Early to rise from our grand room at Pension Body-Sun. Unlike every other hotel in Germany, this place serves breakfast (and great coffee!) starting at 6 am, so we manage a quick exit from Niesky.
The official route of the E10 makes an inexplicable detour along roads, but we choose to head straight south over a small clump of forest mountains known as Königshaner Berge, notable for some fine views and a very long Autobahn tunnel far below.
We think we've reconnected with the E10 at this point but the signage is a little confusing. There's no longer a consistent blaze color to follow, sometimes a red stripe, sometimes a yellow dot, sometimes just a path that seems to be heading the right direction. We make our best guesses and follow the trail past the rocky outcropping called Teufelsberg, and up over the Hochstein peak. There's a nice looking restaurant here, but it's closed today.
This area of Saxony is punctuated by mountain peaks, which are islands of semi-developed wilderness surrounded by agriculture and small towns. Down from Hochstein we follow the trail on roads through the town of Reichenbach, over the mountain Rotstein, down on roads again, and then over Löbauer Berg just east of the town of Löbau. Löbau looks like a nice place but the temptation to keep moving is too great, so instead we head south through the charming village of Niedercunnersdorf and into the even-more-charming village of Obercunnersdorf, with slate-shingled houses and a beautiful arched railroad bridge.
Here we're very tired -- we've traveled probably 40 kilometers today! On the far southeast side of town there's a single hotel, once a grand place and now clearly being run on a shoestring. They advertise dinner nightly, but when pressed they suggest we seek our vittles elsewhere. Unfortunately we're out of food, and there are no stores in town. Should have bought more in Niesky! There are a couple of restaurants, both closed today. Luckily, far on the other side of town, just past the pool, one place is still serving, and we have a fine little dinner and a weary sunset tromp back to the hotel.
We think we've reconnected with the E10 at this point but the signage is a little confusing. There's no longer a consistent blaze color to follow, sometimes a red stripe, sometimes a yellow dot, sometimes just a path that seems to be heading the right direction. We make our best guesses and follow the trail past the rocky outcropping called Teufelsberg, and up over the Hochstein peak. There's a nice looking restaurant here, but it's closed today.
Here we're very tired -- we've traveled probably 40 kilometers today! On the far southeast side of town there's a single hotel, once a grand place and now clearly being run on a shoestring. They advertise dinner nightly, but when pressed they suggest we seek our vittles elsewhere. Unfortunately we're out of food, and there are no stores in town. Should have bought more in Niesky! There are a couple of restaurants, both closed today. Luckily, far on the other side of town, just past the pool, one place is still serving, and we have a fine little dinner and a weary sunset tromp back to the hotel.
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