Experience Region Dresden Cycle Route 7: Through left-Elbe valleys to the edge of the "Most Beautiful Forest of Saxony" Route length: 55 km Profile: difficult, very long climbs Starting point: Niederwartha (Elbe Cycle Path, height Elbe bridge)
Just a few meters from the recommended starting point, the Niederwartha pumped-storage power plant catches the eye. It was commissioned in 1929 and was then considered the first efficient hydroelectric power plant of its kind. Close to the lower reservoir, with its turbine house built in the Bauhaus style, you ride on to Niedergohlis. Beforehand, a detour to the Gohlis windmill, built in 1832 and located directly on the Elbe, is worthwhile. There you can visit the mill museum.
The route leads uphill to Rennersdorf and is accompanied by an educational trail that provides interesting cultural and historical information on numerous signs. Passing the upper reservoir, you reach the Steinhübel viewpoint, which offers a beautiful panoramic view. In Kesselsdorf, a visit to the local museum is possible. The path then continues to the spa town of Hartha. This "state-recognized recreation spot" offers active recreation options, health maintenance and prevention, as well as environmental education and training.
From Hartha, you can take a detour to the Forest Botanical Garden. The 33-hectare garden was founded in 1811 by Heinrich Cotta and is thus one of the oldest scientific woody plant collections in the world. On the edge of the Tharandt Forest, the route leads to the village of Grund. Numerous distant views, evidence of former mining activities, and geologically significant rock exposures, such as the porphyry fan in the Schmieders trench, provide constant variety on this section.
In the village of Grund, also known as Little Tyrol, is the production site of the oldest incense manufacturer. The Knox company has been producing incense sticks here for over 135 years as a remedy for whooping cough and asthma, as well as Christmas decorations. In the Incense Stick Museum, you can learn about its history and production. Not far from the company premises, geology enthusiasts can gain knowledge about different local rock types on a newly designed rock trail. Following this, you ride on a section of the former Wilsdruff narrow-gauge network to Helbigsdorf.
Along the Kleine Triebisch river, you reach Klipphausen. Worth seeing here is the Lehmann Mill, a historic grain mill from the 17th century. On the last kilometers of the route, you cross the Saubach valley and arrive in Constappel on the Elbe Cycle Path. The St. Nicholas Pilgrimage Church, first mentioned in documents at the end of the 14th century, is one of the oldest churches in the Meißen region today. It houses valuable furnishings and various art treasures. Following the Elbe Cycle Path, you return to Niederwartha.
Note: In the town halls of the experience region, you can purchase the brochure "Cycling & Discovering in the Experience Region Dresden" with further information.
www.erlebnisregion-dresden.de
