Geopfad Zscheiplitz

Short description

A circular hiking trail of about 3 km in and around Zscheiplitz.

Description

The circular hiking trail takes you back 250 million years into the geological past. The geological educational trail extends above the Unstrut valley and is directly adjacent to the Unstrut cycle path.
There are 11 educational boards on the trail providing information about the geological features. In Zscheiplitz, the occurrences of the Lower Muschelkalk (deposits of a Triassic marginal sea) reach a thickness of 100 m.
The landscapes profiling with steep rock walls, remnants of past quarrying activities, now serves as viewing windows offering insights into the Earths history. Another testimony to limestone extraction and processing is the foundation wall of a lime kiln.

Guided tours by the Geo-Nature Park can be arranged upon telephone reservation.

Extended tour description:

Hiking from Zeddenbacher Mühle:


The mill is one of the last remaining watermills still in operation. The on-site shop offers regional and homemade products. Mill tours are available.
From the street Schweigenberge, you reach the starting point. From there, you ascend to Zscheiplitz and eventually arrive at Weingut Pawis.

Hiking from Weingut Pawis:
From the parking lot at Weingut Pawis, head towards the former limestone quarry and follow the signs for the educational trail. The path leads to the monastery complex and Gut Zscheiplitz. Passing by the monastery church, you will have a view of Zeddenbacher Mühle and the Freyburg Unstrut valley. In between are the steep slopes of the Schweigenberge, an excellent terraced vineyard location. Heading towards the water tower, you will eventually reach the Weingut Pawis and return to the parking lot at the fire department. If you started at Zeddenbacher Mühle, go back to the viewpoint at the cannon and descend along the slope.

Route description

Hiking from Zeddenbacher Mühle
The mill is one of the last remaining watermills still in operation and is definitely worth a visit. The on-site shop offers regional and homemade products. Mill tours are available.
To reach the starting point, the tour first follows the road Mühle Zeddenbach. At the intersection, turn left onto the street Schweigenberge. After about 50m, you will reach the starting point. Via a gravel path, ascend to Zscheiplitz (about 100 meters in altitude). Following the path, you will arrive at the parking lot next to Weingut Pawis. Here, you will find the educational boards Showcase into a sea of the Middle Earth and Zscheiplitzer Talung. The first stage is completed.

Hiking from Weingut Pawis
At Weingut Pawis, there is a parking lot (fire department). From there, the village street leads north towards Weischütz. Follow this and cross after 50m. Opposite, enter the field path that runs parallel to the forest edge towards the west. (Attention! The signs are easy to miss). After a short distance, the path turns at a right angle south into the forest, leading to the former limestone quarry. After about 300m, the path opens up into a larger mining area. You will walk between two spoil heaps and continue in a southern direction. Soon, you will have a beautiful view of the exposed rock. Following the geological trail southwest, after about 150m on the left side, you will find a long section in the Muschelkalk with foam limestone benches and ripple limestone. Here stands the educational board Formation of limestone.
Following the signs, you will reach a lime kiln, where lime was burned until the 1960s. From here, you will have a view of the Unstrut valley towards Balgstädt, as well as towards Laucha and Karsdorf.

The educational trail continues towards the southeast, parallel to the embankment edge. After about 150m, a bench invites you for a picnic. You will be rewarded with a 180° panorama of the Unstrut valley. The path then runs alongside a spoil heap for about 100m, then turns east, passing by burnt lime remains. The geological trail now runs northeast. After about 200m, you will reach a well-signposted crossroads. Following the path, you will then head towards the monastery complex and Gut Zscheiplitz. Soon, you will reach the entrance to the monastery with stairs leading to the viewpoint Nonnenturm. The tour follows along the monastery wall, built from Zscheiplitzer limestone.

You will pass below the monastery church. After a few meters, at the cannon from the Napoleonic campaigns, you will have a view of Zeddenbacher Mühle and the Freyburg Unstrut valley. In between are the steep slopes of the Schweigenberge, an excellent terraced vineyard location. Continuing along the monastery wall, the path leads towards the water tower. After about 50m, there is an option to reach the monastery complex via some stairs. A few steps away is Weingut Pawis. Crossing through the winery, you will return to the parking lot (fire department) after about 100m. If you started at Zeddenbacher Mühle, head back to the viewpoint at the cannon and descend along the slope.