Medium-length route that is very pleasant to ride over long stretches and only has one longer ascent. The highlight of the route is the impressive view of the west flank of the Lilienstein from the path running relatively close by.
From the station in Rathen, we first follow the signs on the Elbe Cycle Route towards Königstein. It is very well marked and often used on nice days, making a detailed description unnecessary. We pass the small village of Strand and reach Königstein at the foot of the eponymous fortress after about 6.5 km. Here we take the ferry to the other side of the Elbe to Halbestadt. Now turn left and ride downstream on a good road towards Rathen. 1.8 km further, shortly after the Besenschänke, a gravel road branches off at a sharp angle from the asphalt road. We leave this road and from now on ride uphill on the path to the plateau below the Lilienstein. The first 180 m of the ascent are the steepest, but the next 1.7 km with up to 10% incline will also get you sweating. After all this effort, we are rewarded with a fantastic view of the Lilienstein. At the junction with Napoleonstraße, we now turn left towards Waltersdorf. The main road leads uphill to a large crossroads. Keeping left, we follow the main road further (not the road towards Rathen!). Before the road, a good kilometer later, leads paved over the Ziegenrücken towards the Hocksteinschänke, we turn left and roll on the Füllhölzelweg through the Koppelsgrund on a quite bumpy stretch - but very romantic - towards Rathen. When the path leads back into the road after a garage yard, we follow it to the right to the town center and further to the ferry. After crossing, we are back at the starting point of our ride. Alternatively, you can ride directly from Waltersdorf on the road to Rathen, which is about 2 km shorter. Attention: the gradient here is partially 18%, and the road is also partially paved!
