Experience region Dresden Cycle route 5: From the Tharandt Forest Botanical Garden through the Döhlener Basin to the chair makers' town Rabenau Route length: 57 km Profile: difficult, several very long and steep climbs Starting point: Tharandt station
Route 5 begins in Tharandt and initially follows the valley of the Wild Weißeritz below the castle hill with castle ruins and mountain church. The castle, built under Margrave Heinrich the Illustrious from 1240 to 1256, was largely dismantled from the mid-16th century for the construction of the Grillenburg hunting lodge and Frauenstein castle. The remains were secured from 1800 and restored according to heritage conservation requirements at the end of the 20th century. Before leaving Tharandt, a detour to the Forest Botanical Garden is recommended. Founded in 1811 by Heinrich Cotta, it is one of the oldest scientific collections of trees in the world. After several expansions, it currently covers about 33 hectares. The natural design of the facility allows you to experience the diversity and beauty of the trees in a very special way.
In the Breiten Grund of the Tharandt Forest, you ride up to the spa town of Hartha. After Großopitz, you reach Opitzhöhe with a beautiful view of the Tharandt Forest and the Eastern Ore Mountains. The route then descends again towards Freital and, after crossing the railway, leads to the Reichard House, the former home of the aeronaut couple Wilhelmine and Gottfried Reichard. Continuing the bike tour, you leave the Freital basin and reach Bannewitz on the former Windberg railway track. Further via Rippien and the Hornschänke, where a detour to the Babisnauer Poplar is worthwhile, the route leads to Kreischa. Here, you can rest a little in the spa park before continuing. Coal prospecting was carried out under the village in the 19th century. A trial shaft that was driven 100 meters deep was unsuccessful.
After reaching Possendorf, the route rises significantly again and takes you to the town of Rabenau. Rabenau is mainly known for its chair-making craft, which has been developed there since the 16th century. The local German Chair Making Museum offers insight into the history and different trades. The penultimate section of the route leads through the romantic Rabenauer Grund to Freital-Coßmannsdorf. Along the Red Weißeritz and the Weißeritztalbahn, you pass two stations of the ENSO energy experience trail, and finally return to the starting point on the newly built cycle path.
Note: You can purchase the brochure "Cycling & Discovery in the Experience Region Dresden" with further information in the town halls of the experience region.
www.erlebnisregion-dresden.de
