Hohnstein: To the Gautschgrotte grotto

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

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

The trail then leads past the Thieves' Cave and a former quarry. Via the Steinbruchweg and Räumichtweg paths, you come to a crossroads. Here, turn left onto the red line and follow the markings into the town of Hohnstein until you reach Rathausstraße. On the way, it is worth making a detour to Ritterfels, a lookout point with a view of Hohnstein Castle. In Hohnstein itself, the baroque town church dominates the scene - it was built after the town fire in 1724 according to plans by George Bähr, the builder of Dresden's Frauenkirche.

In the town, you can then choose one of the two bus stops: either back to the market or to the Eiche bus stop, where the hike ends.