Crane.Carp.Fire-bellied toad - žoraw.karp.čerwjenobrjuchata kunkawa
It is the time for fantastic nature experiences.
When the ponds awaken from their winter calm, sea eagles, kingfishers, and storks celebrate their reunion. From the dense reeds, there are roaring and whistling sounds repeatedly along this route. In mild summer months, cranes trumpet to the concert of the European fire-bellied toad and moor frog, making some stops a true sound experience.
Visitors of all ages learn a lot about the impressive diversity of species of the region along the route.
The legend of a hidden golden carriage in the Baroque castle of Neschwitz turns the ensemble into a mysterious fairy-tale world.
The taste buds are also pleased. Visitors can get fresh Lusatian fish and regional products in farm shops along the route.
In autumn, pond farmers harvest their annual crop, the delicious carp, during traditional but strenuous fish pulls. The "Lusatian Fish Weeks" also make this time an experience for guests.
Directions
- The starting point of the cycling route is the Fischereihof in Kleinholscha, a district of the town Neschwitz. There is ample parking available.
The Fischereihof Kleinholscha has been part of the Naturschutzstation Neschwitz since 1996. Due to its quiet location in the midst of a unique heath and pond landscape in Germany, the farm invites you to linger. After renovation and design, it now serves as an accommodation and event venue for groups and families. - From there, you cycle a short way back through the village to the B96 country road. After crossing it, you follow the signposted Unken educational trail initially on a meadow path between pond and field for about 500 meters straight ahead directly to the forest edge. There, the path turns left and runs between the Großer Dubrauerteich and the Großer Neuteich.
Visitors experience here in the Holscha pond group a lower terrace and floodplain area with richly structured pond groups and bogging, silting zones surrounded by alder swamp, wet meadows, tall herb communities, forests, and near-natural deciduous forests. - The Unken educational trail leads through the pond landscape to Radibor. Shortly before the entrance to Radibor, cyclists will find a small lovingly designed forest park.
- A short stretch along the railway embankment leads at the end of the path to the right to Radibor (Mühlhäuser). At the second opportunity, turn left here and arrive directly at Inselteich Radibor, where it is wonderful to have a picnic.
- Continue straight past the inn "Grüner Zweig" and Radibor Castle.
- After the castle, the asphalt section continues to the right, but cyclists ride left on the field path to Brohna. In the center of Brohna, the path again turns left after the chestnut trees over an approximately 400 m long field path.
- At the next opportunity, go right past Neuteich to Litzenteich. Continuing towards Quoos, turn left at the next two opportunities.
- Passing a lonely property, the path now turns right to Dreimädleteich and then to Holschdubrau.
- In Holschdubrau, keep left until leaving the village. Then the route crosses the country road and continues almost directly opposite through a forest section and between fields towards Neudorf.
(Follow the marking with the blue line and not the symbol for the Frog Cycling Route) - After crossing the B96 again in Neudorf, cyclists turn left and then immediately right. The path "Zum Schlosspark" leads directly to Neschwitz to the castle complex.
The baroque castle backdrop and the romantic park invite you to rest. The castle and park are culturally and historically significant castle complexes of Lusatia. Like most castles in Lusatia, Neschwitz Castle was built in place of a medieval water castle. In 1721/23, Duke Friedrich Ludwig of Württemberg-Teck, the general field marshal in the service of August the Strong, created the castle in its current form as a summer residence for himself and his wife, the Princess Ursula Katharina of Teschen, née Lubomirska and Polish mistress of the Saxon king.
In symmetrical arrangement, four pavilions were built, the economic court with stable, brewery, and distillery, as well as a game reserve with a hunting lodge.
The Duke also had the Baroque garden in the French style laid out, which was complemented at the end of the 18th century by an English landscape garden. Both convey a unique atmosphere: the circled forecourt with trimmed small trees and exact gravel paths and the park continuing into the open nature with scattered centenarian partly exotic trees.
Today, the pavilions house a tourist information office, the Naturschutzstation Neschwitz, the permanent exhibition of the Saxon Bird Protection Station, and an ice cream café. - After the castle wall, cyclists turn right into Parkstraße and follow it to Zeschaer Straße. Always straight through the village of Zescha (the main street leads right in the village, cyclists stay straight), the route leads to Waldbad Niesendorf.
There is the option to have a snack or visit the inn in the Waldbad. In summer temperatures, a jump into the cool water is worthwhile. - After leaving the village, cyclists turn left to Eutrich.
In Eutrich, the hometown of the farmer boy Krabat, visitors can find an information board in the village center about the eponymous cycling route, which this route will follow for a while. Before that, there is the possibility to visit the Helm farm, eat ice cream, and get to know the farm animals and riding facility. - On the KRABAT cycling route (symbol = black raven), continue right in Eutrich via Truppen and Commerau to Wartha, a district of the municipality Königswartha. The next station here is the Ringpfeil fishery.
The Ringpfeil family is particularly committed to a nature-friendly management of their pond groups. Within the framework of the "Biokarpfen" project of the Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape Biosphere Reserve, they produce food fish with special consideration for bird protection and water quality. In the farm shop, visitors can purchase a wide selection of fresh or smoked food fish (including carp, tench, zander, sturgeon, etc.). - Passing the Ringpfeil fishery, continue through the village to the federal road. Turn right here in the direction of Königswartha. After about 200 meters on the B96 outside the town, turn left behind the railway tracks in the direction of Losa, and after about 500 meters, turn right to the Biwatsch pond group and the ponds near Caminau. The path leads past the Caminau biotope network towards Königswartha.
- If cyclists wish to visit the forest playground with deadwood park and dendrological educational trail, they leave the path according to the signs to the biotope network.
The Caminauer Kaolinwerk GmbH created in 2005 on a 350,000 m² recultivation area an attractive mountain ridge landscape and thus a biotope network that is self-explanatory accessible to the public and especially gives students and young people an insight into the complexity of nature and species protection. On site, there is a spacious forest playground, a deadwood park, and a dendrological educational trail to visit. - After the visit, return to the path to Königswartha.
Königswartha offers several dining and shopping opportunities. Here the route runs directly past the traditional Bresan bakery with its lovingly designed outdoor area for children. - On the cycle path along the B96, the last stage now quickly leads to Neudorf and from there back towards the Neschwitz castle park. After the bridge in the park, this time do not turn right to the castle but diagonally left into the village. Upon reaching the asphalt road (Bautzener Straße), cyclists turn left. At the next intersection (Bahnhofstraße/Bautzener Straße/Wiesenweg), cyclists ride onto the small meadow path directly opposite and through the houses, under a disused railway line, and over the field path back to the starting point of the route in Kleinholscha.
Recommended equipment
- Binoculars for animal observation
- Bring drinks, as there are longer sections without shopping facilities
- Mosquito spray
- Repair kit
Safety notice
It is not advisable to cycle the route in adverse weather conditions (broken branches, slipperiness, risk of slipping).
Due to patchy network coverage, we recommend downloading the tour in advance to use the app offline if necessary.
Contact and arrival
- Via the A4 to the Salzenforst exit
- Direction Hoyerswerda and Neschwitz
- Shortly before Neschwitz, turn left after a disused railway crossing to Kleinholscha


