Eschlkam can be explored through a range of themes: Drachensee has circular routes for pedestrians and cyclists, while works of art and a memorial highlight encounters at the border and border history. To plan your visit, it is worth first considering the kind of route that interests you: a route by the lake, a longer cycle tour through the market municipality, or a focus on art and culture.
Drachensee: Circular Routes for Pedestrians and Cyclists
About three-quarters of the Drachensee reservoir area lies within the town of Furth im Wald, and about one-quarter within the municipality of the market town of Eschlkam. Around the lake, there is an approximately 10-kilometre circular route for pedestrians and an approximately 11-kilometre circular route for cyclists. Both take in not only the lakeshore but also notable features of the surrounding landscape. The approximate distances are similar, so your choice also depends on whether you want to complete the route on foot or by bike.
Comparing Cycling and Walking Routes
If you are planning a longer cycle tour through the market municipality, consider the 25-kilometre cycling loop with 480 metres of elevation gain. It is on a different scale from the approximately 11-kilometre cycling loop around Drachensee. Check local route information before setting out. This will help you compare the distance and stated elevation gain with your own plans, without treating the two tours as equivalent.
Another option on foot is the Warzenrieder Bankerlweg, which passes through the former municipality. There are places to sit and lovely views along the way. In addition to the two routes around Drachensee, this means you can choose between a further walking route and a longer cycle tour as different ways to plan a trip in the Eschlkam area.
Art and Border History
The permanent exhibition of the Waldschmidt Association in Eschlkam documents Maximilian Schmidt’s life and career through personal belongings, certificates, books, display panels and models. This biographical approach brings together different kinds of exhibits: personal belongings and documents are presented alongside an engaging display of panels and models.
The art trail on Leminger Höhe near Eschlkam features six works on the theme “Border Encounters – Paths Between East and West.” Another artistic highlight can be found on the route to Stachesried: the art pavilion there is decorated with large-scale paintings. The two themes offer different perspectives, from encounters and paths between East and West to painting in the pavilion.
The Schwirzer Memorial is a granite figure commemorating the Schwirzer, also known as Pascher. At night, they smuggled goods such as tobacco, salt and oxen across the border. The memorial adds a specific historical remembrance to the art-related themes. Together with the art trail, it creates a cultural focus distinct from the circular routes around Drachensee.
More to Explore in the Wider Cham Destination
The wider Cham destination offers more themes in other towns in the district. In Furth im Wald, the Dragon Cave offers a tour with information about the town’s dragon story, the festival play and the dragon robot’s technology. Check the operator’s current visitor information before your visit. The summer festival plays are part of the Drachenstich tradition in Furth im Wald; no specific dates are provided here.
In Rötz, the Schwarzwihrberg Nature Forest Reserve is part of the “Schwarzwihrberg near Rötz” Special Area of Conservation (SAC). In Neukirchen beim Heiligen Blut, the Pilgrimage Museum is housed in the former administrative castle and contains treasures from the pilgrimage church’s archive. These destinations broaden the picture of Cham to include nature and pilgrimage history, while the routes, artworks and memorial sites mentioned above remain distinctive highlights of Eschlkam.
Plan Your Stay and Journey
When looking for a hotel in Eschlkam, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: the shorter routes around Drachensee, the longer cycling loop through the market municipality, or art and border history. The differences in distance and theme give you a practical basis for tailoring your plans to your interests.
For travel from Furth im Wald to Eschlkam, the market municipality lists bus route 590. Check the timetable before travelling, as route numbers and timetables may change.
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Back to the overview of the wider destination: Cham.
