Tom`s travels: Malerweg (15-19/07/2020)

My girlfriend and I decided to do a hiking trip together and ended up choosing a place not too far from Berlin. After a bit of research online I found this interesting multi-day hike winding its way through the beautiful Saxon Switzerland National Park. This national park is located in Eastern Germany on the southeastern corner of the state of Saxony. It is part of the larger area known as the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, a group of interesting rock formations that jut out in isolated forms along the Elbe river and that are found in both Germany and the Czech Republic. So after taking an early morning direct train from Berlin, we were off and reached the small town of Stadt Wehlen a few kilometers southeast of Dresden. Here we got off the train and headed to the ferry stop where a boat took across the Elbe to the center of town. This place marks the start of the National Park, where the river Elbe makes a series of sharp bends and slowly eroded the surrounding landscape creating the beautiful scenery that can be seen today. In Wehlen we walked through the pretty small main square, the Marktplatz surrounded by the typical central European architecture that is also typical of this area. From there, our hike then started by following the marked trail of the Malerweg, which if followed fully takes you about 112km divided into 8 stages in a circular way around the Saxon Switzerland National Park. As we started heading uphill from the town, we soon entered a nice pine and beech forest which would characterize most of our hike. The sky was unfortunately cloudy but at least it did not promise rain. Soon after the climb, we reached the first and most important attraction point in the whole park, the Bastei. One of the many rock formations we would encounter in the next few days this is the best known because it has been a tourist attraction for more than 200 years. Due to its easy accessibility, interesting structure, and beautiful panorama a wooden bridge was built here in 1824 allowing visitors to head easily over the rocks. In 1851 the wooden bridge was substituted by the current sandstone one creating a perfect mix between man-made and natural structures. The bridge and panorama have been visited by millions of tourists since the 19th century and many artists have been inspired by it, one of whom is Caspar David Friedrich. The Bastei is set at 305m above sea level and rises right up from the Elbe river for about 194m creating an impressive cliff. Obviously due to its popularity, despite the covid and maybe actually because of it, there was an impressive amount of tourists there, probably all those locals who had decided not to spend their holidays abroad and stay in Germany instead. As we pushed our way through the crowd, we reached the other end of the bridge and here decided to visit the small open-air museum of the Neurathen Castle which required a small fee to visit. This once large castle that was built right on top and among the rocks now amounts to some ruins set in a picturesque point. The viewpoint was much better than the bridge itself and because the entry ticket allowed us to have some respite from most other tourists. From there we then followed a nice natural staircase leading through the rock which eventually took us into the small town of Rathen, where most of the tourists land when visiting the Bastei. We noticed how many of the visitors were day hikers with tiny bags, dressing not appropriate for hiking, and the typical slow walk of the mass tourists. Luckily those kinds of tourists would not be seen for the rest of our hike, which because of its remoteness and tough terrain would then mostly consist of experienced multi-day hikers. We strolled through Rathen and continued on following the signposts of the Malerweg indicating the next landmark. We passed by the pretty Amselsee, a reservoir created in the 1930s by blocking the small Grunbach river that ran down the Amselgrund valley. Along the lakeside, some paddle boats were parked waiting for the visitors to rent them and take them around the body of water. As we then continued on along the path and past some beautiful tall rock walls, it, unfortunately, started to rain and so we quickly took out our rain covers and continued on. Shortly after we then reached an old mill in the small village of Rathewalde. Here we stopped to have a hot tea and warm up before continuing onwards. We walked through the village and were now following the path running to the side of some wheat fields covered in beautiful blue flowers, here the harvest takes place much later than in Italy I noticed. The path then headed back into the forest and again through the typical rock formation of the area where a nice viewpoint was set from where we could see our destination for the day, the small town of Hohnstein. Between us and the town, which was also set high above the rocks, there was a deep valley which we were supposed to descend to and then climb up again on the other side to reach Hohnstein. The way down was steep but really cool and involved walking down a metal staircase built deep inside the rock. The rock walls were several meters high and as I walked I often brushed my shoulders on either side as the way was really narrow. We eventually came out of the canyon-like trail and ended up down in the Polenztal valley which we had seen from above. We followed the trail beautifully sided by lush green ferns and then headed back up on the other side through an easier but less exciting way up to the town of Hohnstein. The town is built at the western edge of a plateau right above the Polenztal on the cliff edge partly over some of the limestone rock formations. To the east, it is surrounded by relatively flat terrain covered in fields and grazing cows. As we reached the town we then decided to head to our accommodation, the Meschkes Gasthaus, located outside the city center. Here another young couple was waiting for the owner to arrive and show us to our rooms. After getting our key we went to our room where we finally unpacked, showered, and laid down to rest after a nice 15km first day.

The following day we decided to explore the old town of Hohnstein before setting ourselves on the path once more as we didn't have a chance to do it the day before. Composed of traditional Baroque architecture, we passed by the main square, the Marktplatz where the Stadtkirche is located. The church was closed so we headed further uphill until we reached the Hohnstein castle. The main gate was open so we headed in to explore it. Built at the highest spot in town and right above the Polenz valley on the cliff edge of sandstone rocks, it is composed of several buildings creating a rather large complex. The castle was built around the 13th century and was used as a defensive structure until it was then transformed into a correctional institute and then juvenile prison at the end of the 19th century. In 1925 it became a youth hostel, one of the largest in Germany, but during the war, a concentration camp was set up here. After the war, it was turned again into a hostel and nowadays partly serves that function still. We explored it by passing the first building which features a Renaissance style and then walked inside the main courtyard where baroque structures mix with medieval surviving ones. The view from here was very nice, both of the old town on one side and the forests and sandstone rocks on the other. From the castle, we then followed a trail that connected us to the official Malerweg way which we followed meandering through the beautiful lush forest. The weather changed rapidly from moments of light rain to others where the sun could be nearly seen peering through the thick clouds. We passed by the nice Gautschgrotte, a natural cave formed beneath a high rock wall where a family was having their breakfast or lunch. The path then continued on sided by a green carpet of mosses and ferns and heading deeper in the woods. At one point we noticed several raspberry bushes, and noticing the fruit was red and ripe picked some to eat on the go. After a bit of walking along the nice trail, we reached then the Brand-Baude Restaurant. It was hosted inside these three cottages set on a dramatic cliff edge overlooking the Elbe valley and beyond. It was in fact the best sight so far and most fortunately the sun had even decided to show itself at that moment. We both thought it would be great to have a break there, so we decided to grab a seat at one of those tables and get some lunch from the restaurant. I had a Knodel soup, while Ania had sauerkraut and bread dumplings. By the time we were done with our food and had enjoyed the sunshine, menacing clouds had come sweeping in at threatened rain. A few minutes later, as we were back following the main trail rain started pouring and we quickly covered ourselves with the raincoat. Some others we passed didn't seem as prepared as us and were trying to find shelter beneath large trees or rocks. We continued on descending a series of natural stairs in the rock until we reached the valley below and from there had to head back up on the other side. Luckily as we started our ascent the rain stopped and the sun came back to shine just as we reached the small village of Waitzdorf at the top. The trail passed through some fields and then back into the forest, and keeping the cliff edge to our right. Every now and then we would walk to the edge and take pictures of the beautiful scenery presented in front of us with the ever-present form of the Pfaffenstein mountain jutting out among the flat land around it far off in the distance. From the rocky outcrop, we then descended through a nice dense forest with the sun's rays filtering through the trees and warming us up. We then reached a small group of buildings where a train track ran through and which we found out to be an abandoned coal mill, the Goßdorf-Kohlmühle. We followed the trail further and after a short climb passed through some nice open fields where some cows were laying and taking their afternoon nap. Among the fields, we came across a few cherry trees with their ripe fruits hanging for us to grab. We took some by climbing the tree trunk and ate them thinking they tasted delicious. Not far ahead we passed through the small village of Altendorf and followed the main road which eventually brought us to Bad Schandau, our destination for the day. Here we had booked a lovely loft in an apartment complex, Apartmenthaus Saxonia, a couple of minutes walk from the city center. After checking in we unpacked our bags took a nice shower and then headed to visit the town. Located on the bank of the Elbe river the town features a small historical center made up of typical baroque and neoclassical buildings. At the center of the town is the nice Marktplatz with a baroque fountain and the nice church of St John dating from the 17th century. The waterfront is lined with a series of nice buildings featuring an architectural style from the late 19th century called the Gründerzeit and which are all now prestigious hotels. After walking around a bit we decided it was time to eat and we opted for a crowded Chinese restaurant called Kaisergarten which had tasty food. After dinner, it was time to head back to our accommodation for a good night's sleep after about 22km of walking.

The next morning, after breakfast in the apartment we then rejoined the official trail for the third stage of the hike. We soon left the main road and entered the thick forest among which we immediately came across the typical rocky formations. After a bit of walking along the main trail, we eventually reached a point where we took a small deviation that took us to the top of a large free-standing rock formation known as Schrammsteine. The way up was narrow steep and quite crowded as several people wished to go up as well. Obviously as many in front of us were old and not trained it took a bit of patience and long waits at each tough and slippery ladder. After a while, we were finally on top and admiring a beautiful view all around us. Several viewpoints granted some fantastic photo opportunities and despite the clouds covering the sky, the view was incredible. After a bit of sightseeing, we continued onwards following the trail which ran along the top of the rocky formation, through nooks and crannies and over boulders and trees. The sun then came out for a few brief moments and we took the chance to admire the panorama and take several pictures. We continued following the trail, past a scenic point, the Breite Kluft, and then down a series of steps dug through the rock that took us to the bottom of a narrow valley. Here we made a large loop and then started the ascent of another rocky formation. The way, as usual, was dug through the rock and in many points as narrow as our shoulders, and we often needed to help ourselves with the railings to climb further up. This area was quite empty of people, as it was far from any town, village, or train station so the day hikers would not have managed to reach it. Instead, there were some occasional more trained hikers probably doing a multi-day hike like us. After reaching the top of the rock formation known as Affensteine, we headed to its furthest tip from where we had a beautiful panorama looking westwards. We could clearly see the whole way we had walked so far and the Schrammsteine rock group where we had been shortly before. Here two guys were hanging about and we asked them if they could take a picture of us. We then figured out they were from Hamburg and had come for the day and were planning to head back to their car but had no idea where to go and how long it would take them. I tried to help them by giving them a general direction and an estimated time, at which they decided to leave in order to make it back before nightfall. We on the other hand stayed in that spot for a while enjoying and taking in the wondrous view, before finally setting ourselves back on the track. We followed the trail which took us back down through another valley, this time keeping low right below the rocky formations. We walked for a while like this, sided by tall beautiful trees and often noticing the tall cliffs appearing among the thicket. A few kilometers later we then reached a road once more, which shortly after took us right to our accommodation for the day, the Gasthof Lichtenhainer Wasserfall. This nice guesthouse is a typical Saxon timber-framed building constructed during the 19th century right next to a small waterfall, the Lichtenhain, hence the name of the place. Once there we were shown to our room upstairs, a small but cozy bedroom, where we were able to unpack, shower, and rest our legs after another 17km but this time with many ups and downs. For dinner, we had opted to eat in the guesthouse as it was the only place within kilometers and were quite surprised by the food as it was quite tasty. I had a filling goulash with typical flat bread dumplings, called Bohmische Knodel. After eating we headed back upstairs to sleep, ready for the next day.

In the morning, we finally rose to a bright sunny day. Our hike started out immediately through a nice forest which eventually gave way to a large rocky formation known as the Wildenstein. This rock once used to hold a castle, the Burg Wildenstein, at its top, but nowadays barely any trace is left of it. However, the main attraction point here was the peculiar Kuhstall, an arched hole through the rock which provided an impressive viewpoint over the surrounding landscape. As it was still early, there weren't any people yet and we took the chance to take some pictures and admire the scenery. An extremely narrow path leading through the stone and to the top of the rock was just next to the arch and we followed it to have another beautiful view. The sun had finally made everything look even nicer and we enjoyed it for quite a bit before deciding to follow the trail further. After a bit of hiking through more forest we reached the road again and another solitary guesthouse, that of Felsenmuhle. The first cars were arriving and parking in the area, most probably day hikers wishing to start their trips from there. After reaching another guesthouse, Nuemannmuhle, further up the road we took the trail heading in back through the forest from there. The way was nice and void of any people, straight and easy and sided by moss-covered low cliffs on either side. A couple of kilometers later, in a small open field deep in the forest, we reached the Gastwirtschaft Altes Zeughaus, a small restaurant which seemed quite popular as it was already full. We stopped here to have lunch as the way ahead was through the wilderness and there wasn't any sign of any place to rest for quite a bit. I had a tarte flambee while Ania had a pumpkin soup. After lunch, we got back on the trail and headed deeper through the forest. It was just the two of us for quite some time, lulled by the sound of our feet on the pathway and other sounds of nature all around us. Sometime later, the pathway became a narrow trail through overgrown grass which made it even more adventurous. Eventually, we came across a small boundary stone that marked the border between Germany and the Czech Republic. We were now entering the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, a continuation of the German one. As we left the border behind us and continued along the trail we eventually joined a larger pathway and started spotting the first people once again. The crowd started getting larger and larger as we went on and soon it felt like strolling through a city's main street. The way was nice nonetheless, sided by a high cliff on one side and on the other a vast open wide panorama. We soon arrived at the highlight of the Czech side, the Pravčická brána, the largest stone archway not only in the whole Elbe Sandstone mountains but supposedly in the whole of Europe. The place, as popular as the Bastei on the German side, was packed with tourists, and it looked as if the pandemic never even existed. At its base, an inn had been built during the 19th century and now functions as a guesthouse, restaurant, and ticket office to see the natural bridge. We decided not to pay to see the natural bridge up close and instead admired it from the outside. Then we headed back down the path and followed the main way down the valley. Here we crossed the road and then headed uphill on the other side, walking for a few kilometers before reaching the small village of Mezná. Here we stopped at a nice place called Ubytování U Marešů where we had a light snack. Then we followed the trail which eventually took us down a deep gorge formed by the Kamenice river. A nice trail winded its way alongside the river and right next to the rocky wall which we followed until we reached a small wooden hut. The hut was the ticket office where we intended to buy passage on the boat to reach the nearby town of Hřensko, in fact, the trail ended and the only way onwards was by boat. Luckily we just managed to arrive for the last ride of the day, but obviously, the line was insanely long. We waited for more than half-hour and finally got our chance to get on a small boat where about 16 people would fit, plus the man punting the boat. There was no distance between passengers and literally nobody was wearing a mask. Nonetheless, the ride was very enjoyable and we managed to see some beautiful scenery along the way. The person manning the punt spoke only Czech and German and listed the beautiful rocky cliffs as we slid past, indicating some which looked like mythical creatures, animals, or even famous people. I also learned that the gorge in which we were was once much more narrow and back in the 1890s Prince Edmund Clary-Aldringen had hired Italian construction workers to widen it allowing the boats and tourists to visit the area. The river is in fact split into different parts: we had walked through the Edmund Gorge first (named after the bridge) and were now punting our way down the main, Wild Gorge. Further upriver there were also some smaller and lesser-known gorges such as the Ferdinand and Divoka ones. After the enjoyable ride, we reached the end of the gorge where we then disembarked and continued on foot for a few hundred meters before we came in sight of the first buildings of Hřensko. A small town but nicely set in a small gorge, Hřensko, lies along the Kamenice river and right by the Elbe. We reached the quaint main square where a tiny baroque church is set at its center and right by it our accommodation for the day at the Linden Hotel. We checked in and were shown to our room upstairs where as usual we unpacked and then took a nice shower. Then we headed downstairs to have a nice dinner with some good and cheap Czech beer, well deserved after another hike of 27km, the most so far.

The following day we woke up early and had breakfast downstairs in the open air, happy for it to be another sunny day. After eating we then headed down to the Elber river where we caught a ferry that took us to the other side, where we would take a train a little further and start our last hike of the trip. After getting off the next station, Krippen, we headed through the small village of the same name where unfortunately at one point I felt a sharp pain on the front of my ankle and found out a wasp had stung my right there. I sat down for a bit still feeling the pain and then got back on the road following the main trail. We first walked through a nice forest and then past the small villages of Koppelsdorf and Papstdorg. Then we walked past a nice open area covered in wheat and corn fields before reaching another of the typical rock formations of the area, the Gohrisch Stein. As Ania felt a little tired she decided to go around it and meet on the other side while I instead climbed to its top. The way was nice and up some natural and man-made ladders dug through the rock. Once up I walked around it to admire the different views from each of the wonderful viewpoints it presented. Being it at the center of a flat countryside and without any other natural obstructions around it meant the I could see rather far away and in fact, the view was amazing. In addition, the sunny day made it obviously even prettier to enjoy. Once I had enough I descended the rock on the other side and rejoined Ania on the trail. We walked for a while in the cover of the forest and then came out once more in the open fields. The corn crops here were still low and green and thus allowed us to see the surrounding countryside with ease. Before reaching the village of Pfaffendorf the trail headed slightly uphill and through a nice open area overlooking the village below. We continued on with nice views all around and then through a small forest until we finally came in sight of the town of Königstein with the main church's bell tower easily spottable among the rooftops and the impressive Königstein fortress built on top of a rocky hill of the same name overlooking the town. As we descended into town we passed by the main square and decided to head to a nearby cafè to drink and snack on something as it had gotten quite hot at that point of the day. The nearby Kaffeehaus Zimmermann served that purpose very well and we had a refreshing drink and a nice cold ice cream. I then decided to explore the town while Ania stayed on a bench in the shade instead. I walked through the pretty old town streets lined with Baroque and Neoclassical buildings and decided to visit the interior of the main church, St Mary's. Originally dating to the 15th century the current building is a reconstruction from the 18th century fitting with the rest of the town's architecture. From the church, I then followed a pathway leading uphill intending to reach the famous fortress. A fortification has existed in its spot since the 13th century and slowly grew to the huge structure which can be still seen today. It is one of the largest hilltop fortifications in Europe and its defensive structure is impressive to look at. As the rock on which it stands is itself 240m above the Elbe river, the fortress features some 42m high walls which once right below look insanely tall. At the center of the fortress, there is also a 152m deep well, believed to be the second deepest well in Europe. Once I reached the main gate I found out that entry to the complex was only allowed after buying a ticket. The price was quite expensive, 9 euros, and I thought that if I paid I would wish to visit it all and stay as long as possible. Unfortunately, I didn't have time as Ania was still waiting for me and we were supposed to catch a train in less than an hour. So instead of going inside, I decided to walk around its perimeter, where a small narrow path ran along. I walked around its impressive walls a whole circle and then saw that I didn't have much time left so I hurried back down towards the town. Here I met back with my girlfriend and from there we headed to the train station where we eventually took the train to Dresden and switching then for our last train back to Berlin. That day having walked another 18km made it so that during the 5-day trip we had walked 99km in total.