The best traffic-free bike rides around Neukirchen-Balbini

The wooden sphere is certainly a highlight on the lake. Personally, however, it wouldn't be worth €13 entrance fee for me (as of May 2026)

the wooden ball is visible from some places

very nice paths around the lake

Lake Steinberger Lake Steinberger is part of the Upper Palatinate Lake District and, with an area of 1.84 km², is the largest lake in the Upper Palatinate. It was named after the municipality of Steinberg am See. It is 1.98 km long, 1.4 km wide, and has a maximum depth of 50 meters. The Schreckerbach stream feeds and drains the lake. After the Bavarian lignite industry ceased mining operations in the mid-1980s, the open-cast mine "Steinberger See" was flooded by reducing the water level. Remaining mining equipment was demolished and still lies on the lakebed. Two small, wooded islands also remain, which now divide the lake into a northern and a southern section. In the following decades, tourism developed at Lake Steinberger, bringing a degree of economic growth to the region. In addition to the Steinberger Yacht Club (SYC), founded in 1987, the area now boasts a sailing school, a water ski lift, a boat rental, a leisure park for families and children, a surf club, and most recently, an adventure golf course and a roughly 40-meter-high wooden "adventure sphere" with viewing platforms, an obstacle course, and a giant slide. Numerous restaurants, inns, and cafés complement the leisure offerings. A water rescue station has been established for the safety of visitors. Due to the increasing improvement in water quality and visibility in recent years, Lake Steinberger has become one of the most popular diving areas in the Upper Palatinate. Like all lakes in the Upper Palatinate Lake District, which originated from lignite mines, the water is acidic due to leaching. Because of the ongoing improvement in water quality, fish populations are steadily increasing. Perch and the occasional pike have been observed most frequently. The water is very clean; on windless days, visibility is possible to a depth of at least 10 meters. Occasionally, the tops of dead trees can be seen on the bottom. According to the ordinance issued by the Schwandorf District Office on August 8, 2002, the entire Steinberger See is open for diving. Especially in summer and winter, very good visibility (up to 20 meters) has been possible in recent years. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de

Knappensee The lake's origins can be traced back to the cessation of lignite mining by the Bavarian lignite industry in the 1980s. Flooding of the pit began in 1981, creating the lake with an area of 55 hectares and an average depth of 5 meters (deepest point: 6.5 meters). It is approximately 1 kilometer long and 460 meters wide. The lake's name likely derives from the miners' association or the miners of the open-cast mine, whose work led to its creation after mining operations ceased. The "Knappensee Circular Trail" was created around the lake. Since 2012, this trail, offering 3,900 meters of hiking and cycling routes, has been intended to support tourism in the region. Two-thirds of the circular trail lies within the municipality of Wackersdorf. A parking lot for cars is available on the south side. The water quality of the lake is monitored by the Weiden Water Management Office in the Upper Palatinate region using a measuring station located in the northern third of the lake. The measurement data is available from the Bavarian State Office for the Environment. After the open-cast mine was flooded, the lake water was highly acidic (pH value in 1998: 3.6); however, this has since changed unexpectedly, as the pH value is now reported to be 6.8. Fishing in the lake is permitted only with a fishing license and a local day permit, with a maximum catch of 5 fish per day. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de

Lake Steinberger Lake Steinberger is part of the Upper Palatinate Lake District and, with an area of 1.84 km², is the largest lake in the Upper Palatinate. It was named after the municipality of Steinberg am See. It is 1.98 km long, 1.4 km wide, and has a maximum depth of 50 meters. The Schreckerbach stream feeds and drains the lake. After the Bavarian lignite industry ceased mining operations in the mid-1980s, the open-cast mine "Steinberger See" was flooded by reducing the water level. Remaining mining equipment was demolished and still lies on the lakebed. Two small, wooded islands also remain, which now divide the lake into a northern and a southern section. In the following decades, tourism developed at Lake Steinberger, bringing a degree of economic growth to the region. In addition to the Steinberger Yacht Club (SYC), founded in 1987, the area now boasts a sailing school, a water ski lift, a boat rental, a leisure park for families and children, a surf club, and most recently, an adventure golf course and a roughly 40-meter-high wooden "adventure sphere" with viewing platforms, an obstacle course, and a giant slide. Numerous restaurants, inns, and cafés complement the leisure offerings. A water rescue station has been established for the safety of visitors. Due to the increasing improvement in water quality and visibility in recent years, Lake Steinberger has become one of the most popular diving areas in the Upper Palatinate. Like all lakes in the Upper Palatinate Lake District, which originated from lignite mines, the water is acidic due to leaching. Because of the ongoing improvement in water quality, fish populations are steadily increasing. Perch and the occasional pike have been observed most frequently. The water is very clean; on windless days, visibility is possible to a depth of at least 10 meters. Occasionally, the tops of dead trees can be seen on the bottom. According to the ordinance issued by the Schwandorf District Office on August 8, 2002, the entire Steinberger See is open for diving. Especially in summer and winter, very good visibility (up to 20 meters) has been possible in recent years. Source: Excerpts from www.wikipedia.de

The Mariental inn is only open on weekends. The next place to stop for refreshments would be in Ramspau G.H., near the church.

Very nice place with nice path next to the rain