© Stephan Böhlig, Dresden Elbland, Stephan Boehlig

Gravel ride 3: Right-Elbe route via Diesbar-Seußlitz to Glaubitz

At a glance

  • Start: Right-Elbe parking lot in Meißen
  • Destination: Right-Elbe parking lot in Meißen
  • Difficult
  • 84,46 km
  • 6 hours 10 minutes
  • 382 m
  • 183 m
  • 96 m

Through the heart of Saxony: fast gravel route along the Elbe between Meißen, Großenhain, Diesbar-Seußlitz and back. On this approximately 85-kilometer circular route, gravel riders experience the quiet beauty of the left-Elbe valley. Between vineyards, forests, and wide fields, the route leads through the gently rolling terrain of the Elbland away from the main roads, on firm natural ground, small farm roads, and quiet side roads. The route is ideal for sporty gravel bikers who value a scenic route with cultural stops.

The starting point is Meißen. From the parking lot by the Elbe, you get the first view of the city's landmarks, Meißen Cathedral and Albrechtsburg, before heading north through the outskirts. The path leads past the idyllic fields and ponds of the hiking area "Heiliger Grund". The first climb is rewarded with a view of Proschwitz Castle, the oldest private winery in Saxony. A short stop is worth it not only for the architecture but also for the adjacent wildlife enclosure where native wild animals can be observed.

Then continue over sporty gravel passages through the Golk forest, where the heath graves and the Nonnenstein viewpoint are worth a detour. The route winds through the Seußlitzer Grund, a nature reserve that impresses with its diverse flora and fauna. There you also have the opportunity to enjoy the "Most Beautiful Wine View of Saxony 2020". In Seußlitz, the picturesque castle park, which was laid out as a pleasure garden between 1722 and 1733 and impresses with its mix of French and English garden styles, invites you to linger. Also worth seeing are the castle church and the "House of the Guest" with an adjoining café. Above the park towers the Heinrichsburg, a garden house that the then castle lord Heinrich von Bünau had built in 1728 according to plans by George Bähr, from which you also have a fantastic view over the Elbland.

The route continues over expansive fields towards Kleinraschützer Heide near Großenhain. Information boards along the way tell of the eventful history of this landscape, which once served as a military training ground. In Großenhain itself, the city park invites you to take a relaxing break. A real highlight along the route is the impressive Baroque garden in Zabeltitz, which together with the palace and the "Old Castle" forms a charming ensemble of Baroque and Renaissance architecture.

Through the romantic Röderauwald forest, past the Großen Gabelwehr, the route continues on low-traffic side streets and agricultural paths through Bauda and Colmnitz to Glaubitz. Small villages, tree-lined field paths, and gentle slopes make this section particularly relaxed for gravel riders. The Glaubitz forest with the natural Birkenteich and Eselteich ponds directly on the route and the popular forest pool is another highlight for gravel enthusiasts. In Glaubitz itself, a short detour to Glaubitz Castle, impressive with its historic architecture, is worthwhile. In addition, the historic railway facilities testify to the industrial past of the town.

The return route leads leisurely along the Elbe cycle path to Diesbar-Seußlitz. Then it goes again through the Seußlitzer Grund and the Golk forest before the route leads over Zadel and Diera back to Meißen. The final view of the cathedral and the Albrechtsburg rounds off this impressive gravel tour.

Surface type

34.2 km asphalt, 17.8 km gravel path, 14.7 km natural path, 8.8 km road, 0.7 km trail

rolling route profile with moderate to steep climbs

Tour dashboard

Pavings

  • Street (23%)
  • Tarmac (46%)
  • Gravel (15%)
  • Hiking trail (14%)
  • Path (2%)

Weather

General information

Next steps

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