To castles, streams and pickling hunters

The circular tour starts at the railway station.

There are bicycle parking spaces in the immediate vicinity of the railway station.

From here, it is just a stone's throw to the tourist information centre with e-bike hire. The short 600 metre walk also takes you through the town park to Marktredwitz's market square.

The Marktredwitz Tourist Information Centre offers a special service: e-bike hire for all those who want to explore the town and its hilly surroundings by bike. Both 17'' and 19'' mountain e-bikes and trekking e-bikes are available from April to October.

Please book in advance.

Well equipped with e-bikes, you cycle towards the railway station, this time over the tracks and in a north-easterly direction out of the town. The cycle path takes you through Lorenzreuth, Leutenberg, Wampen and further northwards through Thiersheim, past the wind turbines to Thierstein.
There is a steady climb. But the view is worth the effort. This stage also takes you through the idyllic Egertal valley and through the forest pond landscape near the Blumental estate.

Thierstein Castle rises on a basalt rock above the village of the same name. From up here, you can look out over the landscape from a height of 615 metres.

The castle was built in 1340 by Albrecht XI, who had his official residence up here as the Imperial Forester of the Egerland.
The castle also served the later and frequently changing lords as an official residence, as a military stronghold and as a refuge for the population during the Thirty Years' War. The castle also housed a large granary.
In 1725, the entire village, including the castle, was devastated by fire. The castle was never rebuilt and is now a ruin. Only the keep has been preserved. From its viewing level you have a marvellous panoramic view.

The castle ruins can be visited from the outside at any time. Enquiries should be made at the town hall on 09235 232.

The Thierstein Castle Summer is organised every year from May to September. In 2023, the festival will not take place until August due to renovation work. They are planned to take place again regularly in 2024.

Continue westwards. Shortly after crossing the A93 motorway, you will come across a large granite ball on the side of the road. It was found during the construction of the motorway and is of natural origin. Around 300 million years ago, it solidified deep inside the earth during a melting process. The Variscan Mountains, which were here in prehistoric times, have been eroded over millions of years, so that the granite layer now lies just below the surface, but mostly only as a thin layer of weathering. A sphere like this is a rare find, but not a boulder.

In Höchstädt, directly on the cycle path, you will find the Peter and Paul Church open for you.

In 2012, on the 125th anniversary of its existence, the Peter and Paul Church in Höchstädt was designated a "cycle route church". Since then, it has been open daily during the cycling season. There is a special prayer corner in the church for cyclists and visitors. They can write down their worries and needs in a prayer book and be sure that the congregation will pray for them during the church services.

The church was built in 1886/87 in the neo-Gothic style to replace the smaller and plain old church, which had fallen into disrepair.
The outline of the original church can still be recognised in the lawn in front of the current church building. It is said that the old church was so small that the farmers could shake hands on the opposite galleries.

The interior of St Peter and St Paul's Church has been renovated several times. The warm, light-coloured tone it now radiates is thanks to the last renovation in 2005. In the decades after 1945, four new bells were purchased thanks to donations from the population. The old bells had been melted down for war purposes during the Second World War.

Cycle through gently undulating fields and forests, past idyllic ponds and past Rügersgrün. Now cycle southwards to Göpfersgrün. From here you cycle westwards parallel to the Göpfersbach stream to Wunsiedel and here directly onto the Katharinenberg.

The Kellergasse in Wunsiedel is a collection of a total of 53 beer and potato cellars, which were driven into the Katharinenberg from 1832. The invention of bottom-fermented beers (e.g. Pils) was the impetus for this. These beers need to be stored at low temperatures. When refrigeration machines were invented in 1876, the construction of beer cellars came to an end in most areas, except in Wunsiedel. The dissolution of the communal brewery in 1918 led to the end of beer cellars here too. During the Second World War, the cellars were used as air raid shelters, and in the years up to 1990 as storage cellars for potatoes and turnips.

The cellar alley on Katharinenberg is the largest in Bavaria and is a listed building. Bat species such as the pug bat, the greater mouse-eared bat and the Bechstein's bat hibernate here.

For your next excursion destination, stay on the Katharinenberg and keep to the right to reach the Birds of Prey Park.

The bird of prey park on the Katharinenberg is home to over 50 birds of over 20 different species. The birds of prey are kept in large, species-appropriate aviaries and individually cared for. There are walk-through aviaries that allow visitors to immerse themselves in the world of falcons. A media room provides information about the wide field of falconry. The rearing of the birds of prey can be experienced live on monitors.

Flight demonstrations are organised daily from 3 p.m., provided that 20 spectators come together. When else can you see buzzards, eagles and falcons performing their flying skills so closely? The petting zoo is a favourite with children. Goats and pigs romp around there and are very trusting.

Opening hours from the first day of the Bavarian Easter holidays to the last day of the Bavarian autumn holidays. Flight demonstration daily from 20 people at 3.00 pm

The last highlight of the tour is just a few metres away. Keep left and you will come directly to the ruins of the former pilgrimage church on the Katharinenberg.

The church ruins on the Katharinenberg are the oldest building in Wunsiedel. The exact age of the church is not known. The pilgrimage church was dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria. It was first mentioned in 1364 and the former mountain chapel housed an allegedly miraculous image of St Catherine, which pilgrims from all over sought out. There is a report in the Wunsiedel town archives from around 1500 which tells of miraculous healings.

In 1462, the church was destroyed by a Bohemian army. It was rebuilt and the tower was completed. The church fell into disrepair after the Reformation.
The ruins were renovated in 1979.

Now cycle south-eastwards back to Marktredwitz. The route mostly leads back to the town on a cycle path parallel to the B 303. Once you have dropped off your bike at the market square, you are sure to find somewhere to stop for refreshments. Most restaurants in the area open from 5.00 pm, so you can round off the day with a hearty meal before getting on your train and travelling back home.