Hello, I am Freda (the brave and strong one), Lapius (grandpa Lapius - lapis in Latin means stone), the small wandering stone ... and I will accompany you on the adventure hikes to The Mouse Trap (Mausefalle), The Elephant Rocks (Elefantensteine) and The Fox’s Pulpit (Fuchskanzel). There is a lot to discover in the Zittau Mountains. The shape of some sandstone rocks is reminiscent of a pigeon, a rhino, a lion and even a hen sitting on eggs. Such curious creations can be marvelled at in the Jonsdorf millstone quarries, among others. There are also rock formations called The Organ (Orgel), The Teapot (Teekanne) or The Three Brothers (Drei Brüder). Between the spa town of Oybin and Mount Töpfer, part of the path through the Stone Zoo (Steinzoo) is even suitable for a visit with prams. Around The Fox’s Pulpit in the air spa of Jonsdorf, looking for the animals can be combined with a detour to the Karlsfried Castle ruins. How were the rock formations actually created and who is Freda? You will find this information in my story starting from page 10 onwards. The first part will help your parents with planning and orientation. You can also find all the routes online for download at www.steinzoo.de.
Beginning at the Forsthaus Lückendorf car park (identified by an information board featuring a small knight), the route commences in an eastward direction, crosses the S132 road, and then proceeds along the hiking trails marked with red and yellow circle trail markers. At the junction, continue along the path marked with a red circle trail marker towards The Fox's Pulpit (Fuchskanzel). The route then proceeds to The Owl Stones (Uhusteinen) and The Diana Wall (Dianawand). From that point, keep following the path marked with a red circle trail marker to reach the Karlsfried castle ruins. The route will then lead you to the intersection with the yellow circle hiking trail (Kiefergrund). By following the yellow circle trail markers once more, head eastward and pass by another climbing rock (Weißbachturm), entering the Weißbachtal valley. From here, continue following the yellow line or circle trail marker in a southern direction along the German-Czech border until you reach the Bohemian Gate (Česká Brána). The Bohemian Gate (a rock formation) is situated approximately 100 meters beyond the barrier, within Czech territory (signposted). At the Bohemian Gate, the route proceeds in a southwesterly direction, following the yellow line or circle trail marker (Steinigter Weg). It eventually intersects with the Ringelshainer Weg trail, which leads in a westerly direction towards the Forsthaus car park, marking the starting point of the journey.
