The Labe Sandstone Mountains by bike - Lusatian Mountains and Czechoslovak Switzerland by bike - To Königstein with children by bike

Cycling through the Labe Sandstone Mountains

Length: 40 km
Elevation: 547 m (733 m with ascent to Großer Zschirnstein)
Bike: gravel, mtb

Děčín - Dolní Žleb - Krippen - Kleingießhübel - (Großer Zschirnstein) - Česká brána - Maxičky - Děčín

From Děčín you can take the Elbe cycle path towards Dolní Žleb. Just after Děčín you will enter the Elbe Canyon, the deepest sandstone canyon in Europe.

You will follow the Elbe, or rather the Elbe Cycle Path, all the way to Krippen. Here you will join the little-used road S169.

Along the Krippenbach stream you will climb up to the turn-off to Kleingießhübel. After that, you'll have the hardest hill of the whole trip, but it's not terrible (2.5 km, 150 m elevation gain).

About 4 km after Kleingießhübel there is a turn-off to the Großer Zschirnstein (560 m). If you like impressive views, don't miss it!

If you don't want to pedal up to the top (it can be ridden up or down, but the road is broken in places), you can leave your bike below the summit climb. Many cyclists do this.

From Zschirnstein it is only a short walk to the Czech Gate. This is the way back to Bohemia. Before and after the Bohemian Gate you will have to walk a few hundred metres along a forest path, but it is not difficult. Then there is an asphalt road that will take you to Maxičky. From there, it's only a short walk to Decin and it's downhill.

You can also take this route with your children if you take it in reverse and use the Sněžník cyclo-bus to get you to Maxičky to climb the highest hill.

Refreshments are available in Dolní Žleb (Dolní Grund, U Kosti), Krippen (Landgasthaus Ziegelscheune) or Maxičky (Dřevák).

Lusatian Mountains and Czechoslovak Switzerland by bike

Length: 42 km
Elevation: 560 m up / 655 m down
Bike: gravel, mtb

Jedlová (train station) - Horní Podluží - Krásná Lípa - Doubice - Zadní Doubice - Kyjov - Krásná Lípa (train station)

Right at the railway station in Jedlová you will join the 3013 cycle route, which you will follow all the way to Krásná Lípa. Most of the route is on good quality forest gravel roads.

You will also be pleased to know that, with a few exceptions (especially Světlík), you will be going downhill.

You can enjoy the Křinice springs, the reconstructed windmill or the Falkenštejn microbrewery.

In Krásná Lípa, you will connect to the little-used road to Doubice. From there you will continue towards Kyjov, but at the first crossroads turn left onto cycle route 3031. Here you will enter the national park.

The cycle route will take you to the Border Bridge in Zadní Doubice. You will continue upstream to Křinice. The picturesque Kyjovské valley (unfortunately quite marked by bark beetle) awaits you.

In Kyjov, you will return to the road, which will take you to Krásná Lípa, where you can board the train.

Or you can go from Kyjov to Vlčí hora on the road 265 and finish the trip in Mikulášovice (plus 14.4 km and 251 vertical metres).

Every two hours a train leaves from the Lower Station via Bad Schandau to Děčín. This is the U28 line, which runs through the picturesque Sebnitztal valley.

Refreshments are available at the railway stations in Jedlová, Krásná Lípa, Doubice and Kyjov.

Cycling to Königstein with children

Length: 54 km
Elevation: 197 m up / 657 m down
Bike: gravel, mtb

Sněžník - Ostrov - Bielatal - Königstein - Bad Schandau - Dolní Žleb - Decin

From the end of the cyclobus from Děčín to Sněžník, take the cycling route 3017 towards Tisá. But don't go there, just before the Tourist Cottage turn right onto the forest path, which will lead you to the road to Ostrov.

From here, you will leave Bohemia by the only possible route and follow the gravel road and later the asphalt road through the picturesque valley to Bielatal.

You can continue along the S171 road or along the parallel cycle route. Both options will take you to Königstein.

If you want to visit the fortress, choose the cycle route. You will get - more or less along the contour - directly to the fortress. The S171 road takes you into the town on the waterfront.

From Königstein to Decin is easy. You take the Elberadweg, the Elbe cycle path.

If you want to visit Bad Schandau, you will have to cross the bridge to the other right bank. You can continue along the parallel cycle path to Schmilka. Whether you need to take the ferry back to the left bank.

You would have to take the road to Decin on the right.