The Walk through Saxon Switzerland 2012

Countryside popularised by Romantic Artists
This tour is not described in our brochure
Map of Saxon Switzerland

With both lush riverscapes and dramatic cliffs and rock outcrops this is a superb holiday.
Please note that the final day includes some steep and narrow paths, and one stretch along steep and often slippery steps.
This walking tour through countryside explored by Julia Bradbury in her Saxon walk in the BBC TV series German Wanderlust introduces you to the finest scenery in this part of Germany.

This tour is ideal for those looking for a tour with shorter distances. The longest day (Day 5) is 10 miles, but that is easily reduced to 7 miles by taking the antique tram for the last part of the route.

Equally, you can avoid many of the steep climbs if you want. For example, the recommended route below for the first day's walk includes three summits, but you can bypass two of them. This means that this tour is less demanding than our other walking tour in Saxon Switzerland.
Day 1. Arrive by train in Bad Schandau. Transfer to your hotel in Krippen.

Day 2. From Krippen walk steadily uphill, first along the valley, then steeply up the forested flank of the Kohlbornstein. After enjoying the view from the summit walk downhill to Papstdorf. Now climb again to the top of the Papststein, where there is a restaurant, and again, fine views. From here you continue to a third summit, the Gohrisch. On a good day you can see as far as Dresden! Descend the Gorge of the Wolf and walk through forest to Gohrisch (about 6 miles).

Day 3. From Gohrisch walk through the forest to the fortress of Königstein. We strongly recommend walking up to the fortress for the view, before taking a tour. Leave Königstein along the river, then cross mainly open country to Thümsdorf. From here you mainly follow forest paths, first to a cave, then past more rock outcrops (which you can climb if you want) to the river at Rathen (about 7 miles).
Krippen
Day 4. While today could be a rest day, we strongly recommend a circular walk from Rathen to the world famous rocky viewpoint of the Bastei, high above the valley. Your walk can also include the famous Felsenbühne, a natural theatre carved by nature out of the rocks, and regularly used for theatrical performances. On the way you pass a dramatic waterfall, a fine cave and the so-called Sweden Holes, used as a secret refuge from the Swedish armies during the Thirty Years War (about 8 miles).

Day 5. You first leave Rathen along the river, then you climb the Lilienstein, another dramatic sandstone outcrop offering superb views. Refreshments are available here too. Then continue along the river to Bad Schandau, the main town of Saxon Switzerland.
Depending on your mood, you can either relax and explore Bad Schandau, and then take the historic tramway, the Kirnitzschtalbahn (as does Kate Winslet in The Reader) along the valley of the Kirnitzsch, or you can walk the final three miles to your hotel, situated in middle of the valley (about 10 miles).
Schrammstein Rocks
Day 6. Follow a nature trail further up the valley of the Kirnitzsch to the Lichtenhain Falls. Although a man-made waterfall, it is nonetheless attractive. This is also the terminus for the tramway, so you could take a tram from the hotel for the first stage of the walk. Climb to the cave at Kuhstall (literally "byre" and again a reference to the Thirty Years War). From here you can climb to the ruins of Wildenstein Castle; otherwise the route leads you up towards the Kleiner Winterberg.
You do not have to climb to the top. There are a number of routes back down to the river which you cross by ferry to return to the start of the walk at Krippen (about 8 miles).
Walkers on Rocky Summit Kirnitzsch Tram
Tour Details: 6 nights bed & breakfast in hotels, in rooms with shower/WC. Packed lunches, baggage transfer. Festive evening meal on the last night. Extra nights may be taken at any point.
Sorry, there are no twin bedded rooms on this walking tour. Information on double and twin rooms.

Local taxes are not included and must be paid directly to the hotels.

Dates: Available in principal throughout the year.
However, in the peak seasons of May, June and September availabilty can be seriously restricted.

Tour Code: WDS

2012 Tour Price: By rail from London via Brussels/Cologne - £732
2012 Tour Price: By sea from Newcastle / direct sleeper from Amsterdam - £ask
2012 Tour Price: By rail from Berlin or Prague - £496
2012 Tour Price: By rail from Dresden Airport - £459
2012 Tour Price: By rail from Frankfurt Airport - £537
2012 Tour Price: No Travel Included - £436
2012 Tour Price: Single Supplement - £117
2012 Tour Price: Extra Night (Double Room) - from £ask
Please check our travel page for information on other ways of travelling to your holiday.

Please contact us for prices when using one of these other routes, and also for single supplements, child discounts and so on.

Our telephone number is 01946 861652.

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