Uphill, downhill - experience the hiking flow. The state of being completely absorbed in an activity, where the sense of time is largely lost, is known as the flow experience. Today, we forget space and time on the ridge trail. We hike the 20 kilometers and 700 meters in altitude from Johanngeorgenstadt to Weitersglashütte completely in the flow.
On some hiking days, the start of the ridge trail can vary slightly depending on the accommodation, as is the case in Johanngeorgenstadt. The hosts always give tips on the best access route. We hike past the youth hostel, enter the Lehmer Grund and soon reach the ridge trail after passing the ski jump facilities on the heights. This is one of the most snow-sure trails in the German low mountain range. Once in Steinbach, we follow the beautiful forest trail with its many roots. Here you can really forget time and space. Only when we reach the road do we realize that we need to pay attention again. The path takes us to the Sauschwemme and then the challenging, straight left-hand path ascent begins, first to the parking lot and then via the original Natur-Aktiv-Garten to the Auersberg (1,018 meters) with a mountain inn and fantastic views as a reward. The first observation tower in the Ore Mountains was inaugurated up here in 1861. The next 2.5-kilometre descent takes us along the Schlangenweg trail to the former hammer mill community of Wildenthal, almost 300 meters below. It lies in the valley of the "Große Bockau" and is considered one of the oldest summer resorts in the Ore Mountains. It was once a transit point for many spa guests from Karlovy Vary, including Goethe. By the time we reach our stage destination of Weitersglashütte, a drop or two of sweat may still appear on our foreheads, despite the summer resort. But we arrive at the top in a good mood - clearly, we are in the hiking flow.
Milestones: Train station - Glöckl show mine - Anton-Günther-Höhe - Lehmergrund - ski jump complex - Loipenhaus - Steinbachtal - Auersberg (1018 m) with viewing tower and nature activity garden - Wildenthal village ring - Amselweg - Alter Fritz old mining area - Weitersglashütte
