If you are looking for an interesting and pleasant cycling route – connection between Mulde and Elbe river, you will find a good option for a cycle tour from Wurzen in Saxony (on the Mulde) via Hohburg Hills, Schildberg Hill and Schildau through the northern Dahlen Heathland to the Elbe ferry in Belgern. From there there are various options to continue with a longer bike tour, both right- and left-island.
Close to Leipzig – and yet right in the countryside
The route of this cycle tour leads outside the towns largely on forest and field paths (wider tires recommended!), only short sections, e.g. between Hohburg and Thammenhain, follow official roads, but they are little used.
Who wants to go directly from Leipzig on this cycle tour, can go to the eastern suburb of Taura with the streetcar or S-Bahn S4 and from there on dirt roads to Deuben (there is a small bridge over the Mulde river) and thus bypass Wurzen. Or he uses the S3 to Wurzen station and goes from there. From the outskirts of the city there is a bike path via Lüptitz to Hohburg (past the Kleiner Berg (small hill) / Kaolin lake).
Hohburg Hills – Schildberg – Schildau – cycling over hill and dale
From Hohburg to Thammenhain you can also use the normal road by bike. There is quite little car traffic. If this is too much for you, you can turn left after about 1… 1.5km into a dirt road and then after about 400m turn right onto the dirt road to Thammenhain.
Of course, you can also continue right from Hohburg along field and forest paths at the foot of the Hohburg hills. But this is much more strenuous, there is also some up and down and sometimes over hill and dale. Hikers have it better – they have different paths from the Hohburg hills to Zwochau or the Klinge and from there also a car-free forest and field path to the Schildberg Hill and Schildau.
From Thammenhain, you can see the Schildberg Hill directly in front of you – so let’s go. But what doesn’t look impressively high at first becomes a bit steeper. Especially if you want to cross the Schildberg summit. If you leave the Schildberg hill proverbially to the left, you are quickly in Schildau – mostly via rd. Friedensstraße. Below the Kirchberg (Church hill), the pizza restaurant “La Cabane” invites you to take a break in the rd. Wurzener Straße. And otherwise Schildbürger pranks … (comparable with “The wise men of Gotham” in UK)
Schildau – Taura – Belgern – forest and few people
If you leave Schildau to the east, you can take a bike path to Sitzenroda or rd. Kurzwalder Straße, the district Kurzwalde to Taura. In Taura, in addition to the forest barn exhibition of the state forestry enterprise, there is above all a wild animal enclosure, which will delight children.
Then follows… forest. Across the northern Dahlener Heide it goes on for about 8 km to Belgern. If on the way times on the right or left signs with ammunition warnings appear – take seriously! In the area there was once during the cold war an air force firing range, on which an enormous number of bombs were dropped. Unfortunately, not all of the unexploded ordnance has been found and cleared to this day.
In Belgern you can look at the town hall with Roland sculpture as the patron saint on the market. Or eat an ice cream right across the street. Passing the church of St. Bartholomew, you go down to the Elbe river and the Elbe ferry. Hungry people are sure to find refreshment in the ferry restaurant, with a view of the lazily flowing river.
Between Mulde river and Elbe river in Saxony – Much to experience along the way
This cycle tour from Wurzen to Belgern can be done in just 40km in one day – if you really want to. Exhibitions, lookout points, bathing lakes provide variety.
In Hohburg you can swim in the Kaolin lake. There is also an exhibition on rock mining in the stone workers’ house next to the church.
On the Schildberg hill, the Schildberg tower is open on Sundays from Easter to October and offers a view to the Battle of the Nations Monument in Leipzig. However, at higher forest fire warning levels, the tower on the Schildberg remains closed.
Those who have fortified themselves at La Cabane Restaurant in Schildau can follow in the footsteps of the Schildbürger (Schildau citizens with funny pranks). A little round tour makes it possible. The highlight is the Schildbürger fountain, in whose bronze sculpture more than 20 Schildbürger pranks are hidden. Just a few steps further on rd. Marktstraße, the Schildbürger Museum invites the curious to explore the historical roots of Schildbürgerei. And opposite the St. Mary’s Church on the Kirchberg hill, the Garden of the Earth Kingdom is being created, which can be visited by visitors. Bathing is possible in the lakeside bath Schildau at the rd. Torgauer Straße, 1.5 km north of the towncentre. There is also a camping site there.
In Taura, already mentioned, an animal enclosure shows wild and domestic animals typical for the Dahlen Heathland.
Belgern is a Roland town. Not only at the town hall the Roland watches, also in a Roland park the Rolande cavort. All the Rolands – the whole gang that usually hangs around in front of town halls in Germany has sent the twin brothers here. A unique chance to do all the Roland dishes at once.
And then the Elbe river….
At the Elbe ferry in Belgern – where to now?
The Elbe ferry was on the verge of closing due to the lack of a ferryman. But it has proven to be a rather significant link between West and East Elbe regions – especially for cyclists. Because the Elbe cycle way also passes Belgern – and you can decide: Do you continue your bike tour in the direction of the north, i.e. Wittenberg, Woerlitz, etc., or in the direction of the south, such as Meissen and Dresden… Or do you take the ferry and cross over into Brandenburg, for example, to take a look at the Saxdorf parish garden?
Easy to understand that for the region but also a few days more worthwhile….