Hohnstein: To the Gautschgrotte

The tour starts at the Hohnstein Markt bus stop. From there, walk across the small market square onto Rathausstraße. Turn right onto Bärengarten and follow the green line. The Bärengarten was created in 1609 as an enclosure for bears and was used until 1756; later, Caspar David Friedrich stayed here and made sketches.

Soon you will cross an old stone arch bridge spanning the Schindergraben and follow Halbenweg on the Malerweg, a quiet forest path that is also part of the Hohnstein nature trail with information boards on nature and geology. Before reaching the striking rocky peak of the Großer Halben, it is worth making a short detour to a viewpoint above the Nasses Loch. About 150 metres further on, you can turn off to the Gautschgrotte, an impressive rock cave known for its huge ice column in cold winters.

The trail then passes the Diebshöhle (Thieves' Cave) and a former quarry. Follow the Steinbruchweg and Räumichtweg paths to a crossroads. Here, turn left onto the red trail and follow the markings into the town of Hohnstein until you reach Rathausstraße. On the way, it is worth making a detour to the Ritterfels, a viewpoint with a view of Hohnstein Castle. In Hohnstein itself, the baroque town church dominates the townscape – it was built after the town fire in 1724 according to plans by George Bähr, the builder of the Dresden Frauenkirche.

In the town, you then decide which of the two bus stops to take: either back to the market square or to the Eiche bus stop, where the hike ends.