From Miner to Sailor

The decades-long transformation from mining district to lake landscape can be experienced in fast motion. With more than 20 flooded lakes and navigable canals, Europe's largest man-made water landscape is growing up in the Lusatian Lakeland. For cyclists who want to experience the changing landscape of the Lusatian Lakeland in one day, the cycle tour is recommended. It starts on the shores of Lake Großräschen, which is almost completely flooded. It leads past the active Welzow-Süd open-cast mine with its large-scale equipment, along rugged banks of future lakes over navigable canals, to the "Rostiger Nagel" observation tower and on to Senftenberg Lake, which has been attracting bathers and water sports enthusiasts for more than four decades. 

Length: 54 kilometres (duration: approx. 4 hours)

Start/finish: Großräschen, IBA Terraces, Seestr. 100
via: Bahnsdorf, Welzow, Lieske, Kleinkoschen, Senftenberg

Junction signposting:
The day tour "From Miner to Sailor" can also be cycled along junctions using the new signposting system. The following junctions are passed at the start/finish Großräschen/IBA Terraces (junction 22): 54 - 62 - 49 - 21 - 20 - 52 - 9 - 1 - 51 - 50 - 45 - 34 - 33 - 32 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 46 - 55 - 54.

Possible combinations:

• Lake circuits: Großräschen Lake, Partwitz Lake, Geierswalde Lake and Senftenberg Lake
• Fürst Pückler Trail
• Lower Lusatian Mining Tour
• Black Elster Cycle Route
• Lakeland Route
• Tour Brandenburg

Arrival and departure:

• By car: Großräschen can be reached via the B96, B169 and B156 as well as the A13. In Großräschen itself follow the signs to the IBA Terraces (duration from Berlin: approx. 1.5 hours)
• Parking: along Seestraße free of charge
• By train: from Berlin with the RB7 (approx. 2 hours)

Route conditions:
Mainly asphalt cycle paths, a few sections on side roads or firm, gravelled paths, mainly flat.

Places of interest along the route:

• Großräschen Lake with IBA Terraces visitor centre, pier, vineyard and town harbour in Großräschen.
• Ilse Canal
• excursio visitor centre
• Welzow-Süd open-cast mine
• Rosendorf Canal
• Sorno Canal
• Lusatian Lakeland Landmark
• Koschen Canal
• Lake Senftenberg
• Lake Senftenberg Amphitheatre
• Senftenberg town harbour
• Senftenberg Castle and Fortress
• Viewpoint Reppister Höhe

Bicycle hire: IBA Terraces Großräschen

Maps / literature: Lusatian Lakeland cycling map, 1:50,000, Sachsen Kartographie, ISBN 978-3-86843-021-9, 6.90 Euros