Via Pennickental valley to Lobdeburg castle ruins
A lovely walk along the SaaleHorizontale hiking trail
Explore the SaaleHorizontale hiking trail on a guided one-day walk through Pennickental valley to Lobdeburg castle ruins. The Romanesque ruins are part of the Transromanica routes.
Through Pennickental valley to Fürstenbrunnen spring
We now take the bus to the district of Wöllnitz. In the 19th century, it was a popular location for holding raucous student celebrations known as a Bierstaat, or ‘beer state’. The murmuring of the Pennickenbach stream accompanies us as we make our way through the area and the surrounding gardens further into the valley. The highly calciferous water has deposited large quantities of travertine. Small quarries are testament to the use of this type of limestone over the past 300 years, for example in the local glass-making industry and in the manufacture of toothpaste. At the Fürstenbrunnen spring, the stone-clad source of the Pennickenbach stream, we stop for a small break and enjoy the glorious natural surroundings.
Along the SaaleHorizontale trail to Lobdeburg castle ruins
From here, the SaaleHorizontale hiking trail climbs steeply, passing open fields on the way up to the top of Johannisberg hill. Here, you can enjoy far-reaching views over the city and the surrounding countryside. A small path along the edge of the hill, also with lovely views of the valley, takes us to the ruins of what was once a three-part castle.
The Romanesque remains of Lobdeburg Castle are part of the Transromanica routes.
The Lobdeburgklause restaurant is ideal for a break.
The idyllic Goethepark in Drackendorf
Leaving Schlossberg behind us, we descend to Drackendorf. Here we visit a small park with a pavilion, which was extended into an English landscape garden with the help of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. We leave the park at the old transformer building and head to the Universitätsklinikum tram stop. Along the way, we catch a glimpse of the Lobdeburg castle ruins. The tram takes us back to the city centre, giving us the opportunity to reflect on a good day’s walking.