Rathen health resort: Great Bastei circuit

The starting point is the "Kurort-Rathen" train station. After a few steps, you are already at the ferry pier. In good weather, you can easily stand here for 2-3 ferries. But in the meantime, you can enjoy the fantastic view of the Bastei massif, through which the Bastei Bridge can be seen. You can easily cross the Elbe on the yaw rope ferry and then walk through the town for a while. The paths here are very well signposted and there are a few cafés and restaurants where you can sit down and relax. You will also notice the many flood markings on the houses and wonder how high the Elbe must have been in the respective years. The path into the Amselgrund also leads past a good trout smokehouse and the entrance to the Rathen rock stage. The canoes at Amselsee are in their winter quarters. This makes it very easy to walk to the junction where you turn off to the Schwedenlöchern. Here, nature immediately takes on a completely different charm. Large boulders that broke off a few years ago lie to the left and right of the many steps. On the steps and through these mystical rocks, you feel like you're in a fairytale world. After what feels like 1000 steps, you finally reach the top and a few meters further on, at the pavilion viewpoint, you have a beautiful view of the Wehlgrund. From here, simply follow the path towards the Bastei. You are never alone here at lunchtime and, whatever the weather, you need to be patient to explore the various views. Once you have crossed the bridge, the trail leads back downhill to Rathen on equally good paths. Here you can round off the hike with a hot chocolate.

• Onion-skin clothing and winter hiking boots
• Backpack with hiking map, snacks, thermos flask with a warm drink, smartphone, flashlight, first aid kit
• Hiking poles, ice goggles

Oberrathen

from/to Kurort Rathen: S-Bahn S1

Timetable information: www-vvo-online.de

Berghotel and Panoramarestaurant Bastei (daily from 12:00 noon)

An alternative route instead of the Schwedenlöcher is via the Rathewalder footpath - Rathewalde - Rathewalder Mühle - Amselfall - Amselgrund!