Deep green forests, lush mountain meadows, striking rock formations, idyllic streams: In the Saxon Ore Mountains, untouched, magnificent nature awaits you. Its beauty can be explored very well on a new mountain bike route. The 140-kilometer BLOCKLINE takes the whole family of cyclists on several stages deep into a natural world full of freedom and adventure that you can't find more impressively in Canada or New Zealand - and all this just a short journey from Dresden or Berlin.
The splendor of colors on the mountain meadow is overwhelming. Fire lilies glow in a bright orange, golden yellow greets the coltsfoot, blue the devil's claw, in purple the forest cranesbill. The greenery chirps and chirps to your heart's content, and in addition to birds and insects, badgers, lynxes and red deer also make their home in the nearby forest. In the Ore Mountains, the Free State of Saxony lives up to its nickname "Wild East". The mountain ranges on the German-Czech border are a refuge for a rich flora and fauna, here rare animal species feel just as comfortable as vacationers who want to be active in healthy nature.
For big and small explorers is the new BLOCKLINE bike route, which leads in several stages 140 kilometers through this diverse natural paradise. You cycle by mountain bike right into the heart of the Ore Mountains and learn a lot about the DNA of this mountain range in the dense forests. Even in the days of ore mining, the raw material wood played an important role here; the mighty tree trunks were indispensable for rafting, charcoal burning and tool making. After the decline of the ore industry, wood processing and filigree wood art became the most important mainstay and have left a lasting mark on the people and the region. Wooden handicrafts from the Erzgebirge have long been a worldwide cult.
To this day, rustic log cabins remind in the deep forests to a North American wilderness, the wood business was also borrowed the name BLOCKLINE. The new bike route is located in the east of the low mountain range between the wood art town of Seiffen and the bobsleigh stronghold of Altenberg and runs as a circuit counterclockwise. On the entire route of 140 kilometers in length, 2500 meters in altitude have to be overcome. The route is carefully signposted, with countless signs with a dark green B on a yellow background pointing the way. Nine stations, equipped with lovingly crafted sculptures made of wood, serve as ideal starting points, but you can also get on anywhere along the route.
On average, families spend two to four days here, whereby the daily stages are of course freely selectable. This offers plenty of opportunities to also explore the charming surroundings and attractions around the route. For overnight stays, the BLOCKLINE Inn's are ready, which are fully prepared for biking families. Among them are accommodations of all types and price ranges, from the Altenberg Youth Hostel to the Hotel Erbgericht in Seiffen. Mountain bikes including e-bikes can also be rented there, and of course there are charging stations. In addition, workshops are happy to help out with repairs and repair kits in case of a minor breakdown. Great: Three Loop The above-mentioned stages, between 55 and 62 kilometers long, are particularly suitable as day trips for families.
By train and bus comfortably to Seiffen: Plan arrival.
Water, forests, flowering meadows: This landscape could have come from a Mark Twain novel. From the cozy little mountain town of Sayda with its late Gothic hall church, the BLOCKLINE leads, among other things, through fragrant pond meadows full of bearwort, arnica and orchid species; the waters are home to mountain newts as well as grass frog and common toad. In nearby Neuhausen, a break in Europe's first nutcracker museum is tempting, where thousands of the colorful guys with hard jaws are on display. The adjoining technical museum "Alte Stuhlfabrik" (Old Chair Factory) tells the story of chair making in the region in rich pictures. A unique 360-degree panorama can then be enjoyed from Schwartenberg, at 787 meters one of the highest peaks around. Finally, the town of Seiffen has become widely known as the "Toymaker's Village of the Ore Mountains" - there is hardly a household in Germany that does not own at least one smoked man or a wooden pyramid from the small Ore Mountain town.
By train and bus comfortably to Sayda: Plan arrival.
This route takes you through particularly beautiful and unspoiled nature. A worthwhile stopover is, for example, the Steinkuppe, which is a good 800 meters high: on the north side of the elevation, there has long been a roof cave whose inhabitants can be easily observed from the summit with a bit of luck and binoculars. Later on, the Georgenfeld high moor with its unique vegetation attracts visitors. Cranberry, sundew, seven-pointed star, blueberry and heather all shine here. The lovely Weißbach valley with its untouched mountain meadows is also a true natural paradise. And finally, the BLOCKLINE leads cyclists to the Kannelberg, at 805 meters above sea level one of the highest elevations in the district of Central Saxony. Because a rock at its foot is reminiscent of a fire-breathing mythical creature, it is also called the dragon's head - because of its dense forestation, the area once served as an important source of wood, today it is a popular destination for excursions and in winter it is the venue for sled dog races.
By train and bus comfortably to Altenberg: Plan arrival.
From the small town of Frauenstein, whose castle ruins are the annual stage for theater, live music and shows at the Middle Saxon Summer of Culture (Miskus), the BLOCKLINE bike path leads into the Gimmlitz Valley. Once upon a time, 23 huge wooden wheels of water mills rattled here, some of which are still functional today; the Weicheltmühle, for example, has been preserved as a technical monument. Later, the cyclists reach the forest experience center Blockhausen, a rustic wooden house settlement near the village of Mulda. Starting in 1996, large log cabins were built here in Canadian style, which today offer food and drink as well as overnight accommodations, among other things. A highlight on site is the longest table in the world: the 39.80-meter-long piece of furniture was created from a 120-year-old spruce trunk infested by the bark beetle; legs and struts were made from the branches. Anno 2008 170 people took a seat at the table for the Day of Traditional Crafts, later it was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Its roof is supported by 24 wooden statues - as well as other imaginative statues, they were made by chainsaw artists who compete here every year with their screeching tools in the International Husky Cup.
By train and bus comfortably to Frauenstein: Plan arrival.
Those who take the new route under the wheels and wants to see all these attractions can get plenty of support for this. In addition to careful signposting, for example, there is a thick BLOCKLINE starter pack containing, among other things, an explorer's adventure manual, a tube scarf and lots of tips for the road. There are all kinds of puzzles to solve, and the reward is an exciting game for home directly from the region - to dream about the exciting tour and as an incentive to come back soon.
Especially since there are around the track There are many other highlights for young and old explorers to discover, even if a small detour is necessary here and there. For example, the toy museum in Seiffen, the Altenberg summer toboggan run, the Kletterwelt Erzgebirge in Pockau, the Kids Arena in Marienberg, the "terra mineralia" in Freiberg or the MiBERZ mining museum in Dippoldiswalde offer a change from cycling. At www.blockline.bike you can download GPS data, information about the stage locations and the experiences along the way. So everything is ready for the big family adventure.
The BLOCKLINE region in the east of the Ore Mountains is reached quickly and conveniently. Dresden, for example, is only 45 minutes away by car, Leipzig just under two hours, Erfurt about two and a half and Berlin or Magdeburg three hours. In the west, all stations between Mulda (Saxony) and Holzhau (ski lift) are suitable for joining the bike route, in the east of the route the stations of Geising and Altenberg are recommended.
Cover photo: The BLOCKLINE loops in the Ore Mountains are a sporting adventure for the whole family © Felix Meyer
High culture, great landscapes like the Ore Mountains or the Saxon Switzerland, great cities like Dresden and Leipzig are just a few of the many good reasons for a Vacation in Saxony.
Financed with funds from the Free State of Saxony
