To the Idagrotte and Vorderes Raubschloss in the Kleiner Zschand

The hike starts at the Felsenmühle in the Kirnitzschtal. We follow the Kleiner Zschand (green stripe marking), a dry valley that only occasionally carries water. At the Quenenwiesen, we leave the path with the green stripe marking and follow Zeughausstraße until we reach Wettinplatz. From here, the red dot/M marking takes us left towards Kleiner Winterberg. We follow this marking uphill and, once at the top, keep left. At a junction, we turn right and now hike along the Reitsteig (blue stripe) to the signpost towards Frienstein. We turn right and later come into a hollow with a small water hut. We keep right and after the short ascent turn left to make a detour to the Idagrotte and Frienstein.

On the approximately 130 m high Frienstein there was a castle watchtower of the Berken von der Duba in the 15th century; later owners were the Wettins. However, robber knights also settled here, which is why Frienstein still carries the nickname "Vorderes Raubschloss" (Front Robber Castle). At Frienstein lies a large cave, the Idagrotte. It is a fissure and layer joint cave that can only be reached via a narrow rock ledge.

Returning from the detour, go right (green stripe) towards the Friensteintreppen, which we descend into the valley. At the bottom, we meet the red stripe path, go left and the next path (Heideweg) to the right. This is marked with a green stripe and takes us through the Dietrichsgrund back to the Kirnitzschtal. The endpoint of the hike is the Beuthenfall stop.

Outbound trip: S-Bahn S1 to Nationalparkbahnhof Bad Schandau then change to bus 241 towards Hinterhermsdorf to Felsenmühle, Ottendorf (Sebnitz)

Return trip: from the Beuthenfall, Lichtenhain (Sebnitz) stop with bus 241 or Kirnitzschtalbahn to Bad Schandau, from there S-Bahn S1