Geo-Trail

-is rather short (3km) and leads north into the Wangener Grund, a former Unstrut riverbed. Upon reaching the forest on both sides, the Geo-Trail sharply turns right uphill and leads to the Bock, a sandstone high plateau (120m steep ascent).

Querfurter Mulde - Stage 2 - Escarpment Landscape

The 2nd stage leads much more evenly back down to today's level of the Unstrut (110m over 3.5km), then climbs steeply to the Vitzenburg in Zingst (25m caution: road usage within town). In the northeast, you can see a dissected valley ridge (Schmoner Talung, Vitzenburg) and behind it a plateau (Querfurter Platte). The Geo-Trail leads from the sandstone of the Ziegelrodaer Forest onto the Muschelkalk high plateau of the Querfurter Platte. In between lies the Schmoner Talung cut into soft red clays and gypsum (Upper Buntsandstein).

Trias Gate - Stage 3 - Buntsandstein Vitzenburg

The third stage starts with a view of the Trias Gate, the Unstrut breakthrough at Nebra. The Geo-Trail ascends the west side of the Vitzenburg ridge and passes the castle of the same name, through the village, heading north. Steeply (caution!) it goes down into the valley to Pretitz, and at the opposite end of the village climbs up to another plateau.

Salinare - Stage 4 - Red Beds; Limestone; Gypsum; Salt

The fourth stage (2.5km) starts on a plateau north of Pretitz with a panoramic view of the slopes rising steeply to the Querfurter Platte. On clear days, the namesake red hues of the red beds in the steep locations can be seen. Due to the substrate (claystone) and slope, even specialized plants struggle to form a closed vegetation cover here. To the north, the Geo-Trail turns into a hollow way (west) to the Siedebach, continuing to Weißenschirmbach. Heading west, you pass through the village and leave it through the Stachelrodaer Grund (Gobitz) towards the Birkenschäferei and the Ziegelrodaer Forest. The flat profile of this stage was modeled by the Siedebach out of basal red bed sediments. From the Ziegelrodaer Forest, the fields slope evenly to the east, marking the boundary of the Middle Buntsandstein. Up to Weißenschirmbach, the soft red bed rocks have already eroded away. The village itself still stands on the hard sandstone benches of the Middle Buntsandstein.

Groundwater - Stage 5 - Stachelrodaer Grund

The 5th stage is short but consistently goes uphill over 1.5 km. A total of 60 meters of altitude must be overcome. Around the well system in the Stachelrodaer Grund, the Geo-Trail enters a narrow V-shaped valley heading west and climbs up to the plateau towards the Birkenschäferei. The water abundance in these valleys is noticeable right from the first forest section. Nearly throughout the year, groundwater naturally emerges here. After a few hundred meters, the slopes widen. A distinct waterlogged area forms in the valley floor. In contrast, the valley flanks are extremely dry, covered with a sparse siliceous substrate. Centuries of use as orchards, grazing, and pasture have created a varied contrast of habitats rich in fauna and flora from the close proximity of water scarcity and surplus. These valleys are nature reserves. Riding through them is a privilege!

Plateau - Stage 6 - Tertiary Land Surface, Ice Age

The long 6th stage (12km) starts on the plateau. It is clearly visible how flat and even the landscape is. There are no peaks, only flat uplands at roughly the same level. The impressive profile with about 160 meters of climbs and descents was only cut by streams and rivers into a continuous plane recently. The Geo-Trail first leads west into the Ziegelrodaer Forest, then roughly north into the next, west-east oriented parallel valley towards Schmon (Pump House). On the southern valley side below Herrmannseck, it goes through the holiday settlement to the small reservoir. Continually downhill towards the Querfurter Platte, passing through Ober- and Niederschmon (federal road). Behind the arch bridge, the ascent begins through the Schmoner slopes, a particularly protected area to be passed quickly and appropriately. Overall, it traverses the Middle Buntsandstein to the Lower Muschelkalk in chronological order.

Querfurter Platte – Stage 7 - Muschelkalk, Fossils

The seventh stage begins on the plateau of the Schmoner slopes and leads along the edge of the Querfurter Platte north to the B 250. After crossing it, you reach the steep edge above the Leimbach valley. One of these wide, parallel west-east oriented valleys. Heading southwest down into it, following the old path from Querfurt. Through Leimbach, you pass under another railway bridge at the village's western exit. Built of Buntsandstein, it crosses the valley whose exit leads to Hermannseck. The Geo-Trail meets the L 172 in a traffic-calmed zone. This must be used for 500m – caution! At the old forest, the route turns north into the Ziegelrodaer Forest.

Ziegelrodaer Forest – Stage 8 - Relief, Use

The eighth stage continues heading north, passing by the well system. In a tight loop, it descends steeply towards Lautersburg. In the valley bottom, you meet the Querne, whose course accompanies the Geo-Trail further. Around the ponds, it goes northeast towards Lodersleben. At the bottleneck where the forest road crosses the stream, the route turns right onto a small path and stays on the southern valley side. Shortly before the forest edge, the stage ends at the spring intake of the Red Born.

Quernetal - Stage 9 - Querne, Water

The ninth stage is very short at 2km and runs almost entirely along the level of the Querne. Along the stream bed, you reach a small alder forest, a further spring area extending to the bridge. Straight ahead along the stream, you reach the former castle park with summer stage and pond. To the right, uphill behind the clubhouse, the route leads to the western park edge, directly below the castle. Returning to the Querne here, the park is enclosed by a massive sandstone wall. Along this, the Geo-Trail leads away from the stream and climbs steeply south to the former quarry area Trümpelberg (25 meters elevation).

Lodersleben - Stage 10 - Buntsandstein, Quarrying, Craft

The tenth stage is also short (2km) and descends over 50 meters into the Querne floodplain, directly below the steep slope of the Querfurter Platte. Around the Trümpelberg, it passes the now built-over quarries of Lodersleben heading west (Kacheltor). A short stretch leads downhill to the north on Leimbacher Straße within town. (Caution!) The Geo-Trail sharply bends west onto Apfelweg, leading to the “Sudel” up to L219 (Allstedt-Querfurt). Before the highway, the route follows below the steep slopes of the northernmost valley side to cross the former railway street. The abundance of dimension stone is visible everywhere in Lodersleben. The Querne divides the village into two halves. Sandstone outcrops rise on both valley sides; many buildings are founded directly on these rocks (castle, forester’s house).

Sinkholes – Stage 11 – Subrosion, Dolines

The last, eleventh stage leads from the wide valley east into the narrow Muschelkalk breakthrough of the Querne towards Burg Querfurt. At 3.5 km length, there are short inclines with a total of 50 meters of ascent and descent.

Along the former railway track to the city vineyard, the Geo-Trail before it changes in a hairpin over the derelict monastery site (Mareinzell) across the Querne to the other valley side. Behind the tracks, below the spruces, the route turns sharply east again and follows the valley. Behind the gate, the accompanying coniferous forest on the north slope retreats. The path forks and the Geo-Trail takes the ascending path up to the transformer tower. From there, straight into Aug.-Bebel-Str., reaching the western castle tower. Through the outer castle, the route leads left down to the destination, the entrance gate into the Geo-Nature Park – the northeast bastion.  

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