Gottleubataler Panorama Trail

The hike begins and ends at the parking lot across from the tourist information office and the visitor mine in Berggießhübel. However, you can also join the trail at any other point along the hiking path.

The spa town has a long history and developed as a result of intensive iron ore mining. The hike first takes you over the Ladenberg, the Zehistaer Wände, and the Felsenbrücken to the Jagdstein. From up there, a beautiful view opens up over the Bahretal valley and toward the Eastern Ore Mountains, inviting you to take your first break. You’ll then hike to the Kalkofen in the Giesenstein district of Gottleuba, where you can enjoy the view over the Gottleuba Valley from the Waldliege. The trail continues a short distance uphill along the paved road until it branches off toward the health clinic. Halfway up the hill, you’ll reach the MEDIAN Clinic in Bad Gottleuba. The first of the 30 buildings on the approximately 28-hectare grounds were built as early as 1910, and today it remains the largest contiguous Art Nouveau complex in Germany. This is also where the medical history collections are located, featuring, among other things, medical instruments and equipment from the past century.

The trail then leads you above the clinic buildings, over the Helleberg, to the Raabsteine rock formation. On both sides of the approximately 400-meter-long hiking trail, rugged sandstone cliffs with unique weathered formations rise up. You’ll then reach the Hartmannsbach district via a sunken path and along extensive pastures, and further on, the viewpoint of the drinking water reservoir, which was inaugurated in 1974. After a break at the shelter, walk back a short distance and leave the paved path. Here, you’ll follow the trail markers for the Gottleubatal Panorama Trail again. You’ll pass through a dark coniferous forest and, keeping to the left as the path descends steeply, reach the large hillside meadow above the hamlet of Haselberg. Continuing left along the edge of the forest, you’ll soon reach the former Fischermühle mill on the road to Hartmannsbach. Here, keep to the right, cross the bridge over the Gottleuba River, and climb the steps up to Tannenbusch.

After a long climb, the ridge trail comes into view. From up here, a magnificent view of the Gottleuba Valley opens up before you. Stay on the ridge until, after about 600 meters, you reach the iron staircase and return to the village. Continue to follow the pictogram for the Gottleuba Valley Panorama Trail and hike along the Vierzehn-Nothelfer Trail up to the Augustusberg (where you can stop for a bite to eat at the Panorama Restaurant). Enjoy the beautiful view of the Gottleuba Dam and the vast expanse of the Eastern Ore Mountains.

After a refreshment break, the trail continues along the Laubbuschweg to the Dürrenberg and on to the “Panoramablick Gottleubatal” parking lot. From here, it’s not far to the Panoramahöhe with the Bismarck Tower. You can climb the tower; the key is available at the house located on the grounds. The next “high point” awaits you at the Erich-Mörbitz viewpoint, where a forest bench once again invites you to linger. From there, it’s only a short walk back to the starting point in Berggießhübel.