsteig you reach the Zeidelweidetal. This old forest pasture valley was formerly used as bee pasture (Zeidel=bee). The peat-rich dry grass meadows along the educational trail in this nature reserve impress with many protected plants.
At the end of the valley awaits the Old Schloss Schönfeld. Admittedly, one might expect a ruin, but discover for yourself on site what really lies behind it.
Waypoints
Good to know
Pavements
Best to visit
Directions
Starting from the starting point in the midst of the most magnificent buildings of the Royal Facilities Bad Elster: König Albert Theater, Albert Bad and Royal Spa House, follow the marking of the Vogtland Panorama Path (red VPW on white background). The path is also marked with a blue line.
Enjoy right at the beginning of the hike the extensive English-style Albert Park (end of the 19th century) with its idyllic ponds and special tree population. Passing the Schindeleiche, a red oak planted in honor of the garden inspector Paul Schindel in 1924, three years after his death, in this park he created, you will reach the Forellenteich after crossing Beuthstraße, which marks the end of the park.
Directly at the pond, the VPW changes to the Kirchbergweg (green square) and winds its way past the Antonienhütte in switchbacks up the Kirchberg (569 m). Follow this only briefly until a house standing on the right side of the path. Straight ahead you will reach after a few meters the Arnsgrüner Kirchsteig (green X) coming up from the right side of the valley, onto which you now turn left—just like the VPW. You will also pass this upcoming section on your way back. So look forward to the beautiful view of Bad Elster that awaits you later.
The Arnsgrüner Kirchsteig initially takes you over a moderate ascent up to Kirchberg and leads straight ahead into Zeidelweidetal. Halfway lies the Römer-Hütte. It is named after the forest master Römer, who was in charge of the area around Bad Elster, and whose task it was to accompany the Saxon King Friedrich August III on the capercaillie hunt and ensure that the king had his shot and the hunt was successful. Immediately after the Römer-Hütte, you leave the VPW as it turns left onto Alten Schlossweg. Continue straight ahead.
Arriving in Zeidelweidetal, the Arnsgrüner Kirchsteig crosses the Zeidelweide Creek and would continue straight ahead directly to the nearby village of Arnsgrün. However, at the junction, you turn left onto the Ringweg - Nordring (green circle) and thus also follow the Zeidelweide Educational and Hiking Trail (green diagonal line), which follows the course of the creek in the valley.
At the end of this picturesque valley (nature reserve) with its wide meadows, which feature a special and protected flora and were formerly used as bee (=Zeidel) pastures, you will come across the Old Schloss Schönfeld. If you are now looking for a ruin here, unfortunately you will not find one. It is a medieval ring wall with island and moat, which was once secured with palisades and served to protect those who farmed here at this remote outpost. By the way, the educational trail leads you once over the ring wall.
Coming from the Old Schloss, you leave the educational trail (green diagonal line) as well as the ring path (green circle) again and take the Alten Schlossweg (blue line) for the return journey to Bad Elster. The VPW is now by your side again.
After a beautiful stretch in the high forest, at a junction you will turn right again onto the Arnsgrüner Kirchsteig (green X), which will take you past the Römer-Hütte back to Bad Elster.
As soon as you leave the forest, an impressive and beautiful view of Bad Elster opens up to you, as well as the Brunnenberg to the east and the forested uplands to the south of the spa.
Stay on the Arnsgrüner Kirchsteig, past the impressive Schillereiche and a Friedrich Schiller bust, until you again reach the Forellenteich and Albert Park at the foot of the Kirchberg. For the return route to the center, now take Prof.-Paul-Köhler-Straße, which runs directly to the left of Albert Park.
Shortly you will reach the first and thus oldest sanatorium of Bad Elster, which was founded in 1904 by Professor Paul Köhler. The valuable and attractive buildings from that time—especially the interior with ornate Art Nouveau décor—have been well preserved and excellently restored and today, together with modern buildings, form the German Clinic for Integrative Medicine and Naturopathy (DEKIMED).
After the last building of the clinic complex (Villa Albertpark) you turn right into Albert Park and enter the small park area directly behind the Royal Spa House. Choose the small right path over the bridge of the Bärenlohbach and from here you will already see the rear view of probably the most fitting and most beautiful sculpture of Bad Elster, to which this path leads after a turn to the left and which concludes the hike. It is Hygiea, the goddess of health. She offers the healing water to the patient kneeling before her, after she has been "treated" by the muses of music and theater to inspire her, open her mind, and ease healing. This was once described by the pharmacist and local poet Carl August Klingner on the occasion of the opening of our König Albert Theater in 1914. What a fitting and beautiful image he thus painted of Bad Elster...
Tour information
Cultural Interesting
Loop Road
Directions & Parking facilities
Bad Elster can be reached from the A72 - exit Plauen South following the B92 to the Bad Elster junction.
From Bavaria you can also take the route via A93 to exit Regnitzlosau. Drive towards Oelsnitz until behind the Saxon-Bavarian state border and turn right after Posseck towards Adorf. You will finally reach Bad Elster via B92.
In Bad Elster there are sufficient public parking spaces available (both paid and free) → more info here: www.chursaechsische.de/besucherservice/anreise
Information about 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 with the Vogtlandbahn. Information about schedules and fares is available 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 or https://badelster.de/touristinformation
There are various dining options in the Royal Facilities Bad Elster.
Literature
Brochure »Pleasure Hiking Bad Elster« the Royal Hiking Nature Paradise
available in 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
Map
City map Bad Elster with all hiking trails from Verlag Dr. Barthel
ISBN: 978-3-89591-239-9
Hiking, skiing and cycling map Vogtland Music and Spa Region, Bad Elster, Markneukirchen
ISBN: 978-3-89591-021-0
available in the Bad Elster Tourist Information
Nearby
