The chess hiking trail turns Borstendorf’s chess history into the theme of a circular walk: 16 oversized chess pieces and information boards accompany the route. Shorter options are available. There is also a circular trail with a forest maze and a route with panoramic views. The trails offer different highlights: local craft history, interactive stations or views of several named destinations.
Chess Hiking Trail: Route and Local History
The fully signposted chess hiking trail is about 15 kilometres long. The paths are wide and well surfaced; shorter options are also available. The oversized pieces and information boards along the circular route make the history of chessboard production a running theme. This brings exercise and a tangible insight into Borstendorf’s craft tradition together.
There are picnic spots for a break. You can also stop for refreshments at “Oehmes Gaststätte”, which has a beer garden. When planning the route, you can choose between a picnic and stopping for refreshments as different break options. The approximate length of 15 kilometres refers to the main circuit; shorter options are available, though no specific distance is given for them.
Bambini Hiking Trail and Forest Maze
The Bambini hiking trail is another circular walk in Borstendorf. It is 4.5 kilometres long, runs mostly along surfaced paths and is accessible to and navigable with a pushchair. The trail includes a forest maze that is about 1.1 kilometres long and covers an area of around 1,000 square metres. Interactive stations and a quiz add activities to the walk.
At 4.5 kilometres, the Bambini hiking trail is significantly shorter than the approximately 15-kilometre chess circuit. The two measurements for the Bambini trail refer to different things: 4.5 kilometres for the circular route and about 1.1 kilometres for the maze. This distinction helps separate the length of the walk from the extent of the maze.
Village Church and Panoramic Views
The route “View of Borstendorf from the Höhenweg” starts and ends at Borstendorf Church. Along the route, there are panoramic views of Borstendorf, the Ore Mountains and Augustusburg. This gives it a different focus from the chess circuit: here, the views and named landmarks take centre stage.
The village church itself is also a historic landmark. Built in 1820, it is designated as a listed individual monument of architectural and local historical significance. Its role as the starting and finishing point of the Höhenweg route can thus be complemented by a closer look at this landmark, which connects architectural and local history.
Traces of Chessboard Production
Borstendorf had five chessboard factories and was a major global centre for the manufacture of draughts and chessboards. At its peak, the K. P. Uhlig draughts and chessboard factory produced 7,000 chess sets per month. This figure gives an idea of the scale of past production; it describes a historical achievement, not a current offering.
The old village road is also part of local history. It served as a transport route to Freiberg. Among other things, it was used to transport the large quantities of charcoal produced in Borstendorf to the smelting works. Together with the information boards along the chess hiking trail, this historical connection offers another way to explore local craft history, beyond the manufacture of game boards.
Seasonal Culture and Events
The Borstendorf open-air Christmas scene presents the Christmas story as an outdoor installation with light and sound. Events are held at the Borstendorf outdoor pool throughout the year, including “Wanderkino” during the summer season and “Abbaden” as part of the “Living Advent Calendar” during Advent. As individual event dates may vary, it is advisable to check the specific dates before visiting.
Discover more destinations: Grünhain-Beierfeld, Hohndorf, Zschopau, Johanngeorgenstadt, Schwarzenberg/Erzgebirge, Amtsberg, Königswalde, Lauter/Sachsen.
Back to the regional travel overview: Erzgebirgskreis.
