Großer Berg (439 m a.s.l.) is a quiet volcanic hill in Upper Lusatia, tucked away near the village of Großhennersdorf in the Görlitz district of Saxony. Don't let its modest height fool you — this basalt-capped summit offers genuine geological curiosities and a lovely woodland character that rewards a relaxed half-day outing.

The summit is draped in a mixed forest of mountain elms, beeches, ash trees, Norway maples, pedunculate oaks and small-leaved limes — lush and green in summer, gloriously colourful in autumn. On the southern slope you'll find the 'Steinernes Meer' ('Stone Sea'), a striking field of basalt boulders covering around 400 square metres, thought to be a weathering remnant from the Weichselian glacial period of the Pleistocene. Together with its neighbour Spitzer Berg (393 m) to the north-northeast, Großer Berg forms a continuous remnant of an ancient basalt sheet, giving the whole area an appealingly rugged edge beneath its leafy canopy.

• Großhennersdorf (roadside parking near the B178 federal road) — forest path, approx. 1.6 km from the village church, easy

• A transmission tower with a long-distance cable measuring point (FkM) stands just below the summit on the southern side — a useful landmark when navigating through the trees
• Neighbouring hills worth combining: Spitzer Berg (393 m), Schönbrunner Berg (428 m) to the east-southeast, and Kälberberg (361 m) to the northwest

Look out for lichens, cinquefoils and the sharp stonecrop clinging to the basalt rocks near the top — a small but charming reminder of the hill's volcanic past. Großer Berg remains refreshingly off the tourist trail, making it a perfect escape for those who like their hills quiet and their forests undisturbed.