Spiegelau: Steinklamm Gorge, Glassmaking Tradition and Nature

The Steinklamm Gorge and its landscape

The Steinklamm Gorge in Spiegelau is a rocky ravine through which the Große Ohe river flows in a roar. Smoothly scoured potholes and diverse plant life shape the gorge. Water, rock and vegetation together create its natural character; the potholes also vividly illustrate the effect of water on the rock. This makes the Steinklamm Gorge a specific natural attraction to consider when planning your trip to Spiegelau.

Glassmaking tradition and Kneipp facility

Since the 15th century, people in Spiegelau have used local quartz deposits and wood from the Bavarian Forest to make glass. This history connects resources from Spiegelau and the Bavarian Forest with a local craft. If you are interested in the town’s development, this offers a historical perspective that is quite distinct from the landscape of the Steinklamm Gorge.

The Spiegelau natural Kneipp facility offers a different way to experience nature. Kneipp treatments in the mountain water of the Schwarzach are available there. A paved ramp makes the facility accessible to wheelchair users. The ramp is a practical detail to bear in mind if you would like to include the Kneipp facility in your plans.

Hiking trails with QR information

All hiking trails in Spiegelau are equipped with QR codes. Using a smartphone, you can access information about sights and Spiegelau’s history. This lets you explore local topics digitally while out on the trails. As digital services may change, check in advance if needed to see whether the QR information is still available.

The wider travel destination of Freyung-Grafenau

The Bavarian Forest National Park lies within the wider travel destination of Freyung-Grafenau and extends into the district. It opened on 7 October 1970 as Germany’s first national park. The 2024 zoning map designates 75.37 percent of the national park area as natural zones. These details provide a regional overview of the national park.

The Buchberger Leite Wildbachklamm gorge offers a different kind of landscape: steep rock barriers force the boulder-strewn, cascading Wolfsteiner Ohe into a deep, narrow channel. Remnants of primeval forest have survived in the gorge’s moss- and fern-rich woodlands. An eight-kilometre themed hiking trail, with information boards and an accompanying brochure, runs through the Buchberger Leite between Freyung and Ringelai. Historic timber-rafting walls, tunnels carved into the rock and above-ground channels bear witness to centuries of human activity there.

The Schramlhaus in Freyung is another cultural attraction in the wider travel destination. Built around 1700, it is the oldest farmstead in Freyung and, in terms of how well it has been preserved, one of the oldest in the district of Freyung-Grafenau. It houses more than a hundred original examples of reverse glass painting, a form of sacred folk art. The Wolfstein Local History Museum is also located there.

The wildlife enclosure near Neuschönau offers families another regional attraction. Visitors can learn about the national park and its native wildlife there. The circular trails are suitable for young children who are not yet able to cover long distances.

This can help you decide whether to focus your search mainly on Spiegelau’s local character or also include regional landscapes and cultural attractions.

Discover more destinations: Oberkreuzberg, Hohenau, Thurmansbang, Schöfweg, Perlesreut, Waldkirchen, Mauth, Röhrnbach.

Back to the regional travel overview: Freyung-Grafenau.