The best walks and hikes in Upper Lusatia

Two paths lead up to the Oybin castle and monastery ruins; we take the one through the Knights' Gorge. The path is narrow between the high cliffs, surrounded by the vibrant colors of autumn foliage. After a short distance, we see the ruins before us. They sit majestically atop the rock. We take in the view one last time, breathe deeply, and are eager to see what awaits us. Now we pass through the gate, enter the grounds, pay our entrance fee at the servants' quarters, and begin our exploration. https://youtu.be/qvBJv_Fnfis

We return to the cemetery and take the circular hiking trail, which leads us further across the plateau. We walk along the high cliffs, the slope steep beside us, past the inn, sometimes very narrow between the rocks. Some people even get stuck here. The landscape is fascinating and exciting; we walk right along the edge of the slope and enjoy this autumn day. https://youtu.be/qvBJv_Fnfis

We reach a rocky massif and now head upwards, past the Crocodile rock formation. Reaching the top, we find ourselves on the summit plateau. Right next to us is the mountain inn, surrounded by the Nun's Rocks. Standing at the far end, we can see a 100-meter drop on the other side. We approach the railing, look down into the valley, and see our starting point and our destination. Now we climb to the very top, onto one of the rocks, where we are rewarded with a view that is difficult to put into words. Magically mystical, the mountains surround us, with forests in front and rock formations scattered throughout. The sky has turned gray again, and the sun bids farewell on the horizon. We linger for a moment. Since the inn is about to close, we take a postcard as a souvenir. Now we descend through a narrow passage between the rocks. Still impressed, we see climbing aids and ropes. And indeed, we see a two-person team venturing up this path. We watch the scene with respect. https://youtu.be/Ip7zpvYwFBw https://youtu.be/v1A-Dy4595U

As we now ascend the final stretch to the summit of the Lausche mountain, we'll climb 120 meters in altitude over the next 500 meters. This mountain is the highest in the Lusatian Mountains. The fog is increasingly thickening into a cloud, and our view downwards is becoming increasingly obscured. Looking upwards, we can only vaguely make out the outline of the observation tower. We reach the very top at an altitude of 793 meters. With visibility now limited to just a few meters, we enter the observation tower. We experience the view, completely enveloped by a cloud. This moment is fascinating and exciting; it will remain in our memories. Through a small gap above us, we catch a glimpse of blue sky. Having come from the Czech side, we will descend the mountain again on the German side. Ruins remain as reminders of the mountain hut that once stood here, which burned down in 1946. The path leads back down to Waltersdorf. https://youtube.com/shorts/j3oD8QzMxeA?feature=share https://youtu.be/Ip7zpvYwFBw

Flooded open-cast lignite mine. Today a recreational area at the foot of the Zittau Mountains.

The Töpfer (582 m) is an extensive sandstone mountain with a flat, wooded summit located on the northern edge of the Zittau Mountains about 1.5 km northeast of Oybin and 1.5 km south of the upper part of Olbersdorf.

The Mandau is a 40.9 km long river in the Czech Republic and Saxony.

With the words, "If we want to know what God is like, we must look at how Jesus of Nazareth lived and died. In Jesus, God lives a life under human conditions. It is precisely through an existence like that of the crucified Jesus that God demonstrates what God is capable of. This paradox is the great thing about the Christian faith. God is, figuratively speaking, at the very top and at the very bottom," theology professor Michael Seewald describes a core idea of Christianity.