Goldsteig Südroute

Shortly after Kulz and immediately after the Prackendorfer Moos, hikers come to the Goldsteig fork. At a junction in the middle of the forest, the trail splits into the northern and southern routes. The southern route is by no means the easier one—on the contrary: While the northern route winds its way upward slowly but steadily, the southern route through the southern foothills is characterized by many ascents and descents, but it also offers many advantages and, above all, magnificent panoramic views. Passing through Dautersdorf, the trail leads leisurely but through extremely scenic countryside to the Schönbuchen pilgrimage chapel and from there—downhill along beautiful forest paths and trails—all the way to Kröblitz. With little effort, the Goldsteig leads hikers on to a signpost that invites them to take a short detour to the legendary Druidenstein. Back on the trail, you’ll soon reach the Palatinate Counts’ residence at Neunburg vorm Wald with its beautiful, historic old town center.

Ascent

129 m

Descent

240 m

Hikers leave this stop via the former railroad right-of-way and a small bridge, which offers another beautiful view back at the church in Neunburg vorm Wald. An undulating landscape of woods and meadows leads on to Fuchsenhof, Neuhartelshof, and Poggersdorf, where it’s a good place to take a break. The Goldsteig then leads hikers along a beautiful forest path to Haselhof—and thus into the vast expanse of the Bodenwöhr Forest. This is followed by a lovely stretch of unspoiled nature trail, complete with informational signs. The trail continues on slightly marshy ground along the Warbrucker Weiher to the northern edge of Blechhammer. Following the signpost, a detour to Bodenwöhr is also possible here. Passing the Birkhof, meadow and field paths then lead toward Mappach, today’s destination.

Ascent

218 m

Descent

202 m

The Mappacher Hof is located right on the Goldsteig. Today, the trail first leads through a large forested area, the Einsiedler Forest, up to the Magdalenen Chapel. There, the nature park administration has set up a forest nature trail that hikers can follow to the idyllic Waldhaus Einsiedel restaurant. This is a great place to take a break. After the break, the trail continues slightly downhill to the Regental valley and the monastery town of Reichenbach. The monastery complex here is one of the region’s most significant architectural landmarks. Inside the imposing Romanesque basilica, the delicate, opulent Baroque decor deserves special attention. Particularly worth seeing: the frescoes and altar paintings. Finally, the route continues on to today’s destination, Walderbach, about 2 km off the Goldsteig.

Ascent

117 m

Descent

171 m

The trail heads back to the Goldsteig via Reichenbach. Below the monastery, hikers follow a beautiful path deeper and deeper into the forest. The stunning summit of the Pfaffenstein—a striking rock formation—is the first destination: a bench here invites you to take a break. Krottenthal, the remains of an old quarry, and the impressive Lobenstein castle ruins are the next stops. It’s worth climbing the tower—the view over the landscape is magnificent! The route continues via Zell, Woppmansberg, and Mantelberg to Birkenau, where another short detour is worth taking—to the Heiligenkammer, a rock bastion and natural monument. Next highlight: the striking Marienstein Church, from which Falkenstein Castle is beautifully visible. Then the route continues over the Lauberberg to today’s destination, Falkenstein. Be sure to take your time to enjoy the enchanting, mystical surroundings of the Lauberberg: scattered boulders—uniquely shaped granite and rock formations—and pre-Christian places of worship create a magical atmosphere.

Ascent

751 m

Descent

511 m

The stage begins at the pavilion between the hiking parking lot and Falkenstein. First, a leisurely stretch of trail leads to the Tannerl pilgrimage chapel in a tranquil forest clearing, then around Lake Postfelden—and then the highlight of today’s tour begins: the Hölle Nature Reserve. After passing the rustic, carved signpost reading “zur Hölle,” the trail follows an approximately 4-kilometer-long, unspoiled route along the Höllbach stream through an extraordinary natural landscape. Shortly before the Fahnmühle, the Goldsteig leaves the Höllbach Valley to begin the ascent to the Leiblberg immediately afterward. In Aumbach, there’s time for a well-deserved break at a traditional tavern. The trail then winds through vast forests and a beautiful meadow landscape, going up and down, through the Perlbach Valley to the Gasthaus am See, past the Hubmühle to the Schiederhof, a possible place to stay for the night. An alternative is the “Naturlaubsort” Wiesenfelden, located 4 km away.

Ascent

500 m

Descent

468 m

The Wiesenfelden Nature Observation Boardwalk is the starting point for today’s stage, assuming you spent the night here. Passing through Utzenzell, Kragenroth, and Kleinneundling, the Goldsteig trail first takes hikers along beautiful paths through fields, forests, and meadows. Then the trail climbs uphill to Pilgramsberg: This first hill serves as the prelude to the mountain ascents, valley crossings, and rapidly accumulating elevation gain that lie ahead. In Pilgramsberg, hikers will find the St. Ursula pilgrimage church. From here, the view opens up onto the Danube Plain and, in very good weather, even extends as far as the Alps. The descent then leads down through numerous staircases and along a beautiful forest path into the Haunkenzell Valley, where today’s stage ends at the “Silbersterne” inn in Haunkenzell.

Ascent

172 m

Descent

350 m

After leaving Haunkenzell, idyllic forest trails and open meadows lead all the way to Stubenhof, on the eastern outskirts of Stallwang. Soon after, a sign points the way to the summit of the Gallner: Please pace yourself carefully on this section, as the ascent is a bit of a long haul! About two-thirds of the way along the route, you’ll come to a farm with its own church. There’s still a bit of a walk to the summit cross, but it’s worth the effort: from the summit of the Gallner, a panoramic view opens up, stretching far into the Danube Plain and deep into the Bavarian Forest. The trail then leads along meadow paths to the outskirts of Forsting and on to Denkzell, the “Golden Village”: The village has been awarded the gold medal twice in both the state and national “Let’s Make Our Village More Beautiful” competitions. A village pond, old renovated farmhouses, haylofts, and granaries all attest to the beauty of the landscape. Finally, forest and meadow trails lead hikers to Konzell.

Ascent

487 m

Descent

339 m

The Goldsteig leaves Konzell through the valley floor. Zierling and Sicklasberg are stops along the way to the first rest stop, the Kreuzhaus. On this entertaining and scenically enchanting route through varied mixed forests, you can enjoy, among other things, the wonderful view of the Cham-Further valley. From the Kreuzhaus (887 m), the easy trail leads past the “Hansl Hüttn” through Riedelswald, Vornwald, and Redlmühl to the Käsplatte (979 m). A beautiful forest path then takes hikers to Kolmberg. The landscape becomes increasingly primeval the closer the Goldsteig gets to the summit. The Käsplatte summit lies to the right, about five minutes off the route. After a short break, the trail continues to Hinterwies at the foot of the Pröller, and from there along the edge of the forest up to the mountain lift hut and the summit. Another break with a magnificent view at the Pröller’s summit cross, and then the descent begins toward Sankt Englmar, today’s destination.

Ascent

875 m

Descent

528 m

Today’s Goldsteig hike follows the ridge of the Vorwald mountain range. Passing the Markbuchen ski lift, the trail leads to the summit of the Predigtstuhl along a meadow path—almost like an alpine pasture—across the ski run. Take a short break at the rock formation, then continue along the marked trails to the next stop—the so-called Kuddernhütte, a weather shelter that can serve as a refuge in case of rain. This is where the next ascent to the summit of the Knogl begins, which is marked by a summit cross next to a small wooden hut. Passing through the “Pfarrerwoidl”—which features a rest bench—the tour continues to the large clearing at Ödwies. The old forester’s lodge on this magnificent meadow was still occupied until the mid-20th century. Meter by meter, hikers then follow a forest trail up to the brick observation tower on the Hirschenstein. From the tower, you can see the Goldsteig trail stretching to the Rauhen Kulm on the left; to the east, the Lusen, Rachel, Falkenstein, and Arber rise up; and straight ahead, you can see far into the Gäuboden landscape. The destination for today’s stage is the Berggasthof Menauer on the Grandsberg, located slightly off the Goldsteig trail about 4 km away. The enchanting Mühlgrabenweg trail leading there and the breathtaking panoramic view from the inn are the highlights of this stage.

Ascent

211 m

Descent

37 m

After returning to the main trail (the innkeeper will tell you the shortest route!), the hiker walks through the forest, past imposing cliffs, to the summit of the Rauhen Kulm (1,050 m). The trail then descends first to Kalteck and then climbs again to the so-called “Regensburger Stein.” The “Vogelsang,” which hikers pass along the way, is a landscape of exceptional beauty. At the “Regensburger Stein,” the trail descends again toward Bergern or, continuing further, all the way to Mühlen. Via Grub, the Goldsteig finally leads to Wühnried, the start of the next ascent. At the small chapel in Wühnried, there’s an opportunity for a short break at the local inn—though the trail branches off to the left before reaching it. The ascent that follows is part of the Einödriegel range, though its summit is not on the Goldsteig route. Instead, the trail takes hikers to today’s destination: the Bavarian Forest Association’s lodge, the Landshuter Haus.

Ascent

750 m

Descent

805 m

Another ascent would lead to the Breitenauriegel; the alternative route taken by the Goldsteig leads along the boardwalk through the moor, an interesting and diverse biotope. Further along the route—which follows natural forest trails—hikers will encounter the legendary “Hölzerne Hand” at a major fork in the trail, complete with a rest area, followed by a golf course. From the parking lot next door, there’s a magnificent view to the south. The rest of the forest trail is also extremely charming and takes hikers to the Lallinger Winkel, more specifically to the village of Datting. Here, time seems to stand still: old farmhouses and rural village life, the kind you hardly find anywhere else anymore. And in the next village, Gerholling, another gem of traditional farmhouse architecture awaits. The Goldsteig then leads hikers almost exclusively downhill to Lalling: they have arrived in the Lallinger Winkel, the “fruit basket” of Eastern Bavaria.

Ascent

54 m

Descent

646 m

The hiker leaves Lalling and heads toward Panhölling, where a highlight awaits right away: the fruit trail. At the end of the trail, the path leads into the forest, where the first steep section of the climb to the Brotjacklriegel begins quite soon. Padling and the “gold-mining village” of Hunding lie along the route. Hunding was once settled for the purpose of mining ore—an information sign next to the tunnel entrance explains this. From here to Langfurth, a strenuous stretch lies ahead—be sure to pace yourself! After a break in Langfurth, hikers then tackle the final stretch of the ascent to the summit of the Brotjacklriegel—whose name is likely derived from the local term “broada Jagariegel,” meaning “wide hunter’s ridge.” The Brotjacklriegel—featuring a Bavarian Radio transmission tower, an observation tower, and rest areas—is another highlight: magnificent forest trails, beautiful views, open meadows, wood carvings, and magical atmospheres accompany hikers along the way. On the descent via the so-called “Steilweg” (steep trail) on the eastern mountainside, you first pass through the mountain village of Daxstein; continuing past Fradlberg and Lina, you finally reach Zenting—the last village in the Sonnenwald.

Ascent

792 m

Descent

785 m

The trail down to the Ilz, the Black Pearl of the Bavarian Forest. Surrounded by unspoiled nature, hikers pass the Manzenreuth farm, the little chapel in Eizersdorf, the Ginghartinger Mill, and finally Thurmansbang. The trail then continues through the forest to Lake Saldenburg, the ideal spot for a break: If you’ve brought your swimwear, you should take the opportunity to take a quick dip. After another short climb, the Goldsteig approaches the Ilz Valley via Preying along leisurely forest and meadow trails. At the Ilz Valley Bridge, there’s an opportunity for a special detour: If you’re up for it and have enough energy, don’t miss the extraordinary natural spectacle of the Dießensteiner Leite. In the Ilz Valley, the trail continues toward Schneidermühle, where there’s another spot to take a break. From there, the route follows the wild and romantic Ilz River all the way to Schrottenbaummühle—today’s destination.

Ascent

365 m

Descent

448 m

The Schrottenbaummühle is a popular destination for day trippers—beautifully situated in the heart of the Ilz Valley. From here, hikers can make their way via Aumühle and Fürsteneck (with a short detour to the Wolfsteiner Ohe, which flows into the Ilz here) to Kalteneck—(almost) always right along the Ilz. Just before Kalteneck, the forest opens up—a meadow path leads into the village—only to rejoin the hiker’s route to Fischhaus shortly thereafter. Here, just outside the village, there is a designated swimming area, and a pizzeria can be found at the railroad crossing. From Fischhaus, you can hike to the stage destination via two routes: One leads past the old open quarry with information boards and the climbing garden; the other follows the “Ge(h)schichtenweg” trail from Fischhaus to Ruderting. This stage destination is located about 2 km off the Goldsteig trail. Caution: It’s easy to miss the turnoff at Fischhaus!

Ascent

77 m

Descent

115 m

The final stage of the Goldsteig trail begins in Ruderting and leads to Passau. Following unspoiled forest trails, the route winds over small hills and through stream gorges, across footbridges and along root-covered forest paths, following the former Ilztalbahn railroad route (to be reactivated) down to the Ilz Reservoir. For more information, visit: www.tiefenbach-live.de and www.gemeinde-tiefenbach.de. You can rent a Zille boat there. From the Mausmühle, the nature trail leads down to the Oberilzmühle dam with a swimming area. The next rest stop is the “Zur Triftsperre” inn and guesthouse. The dam piers and the dark log-driving tunnel, which hikers pass through shortly after, bear witness to the dangerous history of log driving. An impressive footbridge zigzags its way to the tunnel. By passing through the tunnel, the Goldsteig takes a shortcut around the Ilz loop and leads along the bend of the Ilz to Hals. Just before Hals, the ruins of Hals Castle sit perched on a mountain. After climbing one final hill, hikers finally reach Veste Oberhaus, a magnificent viewpoint overlooking Passau. The Goldsteig loop comes full circle at this castle’s north gate: this is where the northern and southern routes of the Goldsteig converge.

Ascent

259 m

Descent

287 m