Circular hike from Oschatz to the Desert Castle

We leave the market square heading east along Altoschatzer Strasse, which leads past the town and weighing museum. Across the green area on the Freiherr-vom-Stein-Promenade and the Sperlingsberg, we come to Heinrich-Mann-Strasse, which we follow to the left. Wettinstrasse turns right and then Gabelsbergerstrasse turns left. This turns into Cunnersdorfer Strasse and leads us about 600 metres to the county road at the Anglerparadies. We keep left and then right again after 300 metres. From here, the Steinbach stream is our companion to the castle ruins with Gothic and Romanesque features in the Oschatz town forest.

It was probably built at the beginning of the 13th century, was only used for a very short time and was never really finished. With a little imagination, you can imagine life in the former three-storey, four-winged complex. It is quite possible that the property was used as a hunting lodge. Records in old maps show that there were game reserves in the region. The meadows, ponds, dams and woods in the immediate vicinity of the building, which was then called the "Old Stone House", reinforce this use.

The way back leads south along the Am Wüsten Schloss road. After about a kilometer we reach the town of Thalheim, which is home to an ostrich and an alpaca farm. We cross the entire town to the east and leave it again to the north along Thalheimer Straße. On the right we can see the Döllnitz stream and the tracks of the Döllnitz railway. We cross Altoschatz and cross the Eulensteg into the town park and reach the O-Schatz Park, a free family, animal and leisure park. Here you can play a game of mini golf or marvel at the second largest coffee pot collection in the world in the "O", the circular multi-purpose hall. Crossing the Freiherr-vom-Stein-Promenade and following Brauhausgasse we reach the market square on the left and thus the starting point of the hike.

Sturdy footwear. Food and water if needed.

By car: Follow the A14 to the S38 in Grimma, then take exit 14-Mutzschen on the A32. Follow the S38, take Oschatzer Str. and Wermsdorfer Str. to Sporerstraße in Oschatz.

• Oschatz train station
• Döllnitzbahn stops

By public transport from Leipzig: From the main train station, take the RE50 to Oschatz. In Oschatz, change to bus line 801 to Oschatz Bus Station. It's approximately a 380-meter walk to the destination.

• St. Aegidienkirche
• City and Scale Museum
• Deserted Castle Osterland
• O-Schatz-Park

Route tip: Extend route via Wüste Schloss - Collm - Striesa - Oschatz (16 km)