Marking "red circle"
The "Great Circular Hiking Route" can of course be reached from many starting points in Wilthen. You can find it, for example, at the Hunter's House on the Mönchswalder Berg, in Sora, Arnsdorf, the Großer Picho, and Tautewalde. But you can also go to Dahrener Berg, Weifa, via the hiking hut, Neuschirgiswalde, Kirschau, and Kleinpostwitz-Sonneberg. You can choose the direction, and there are many opportunities to rest and eat. Benches have been set up in many places, and you will also find some shelters and friendly innkeepers along the way. One of the many hiking options leads from the Pumphut via the hiking hut to the outskirts of Weifa. On the road to Neuschirgiswalde, we are now on the "Great Circular Hiking Route" and the corresponding markings (red ring). On the left and right of the road at the edge of the forest in Neuschirgiswalde, there are a shelter and benches. We enjoy a beautiful view of Neuschirgiswalde, the Kälbersteine (485 m), and Crostau/Callenberg. We see the small mountain church with the famous Silbermann organ. In Neuschirgiswalde near the inn "Zur frischen Quelle" we continue left on Wilthener Street about 700 m to the edge of the forest. A dirt path leads us to Lärchenberg above Kirschau. After about 2 km we cross the railway line Dresden - Zittau. Schirgiswalde lies to the right in front of us, marked by the Catholic church with its two towers, and to the far right the "Kreuzberg".
A detour to Schirgiswalde or a visit to this small town is worthwhile. There is a gondola pond, beautiful inns, a railway bridge that leads over the houses of the town, and much more.
We stay on our "Great Circular Hiking Route" and reach the road Kirschau – Schirgiswalde. We walk about 100 m on this road to the car park, then turn right, past the medical center (former polyclinic) downhill to the "Haag" and cross the Spree. Straight ahead we continue to Callenberger Street in Kirschau. We pause for a moment and see the castle hill with the ruin "Körse" to the left in front of us. The "Körse", once a feared robber baron castle, gave the town of Kirschau its name. It should also be noted that there is a "three-country stone" in Kirschau, but it is a bit away from our location at the town exit towards Wilthen. It would be too long to go into the significance and history here. You can get information about it at the Kirschau municipal administration.
The path leads us further, now northward to the Kirschau gallows hill up to the main road Bautzen – Kirschau. Fields lie before us, and on the right foothill of the Mönchswalder mountain range is the small village of Sonneberg (district Rodewitz). That is where we want to go, and we cross the main road, a dirt path leads us north under the Bautzen – Wilthen railway line up to Sonneberg. The village has only a few houses but it’s worth looking back. Our view goes south. Half-left we see the Bieleboh (499 m) and to the right Crostau, in front Kirschau, behind it the Lärchenberg and the mountain range of the Weifaer Höhe (where we came from) and to the right houses of Wilthen.
We can rest for a few minutes at the edge of the forest (you can refresh yourself from your backpack) before passing through Sonneberg. After passing the small village, the path sharply turns left to Sonneberg (384 m). It goes along the forest edge to the right (direction mountains), and after about
150 m we stand at the ridge path – ascent to the Mönchswalder Berg.
Before ascending, we take a look around. First, we look east. In the background, on the left side of the Cunewalder valley, rises the Czorneboh (552 m). Barely visible behind it to the right is the cone of the Hochstein (542 m). In front of the Czorneboh is the Döhlener Berg (514 m), and further in front the Herrnsberg (377 m) with its foothills the houses of Obereulowitz, to the left next to Cosul. Immediately before us, now to the north, lies Großpostwitz with its impressive church and the train station. The busy road through the town is the B 96, and we are glad that we are not stuck in the unavoidable traffic jam. This road continues over Rascha to Bautzen, which we see with its towers. By the way, north of Großpostwitz rises the Thromberg (432 m).
When we look left from Großpostwitz station, we see the houses of Berge, Mönchswalde and far left Obergurig/Singwitz. It’s time to continue hiking. Steeply, we now go up the Sonnenberg to the ridge path of the Mönchswalder mountain range. After some effort, when we reach the ridge path, we are rewarded with a beautiful forest path that runs westward. On the right side, we occasionally catch sight of Bautzen and on the left side the Weifaer mountain range. Shortly before reaching the Mönchswalder mountain hut, we see the houses of Wilthen to the left below.
The Mönchswalder Berg – said to be the local mountain of Bautzen – in my opinion, is a real
Wilthen mountain, as are its innkeepers (admittedly the tower was built by people from Bautzen, many thanks for that, especially since it is to be “put back into operation”). Whoever wants to can stop by. Friendly service is guaranteed. Those who are not yet inclined might try the "Hunter's House".
It lies on our hiking route and invites to a cozy rest.
By the way, since Mönchswalder Berg, we have another path marking besides our "red circle" up to the "Großer Picho" – the "blue dot".
At the Hunter's House, the path rises slightly towards the west after crossing the connecting road Wilthen-Bautzen (about 6 km to Bautzen).
It goes towards Teufelskanzel-Sora. At the forest edge, in front of the rock block “Teufelskanzel”, we look back. To the left below us lies Singwitz and behind it the unmistakable panorama of Bautzen. At the Teufelskanzel (463 m) there are benches to rest, and on an information board, we find in brief the legend about the significance of the rocks. If it is very quiet, one can hear the devil chuckle with some imagination.
A look to the left, directly in front of us the Bicho mountain range, behind it the Weifaer Höhe, and far in the background the mountain range at the border hut in Sohland.
We finally continue westward, and when we now leave the forest, we arrive at one of the most beautiful places on our hike. Before us meadows and pastures, on the right a quarry area at the highest elevation of the Bärwald and the meadow path we are walking on leads us to Sora. Soon we recognize the houses of this district of Wilthen. Benches at the roadside give us time to really enjoy the surroundings. To the left – seen in the direction of hiking – the Großer Picho (499 m) with its tower (now Telekom) and on its foothills still to the right the Kleebusch, the Fuchsberg (405 m) above the Neukirchner Gickelshäuser, the Neukirchner Berg (403 m) and the Hohe Hahn (446 m). Behind these mountains, again seen from the left, the Valtenberg (589 m) and far in the background the Rüdenberg (445 m) near Bischofswerda.
Before us, we see the houses of Arnsdorf, Dretschen and Diehmen. We see the forest areas of Gaußiger Park, behind it Naundorf and the Klosterberg area with its many quarries. Further to the right greets us the Butterberg (384 m) near Bischofswerda. In good visibility, the mountains near Putzkau-Elstra-Kamenz can be seen far to the right.
This area can be enjoyed in peace again at the inn "Schöne Aussicht" if you manage to get a window seat.
Now the hiking trail leads us downhill to Arnsdorf, the Bärwald is on the right, behind it half-right the Tschelentsy (367 m). Arnsdorf in the valley is crossed, the ascent to the Großer Picho begins. This ascent is at times strenuous and steep. All efforts are quickly forgotten when you look back to the Bärwald and Sora. Finally, we arrive at the Picho mountain hut. Here we are greeted by Ottfried, the friendly innkeeper. Food and drink are served in the best quality. Strengthened, our hike continues westwards steeply downhill, and we reach the road. It leads south, and we follow it. We cross the main road Wilthen-Neukirch above Tautewalde. Straight ahead, it goes into the forests around the Dahrener Berg (491 m) past disused quarries.
