Sächsiche Schweiz

After spending a day in Dresden, we headed up the Elbe river for a couple days of walking in the Sächsiche Schweiz, a group of basalt and limestone hills through which the river has carved a beautiful gorge. We took the S-Bahn to Schmilka and then crossed the river on this ferry - notice the Saturday morning crowd of hikers boarding the ferry!


We hiked up to Großer Winterberg and had lunch at the mountain hut located there - they even had two vegan options for Iva to choose from (she's on Lent)! This part of the mountains is located in a national park and is popular with Germans, especially in the summertime. (Though we hear that the part just across the border in Czech Republic is just as scenic.) After lunch, we hiked by a number of interesting rock formations.


We ended the day in Hohnstein, a cute little village with a long and complicated history. The small castle there has apparently been both a prison and a youth hostel several times throughout the last 400 years. Currently it is a hotel. Here is a view of the town church and the tea shop owned by the family we stayed with.


We enjoyed our breakfast basket the next morning, complete with delicous coffee and hot rolls!


After strolling around Hohnstein, we headed west, where the trail passed through some exciting tunnels with steep stairs.


We had a nice view of Hohnstein from the other side of the valley.


We passed by Bastei, an area with interesting rock formations which people have been visiting (and writing their names on) since at least the 1400s. There's also a lot of organized rock climbing in the area - these two columns have bolts on top (as do many others) for anyone interested in a fun project.


From Bastei we also had a nice view of the Elbe river. This is the town of Rathen. The train runs up the right side of the river; you can see the docks for the passenger ferry.



Here is a view of the trail as we headed further west - the rainy climate has left vegetation which was comforably familiar for those from the Pacific Northwest!


We took a Kaffee und Kuchen break at this cute hut, aptly named "Waldidylle". Actually, Paul had a coffee and a cake, while Iva had a beer. Quite civilized, this hiking...


Finally, we ended our trip in Stadt Wehlen, one of the older villages along the Elbe. From here we took a ferry back across the river and got on the train back to Dresden; from there we headed home. Here is the mini-cathedral in Stadt Wehlen.