Discover Lauter/Saxony

Lauter/Saxony can be explored through two specific themes: a circular hike to the Sachsenstein and a historic ensemble comprising the church, vicarage and cantor’s house. The hiking trail passes through the Griesetal valley and forest to a viewpoint with sweeping views across Lauter and the Ore Mountains; the church and bell monument offer tangible points of reference for the town’s history. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on landscapes and outdoor activity or on the historic buildings and monument. This gives you different interests to choose from, rather than describing the same kind of outing.

The circular trail to the Sachsenstein

The moderately difficult circular hike starts near the outdoor swimming pool in Lauter, follows the European long-distance path E3 through the Griesetal valley and forest to the Sachsenstein viewpoint, and then returns to Lauter. It is 10.1 kilometres long; the hike takes about two hours and 40 minutes, with an ascent of 209 metres. Taken together, the distance, duration and elevation gain provide a clear guide for planning your day. You can decide in advance whether this length of hike suits your holiday schedule, rather than treating it as a short stop between other activities. Trail-marking information may change, so check the current route before setting out.

Landscapes along the way

Along the way, the landscape shifts between the Griesetal valley, dense coniferous forest, open meadows and clearings. This contrast between wooded and open sections makes the circuit interesting beyond the viewpoint: you pass through different landscapes rather than heading only to a single scenic destination. At the Sachsenstein, the view opens out across Lauter and the Ore Mountains. The route also includes the protected site of a former nine-stemmed beech tree. The viewpoint provides a clear destination, while the changing landscapes shape the way there. This lets you judge the circular hike by whether the route itself or, above all, the view from the Sachsenstein matters most to you.

Church and bell monument

Lauter’s historic ensemble includes the church, vicarage and cantor’s house. The church dates from 1628; above it stands a bell monument with three bells dating from 1928. This brings a group of buildings and a separate monument into focus as distinct points of cultural and historical interest. For your trip planning, this offers a different focus from an outing in nature: the dates and three named buildings provide tangible points of reference for the town’s history.

Choose the focus of your stay

Would you like the circular trail to play an important part in your stay, or would you rather focus on including local history in your travel plans? If your travel group has different interests, separating the nature outing from the cultural focus can help you organise your ideas for the day.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Pockau, Gehringswalde, Stützengrün, Bockau, Aue, Drebach, Lugau, Blauenthal.

Return to the overarching travel guide: Erzgebirgskreis.