The ascent to the Pfaffenstein is easy to manage even with children from the age of four, but the parents will also feel the ups and downs in their bones afterwards. In return, the route rewards with fantastic views and a detour to the famous Barbarine.
The start is the parking lot at the foot of the Pfaffenstein. A straight path leads uphill from here to the foot of the rock. There you go up a sweat-inducing path over the »Needle's Eye«. (If you want it easier, you can also choose the comfortable ascent along the right. However, the many stairs and steps of the Needle's Eye are better suited for ascending than descending.)
Once at the top, after a short break, you should turn left at the next crossroads, where breathtaking views of the Gohrisch and the Papststein await. Returning to the main path, continue to a turnoff leading to the »Sacrificial Bowl«, a kettle-shaped depression probably formed during the last Ice Age. Here another wonderful panorama reveals itself.
Back on the hiking trail, continue to the guesthouse on the Pfaffenstein with observation tower. There you can take a cozy break and enjoy the house’s tasty food and drink offerings.
Thanks to good signage, the path to the Barbarine is easy to find from this cozy resting place. After numerous stairs and a dark rock crevice, the view opens towards the »Stone Virgin«. Then you initially walk back towards the guesthouse and at the first fork turn left, down the gorge path. It finally leads back to the starting point.
Altogether a moderately difficult circular hike, very varied with wonderful panoramic views.
