Circular hiking trail through the old Görigk mine into the Steinitz Alps

The approximately 6-kilometre-long circular trail leads from the well-maintained car park near the Steinitz farm along fields and meadows. We follow the village road and the hiking trail signs to one of the oldest and most imposing fortified churches in Lower Lusatia and continue eastwards into the old mining area. Already 150 years ago, brown coal was mined here underground to a depth of 60 metres.

Today, the open-cast mines above the former galleries bear witness to this eventful history, which came to an end in 1912 with the closure of the last mine.

What remains visible is now an insider's tip among recreation-seekers from near and far. The Göriker See - the former Merkur mine - is now a nature-protected forest lake where nimble kingfishers also feel at home.

The hiking trail leads us from the forest lake further along the former village of Görigk through extensive forests and up into the Steinitz Alps, an end moraine landscape to the south of the village of Steinitz. Up there, at 171 metres above sea level, the highlight awaits all hikers. The Steinitz Staircase, an imposing viewing platform reminiscent of a reclining dinosaur, opens up a view far across the Lusatian Lakeland. On a clear day, the view extends over the active Welzow-Süd open-cast mine to the Upper Lusatian mountain landscape, and to the north Topical Island glows behind the Green 'Spreewald on the horizon. The unique terminal moraine landscape with its oak stands, some of which are up to 400 years old, characterises the last part of the hike. Following the "yellow dot", the tour winds its way through the Steinitz spring area, where, according to Sorbian legends, Lutkis and water sprites live, until it finally ends at the Steinitzhof cultural and information centre. The three-sided farm, built around 1910, impresses with its historic fieldstone architecture, changing themed exhibitions and catering offers at weekends.

Length: 6.7 km (duration: approx. 2.5 hours)

Start/finish: Steinitz car park

Logo/ route markings: green dot on white background, yellow dot on white background

Arrival and departure:

• Arrival by car:
  
  from Berlin via A113, A13, A15 - take exit 3-Vetschau and follow signs to Steinitz
  
  from Dresden via A4 and A13 - take exit 14-Großräschen and follow B96, B169 to Steinitz
• Arrival by bus: Bus line 23 Cottbus - Drebkau - Steinitz (only on weekdays)
• Arrival by train: Drebkau train station approx. 3.5km away

Route: Steinitz car park - boulder labyrinth - fieldstone church - Görigker See - Steinitz steps - Teufelsstein - Steinitzhof - Steinitz car park.

Food and Beverage:

• Steinitzhof (gastronomy at weekends).

Places of interest:

• Erratic block labyrinth
• Fieldstone church
• Old mining area
• Bruchfelder
• Göriker Lake
• Barrier-free viewpoint Steinitzer Treppe
• Old lime tree at the lookout point
• Active opencast mining Welzow South
• Steinitz Alps
• Steinitz headwaters
• Devil's stone
• Steinitzhof farm

Route condition/extension: mostly natural, partly asphalted roads

Maps/ Literature:

• Brochure "Hikes between Spree and Neisse", publisher: SpreeNeiße district, 2018.
• Hiking and Cycling Map 1:50,000, Lusatian Lakeland, Publisher: Sachsen Kartographie, 2020, ISBN: 978-3-86843-021-9