Steinberg is a 442-metre wooded hill in the Zittau Mountains area of Upper Lusatia, Saxony, formerly known as Katzenkopf (Cat's Head). Together with the neighbouring Breiteberg and Seidelsberg, it forms a trio of distinctive phonolite domes that rise above the Zittau Basin.

The summit itself is covered in dense mixed forest, so there's no view from the very top - but that's not really the point here. The dry, warm forest edges on the eastern and southern slopes are home to broom and Solomon's seal, and part of the rocky summit area is protected as a natural monument. It's a quiet, low-key place for a walk in any season - autumn brings rich forest colours, while winter offers peaceful, near-empty trails.

How to reach the summit

• Bertsdorf (Oberdorf) - approach from the east, about 1 hour, easy difficulty
• Alternatively, the Oberlausitzer Ringweg trail runs along the eastern slope, connecting Steinberg with Seidelsberg

Practical information

• The summit itself is forested and offers no view - the viewpoints lie on the slopes below the top
• From the south-eastern slopes there's an open view over the Zittau Basin to the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd
• From the southern and south-western slopes you can see the western Zittau Mountains, including Jonsberg, Buchberg, Lausche and Weberberg
• A memorial stone from 1854 stands on the northern slope, marking the completion of the mountain's reforestation begun in 1847

On the nearby Katzenhöhe plateau stands the so-called Mordstein, a stone commemorating the murder of 22-year-old Marie Rosine Wagner by her fiancé in 1825 - a somewhat darker footnote to this otherwise peaceful hill.