Bohemian Forest Tour

The challenging round trip takes you on your mountain bike from Bayerisch Eisenstein across the border to the neighboring Czech town of Železná Ruda. From there, you go on tarred forest paths over several tough climbs through the forests and meadows of the Šumava National Park (Bohemian Forest), past the former Gerlova Huť (Gerlhütte) glassworks, to the Pancíř (Tank) mountain. There, a final, strenuous climb, which can also be managed on foot or with a small, nostalgic chairlift, leads to the summit of the mountain. You will be rewarded for your efforts with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and valleys of the Bavarian and Bohemian Forests.

After a short rest in the local restaurant, the path leads you steadily downhill along the side of the mountain to the Špičácké sedlo (Spitzberg saddle), from where you can take a short detour to the glacial lake Černé jezero (Black Lake).

Once you're back at the Spitzberg saddle, another long descent takes you through the town of Špičák. For ambitious mountain bikers, a detour to the oldest and largest bike park in the Czech Republic, which offers trails of varying difficulty, is worthwhile. Then it's back to Železná Ruda and the starting point of the tour, Bayerisch Eisenstein.