Forest House in the Ore Mountains

Welcome to Hennersdorf – to the house of our mother's childhood. This is where our mother grew up – among woodland ferns and raspberries, surrounded by trees, water and wonderfully pure air. Then she flew the nest – she travelled the world, spent a long time in London, studied in Dresden, had four children and a wonderful husband, founded four companies and wrote hundreds of stories. Yet her little house in Hennersdorf always remained home in her heart. And now she would like to share this beautiful place with others, too. We're delighted that you're here – and we wish you just as much joy in this enchanting house as we feel here ourselves. Yours, the Sternkopf family ── Excursion tips ── Our forest house sits on a hillside above the Zschopau valley, and honestly, you hardly need to go anywhere at all. Our mother could sit for days on the broad terrace and simply gaze out over the valley. The forest right behind the house invites you on long walks, and you could easily spend a whole week here without moving the car even once. But the surrounding area, too, holds countless surprises and wonderful places for you. We'd love to share her favourite tips with you here – and if there isn't time for all of them, you'll just have to come back again. Walks straight from the house The Little Loop Our mother's absolute favourite. You take the little path down from the house to the road, then up the hill and down the other side to Kunnersdorf. At the old textile factory you leave the road, which bends left here, and carry straight on across a wooden bridge. She loves standing on this bridge and watching the water flow by. In summer you can see the green hair of the water nymphs waving to and fro in the current. After the bridge come a few small gardens, then a playground on your right. Past the playground, turn right into the forest, cross the railway line at the secured crossing and then walk on through the valley beneath the cliffs, alongside the river. After about 20 minutes you reach a junction with a bench put up by the Sachsenforst (the state forestry), where a little brook bubbles down the slope. Children and dogs love to splash about there – the perfect spot for a picnic. From here you can decide whether to climb the hill to the Kunnerstein or on to Augustusburg (very steep!), or to stroll on comfortably down in the valley towards Hennersdorf. Just after you leave the forest you come to the "Topflappenviertel" (the "pot-holder quarter"), where Udo, a local, always keeps a crate of liquid refreshment out for passers-by. Bring a little loose change for the honesty box, and under the covered wooden bench you'll find a fizzy treat. From there it isn't far to the road, which you follow downhill through the peaceful little village. The duck pond just after the small crossroads is worth a stop – the peacock lives there, too, and you'll sometimes hear him calling. Carry straight on to the covered wooden bridge, through the bridge and along the road, then up the hill to the colourful Leistner villa, and then bear left to our little house. Duration: approx. 1–1.5 hours Variant 1: At the playground, carry straight on under the railway bridge to Erdmannsdorf. From there you can take the funicular railway up to Augustusburg or walk on to the Erdmannsdorf open-air pool. Variant 2: If, just after the wooden bridge in Kunnersdorf, you turn right across the meadow, you can walk right along the riverbank. Just before the Zschopau makes a bend, you pass our mother's "mermaid rock", from where you have a wonderful view of the rushing water. The path is very narrow and in places extremely uneven, but it's worth it. After the river bend you have to crawl through the little tunnel under the railway line; sometimes water runs through it, but you can always get past. From there the path leads back onto the main trail of the Little Loop. Variant 3: At the junction where the Sachsenforst bench stands and the brook bubbles down the hill, you can take the path up to the Kunnerstein. Variant 4: Shortly after setting off, about 100 metres up past the brow of the hill, turn right onto the field track and walk across the fields to Kunnersdorf. If you're lucky, the donkeys and sheep will be out by the stable – children love it! After the stable, turn left towards the village, past romantic half-timbered cottages and apple orchards. Follow the little road downhill until you come out at the old textile factory, where the wooden bridge then leads over to the allotment gardens. Kunnerstein A real highlight! For our mother, the Kunnerstein is one of the most magical places of power in the Erzgebirge. It stands on the western slope of the ancient volcanic cone on which Augustusburg castle now sits enthroned. From the wooden shelter and the many lovely vantage points all around, you get a beautiful view over the Zschopau valley, where the river far below carves an impressive bend. As a child she was especially fascinated by the "lion's cave", as she called it back then. Pack a picnic and make yourselves comfortable up here – and you'll need the sustenance, because the climb is quite something. From our little house you reach it via the Little Loop, either from the Hennersdorf or the Kunnersdorf side. From the "little brook" at the junction of the Little Loop, the narrow path zigzags its way up the hill. Simply follow the red-and-white markings that signpost the way to the Kunnerstein. You can also hike to the Kunnerstein from Augustusburg. You can park your car at the "Franzosenfriedhof" (French cemetery) opposite the Hotel am Kunnerstein, or at the Waldbühne (forest stage). Father Christmas's house Another of our mother's favourite routes: the walk to the Weihnachtsmannhaus – Father Christmas's house. Yes, you read that right: Father Christmas lives here. Really! As a child, she saw the little elves peeping out of the chimney with her own eyes … For 50 years our family has had a Christmas ritual: every year, on the weekend before 1 December, we all go together to Father Christmas's house and hand in our wish lists. We tuck the rolled-up notes into the cracks around the windows of the old log cabin, take a walk around the house – and when we come back round to the front, the wish lists are gone! And in the meantime Father Christmas has hidden an Advent calendar for each of us. How could anyone not believe, then, that Knecht Ruprecht really exists? The path to Father Christmas's house begins right behind our house. Walk down the little path by the house to the road, then up the road and, at the top of the rise, turn left onto the field track leading up to the forest (the ridge path, "Kammweg"). You can also simply walk up the path behind our little house into the forest until you reach the ridge path at the top. Follow this path for about 2 kilometres until you reach the crest. There the path makes a 90-degree turn, and on a small clearing to your right you'll see a black log cabin. That's Father Christmas's house. Behind the house a magnificent view opens up over the Dittmannsdorf valley; if you like, you can head down there and walk back via Dittmannsdorf along the little road. Or hike on to Witzschdorf (there's a nice inn there for a rest – please check the opening hours beforehand) and from there back to Hennersdorf. If you carry on from Father Christmas's house towards Witzschdorf, after about 400 metres a path leads off to the left into the forest to "Onkel Toms Hütte" ("Uncle Tom's Cabin", signposted). Walking down there brings you back out in Hennersdorf by the wooden bridge. Hennersdorfer Knochen When you sit on the terrace, you'll surely enjoy the wide view into the valley, too. The hill you see opposite is the Hennersdorfer Knochen. It's lovely to walk around it as well. We like to take the path down into the village, turn left after the wooden bridge to the crossroads, then up through the village towards Waldkirchen, and after about 200 metres a steep path leads off to the left up the slope to the Knochen. Up in the forest there are various paths, all of them beautiful. Our mother likes best to walk along the edge of the forest across the big meadow that you can see from our house. There she sits down on a lovely bench and enjoys the view across to the opposite slope with the colourful Leistner villa and our little house. Sternmühlental Another wonderful walking destination very close by is the Sternmühle. Today a pretty country inn occupies an old half-timbered house dating from 1541. The way there leads through an idyllic valley with a little brook that, in summer, tempts the children in particular into the water at several small bathing spots. You can also see the entrance to an old mining tunnel here. In summer, red raspberries glow all along the path, and mushroom pickers love the mossy spruce forests along the valley, too. A walk through Hennersdorf with lovely little highlights Of course, a stroll through the village is worthwhile in Hennersdorf, too – and the little place, with just under 300 inhabitants, has more to offer than you might think. Setting off from the little house and heading down into the village, you first pass the brightly colourful Leistner villa, which always reminds our mother a little of Pippi Longstocking's Villa Villekulla. As a tiny girl she practically grew up there, because her "Auntie Annemarie" always looked after her while her mum – our grandmother – worked as a teacher at the school in Dittmannsdorf. Down in the valley the covered wooden bridge then awaits you – a real rarity in these parts. It was roofed over so that the sheep wouldn't jump into the water while being driven across, our grandmother always told her. Wikipedia says the roof protected the load-bearing beams from weathering – that may be true as well, for after all the wooden bridge, built in 1840, has stood for 185 years now! To this day our mother loves peeping through the knotholes, just as she did as a little girl, when she walks through the bridge – from that mysterious vantage point the glittering river looks even lovelier! After the bridge you can decide whether to go left or right – both are worthwhile. To the left, after about 150 metres, you pass the Old School with its little bell tower, whose chime you'll hear on the half and full hour even up in the little house. This building is home to the artist Erik Neukirchner, who is known for his sculptures, statues, reliefs and bronze works. On Sundays and public holidays, and by telephone arrangement, the studio and exhibition are open. At the crossroads towards Waldkirchen you'll see the little duck pond with its beautiful mandarin ducks and the sun-coloured dovecote. If you turn right at the wooden bridge, you reach Hennersdorf station – from here the Erzgebirgsbahn opens up the whole Erzgebirge to you. Behind the railway tracks you'll see the beautifully restored factory building of Rosskopf & Partner, which delivers high-quality designer furniture all over the world. Just beyond it you'll find a culinary highlight: the "Empanadas", an enchanting little eatery run by Susie Benz, a native South American, who serves savoury treats, langos, empanadas, coffee and cake at weekends and on public holidays. If you walk on behind the railway tracks, you come to the Schönthal ("beautiful valley"), which truly lives up to its name. Further afield – bigger excursions Augustusburg High above the Zschopau valley, on the Schellenberg – that ancient volcanic cone on whose western slope "our" Kunnerstein also lies – Augustusburg castle sits enthroned, the "Crown of the Erzgebirge". Elector August had the mighty Renaissance hunting lodge built from 1568, and to this day you can see it rising up from many points in the valley. A trip up there is worthwhile in any season, for young and old: several museums await under one roof. Motorcycle fans will get their money's worth in the large Motorcycle Museum – one of the most important collections in Europe, which is why the castle is also fondly known as the "Biker Castle". In addition there's a Carriage Museum, the castle museum with its hunting and ornithology exhibitions and the magnificent Venus Hall, the castle church with an altarpiece by Lucas Cranach the Younger, the mysterious well house with a well over 130 metres deep, and – a tip for the children – the old castle dungeon. From the lookout tower your gaze sweeps far across the Erzgebirge, on clear days as far as Leipzig. A special experience is the Saxon Eagle and Falconry Centre right by the castle: during the flight displays, falcons, eagles, buzzards and eagle owls sweep low over your heads – it's best to check the current display times in advance. If you'd rather not drive up by car, take the historic funicular railway: down in Erdmannsdorf you board the little funicular, which pulls you up the steep hill in a good eight minutes – at the top it's just a few steps to the old town and the castle. And if the children still have energy left: at the Rost's Wiesen leisure centre, a summer toboggan run and a pretty mini-golf course await, where even our Hennersdorf wooden bridge stands in miniature. Augustusburg Music Summer If you're with us in summer, keep the Augustusburger Musiksommer (the Augustusburg Music Summer) free. Every year from around June to August, the loveliest spots in Augustusburg turn into concert halls – the castle church, the town church of St Petri and, in the open air, the Waldbühne forest stage. The programme ranges from grand concerts to small, refined formats; especially enchanting is the "Soirée with 1,000 candles" in the castle church. The exact dates change from year to year – it's best to take a quick look at the Music Summer's website to see whether something to your taste is being performed during your stay. And a tip: you can get here beautifully car-free, too, by taking the funicular railway up. Into the Erzgebirge by train One of the great advantages of Hennersdorf: down in the valley lies our little railway station, and from here the Erzgebirgsbahn – the Zschopau Valley Railway, line RB80 – takes you right across the mountains without a car. A few of our mother's favourite destinations along the line: Erdmannsdorf-Augustusburg – just one stop, right by the valley station of the funicular railway up to the castle. Scharfenstein – from the station it's about ten minutes uphill to the sturdy Scharfenstein castle with its Christmas and toy museum, full of Erzgebirge folk art. Annaberg-Buchholz – the old mining town with the beautiful late-Gothic St Anne's Church, the Erzgebirge Museum with its show mine, and the Frohnauer Hammer, one of the oldest technical museums in Germany. And for the really big adventure, especially with children: take the Erzgebirgsbahn to the terminus at Cranzahl and change there onto the Fichtelbergbahn – a genuine narrow-gauge steam train that puffs and steams you up in about an hour to Kurort Oberwiesenthal, the highest town in Germany, right at the foot of the Fichtelberg. Have a quick look at the timetables beforehand, and the change will go perfectly smoothly. Bathing & swimming On hot days the water beckons. Very close by – you can even walk there via the Little Loop (a good half to three-quarters of an hour) – lies the Erdmannsdorf open-air pool with its large sandy beach, a wonderful spot for a family day in summer (open during the bathing season, roughly from May to September). A little further, but likewise well worth a trip, is the large Oederan adventure pool with its long slides. And if you fancy a proper day of swimming and wellness – even in rainy weather – it's worth the drive by car (a good three-quarters of an hour) to the AQUA MARIEN leisure pool in Marienberg, one of the largest adventure pools in Saxony, with a wave pool, slides, an outdoor brine pool and a spacious sauna landscape. ── Food & shopping ── Hennersdorf is a small village – there's no supermarket of its own here, but everything you need is quickly at hand. The nearest is the Netto up in Augustusburg (where you can also get fresh baked goods). If you'd like a bigger choice, you'll find several shops close together down in Flöha – Rewe, Edeka, Lidl, Aldi and Netto. For a bite to eat you don't have to go far at all: right here in our village, down by the Zschopau, is the little "Empanadas" run by Susie Benz, with savoury and sweet filled pastries, langos, coffee and cake (usually open only at weekends and on public holidays – do check beforehand). A cosy walking destination with regional cuisine is the Sternmühle inn in the Sternmühlental. In the neighbouring village, the Gasthof Witzschdorf serves hearty home-style cooking, and up at Augustusburg castle you can dine in a historic setting. For all of them the same applies: opening hours vary – a quick look at the respective website or a phone call before you set off is worthwhile. ── One last thing ── We hope with all our hearts that you feel completely at home with us. Should something not be right after all, or should you be missing anything, please tell us straight away while you're still here – then we'll come by and take care of it. Nothing matters more to us than that you feel at home here. And if you enjoyed your stay with us, we'd be absolutely delighted if you left a review – it means a great deal to us and helps others discover this enchanting little corner of the earth.