Spectacular hike in Saxon Switzerland: Up to the Bastei viewpoint
Following in the footsteps of the famous painter Caspar David Friedrich: We'll take you on a spectacular hike in Saxon Switzerland National Park. From Wehlen via Hohnstein and the Polenztal valley to the Bastei viewpoint. ▶ Click here for our Saxon Switzerland Travel Guide with all the top destinations, hotel tips, and restaurant recommendations: https://homeoftravel.de/reisefuhrer-s... Your membership supports our editorial work and helps us create even better travel content. Tip: Use the code "MARLENE10" to get €10 off an annual subscription. Thank you for your support! Hiking map with GPS track: https://www.outdooractive.com/de/rout... More information about Caspar David Friedrich: https://www.saechsische-schweiz.de/ne... Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:28 - Kaiserkrone 01:38 - Stadt Wehlen 02:32 - Uttewalder Felsentor 03:20 - Hockstein / Hohnstein 04:46 - Polenztal 05:48 - Gamrig 07:25 - Bastei 08:51 - Bastei Viewpoint 09:46 - Schmilka We start the day at the Kaiserkrone, above Schmilka. Up here, we already have a fantastic view, and this is also where the famous painting "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" was created. It's one of the most well-known works of German Romanticism and depicts several locations in Saxon Switzerland. The rock on which the wanderer stands, his back to the viewer, is particularly striking. It's located a little further down at the Kaiserkrone (Emperor's Crown) and is now somewhat overgrown. The view must have been a bit better in the past. Then we take the S-Bahn (suburban train) to Wehlen. Our first task is to cross the Elbe River by ferry. Then our tour through the national park begins. We hike from Wehlen, enjoying beautiful views at the start, into the picturesque Uttewalder Grund (Uttewalde Valley). Although it's another beautiful late summer day, it's quite chilly here among the towering rock faces. We hike deeper and deeper into the enchanting forest. The surroundings glow in a variety of green hues. Truly beautiful! Then we reach the Uttewalder Felsentor (Uttewalde Rock Gate). Large boulders used to break off here and become lodged in a rocky gorge. That's how this place came to be. Caspar David Friedrich also traveled here and is said to have stayed for a week. During this time, he hardly encountered a soul. And even today, it's still relatively quiet here. We only occasionally meet other hikers. Onward to Hohnstein. Opposite the village is the Hockstein viewpoint. To get there, we leave the gorge and are now high up on the rocks. A kind of ridge path leads to the actual viewpoint. And from there, we have a fantastic view over the picturesque Polenztal valley. That's where we're headed next. Because the Romantic painter, who would have celebrated his 250th birthday next year, is also said to have traveled there. More precisely, he visited the Schindergraben. Here we come to a large stone archway. It was built by hand and lies in the middle of a magical-looking section of forest. The area seems overgrown and wild. And Caspar David Friedrich's drawing proves it: Around 200 years ago, it looked almost exactly the same here. It's fascinating when you can take such a journey through time via art. We reach the Gamrig via the Polenztal valley. Here, we have to climb some steps again. Overall, you should be prepared for a fair amount of elevation gain on a trip to Saxon Switzerland. The trails often go steeply up and down, so don't underestimate it. At the Gamrig itself, we balance across a large rocky plateau and enjoy a 360-degree view. This viewpoint also made it into the painting "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog," as did the Neurath Rock Gate at the Bastei. And you can already see the Bastei from up here. That's where we're headed next. So, downhill to Rathen and then one last 30-45 minute climb to the famous Bastei Bridge. It's located right after the Neurath Rock Gate. A new viewing platform has been added here this year. We had a fantastic view from the Bastei viewpoint. We could see the Kaiserkrone, where we started our hike this morning, as well as familiar mountains like Pfaffenstein, Lilienstein, and Königstein Fortress, and enjoyed a breathtaking view down to the Elbe River. We even managed to catch the sunset at the perfect time. Absolutely beautiful! We ended the day relaxing with a refreshing drink at the Mühlengarten in Schmilka. They also have delicious homemade cakes. If you enjoyed the video, please give it a thumbs up, and don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any future videos.
