Great Schrammstein hike

Sunny weather is always nice for hiking. But if you would like to discover the mystical side of Saxon Switzerland, we recommend this hike in rainy weather.

From the centre of Bad Schandau, you take the historic lift directly up to Ostrau. Here you have a wonderful view over the town into the Elbe valley and to the Lilienstein, which seems to tower above it all. Only a few steps further on, you pass the lynx enclosure. If you are lucky, the animals are agile and roaming around. A short but crisp climb to the Ostrava settlement later, you are standing directly at the new skywalk. This was only inaugurated at the end of 2018.

Once Ostrau is behind you, you enter the mystical forests of Saxon Switzerland. These are peppered with huge, mossy sandstone blocks, rustic roots and steep rock faces. From the Falkenstein, the Müllerstein, over the Schrammtor, the Teufelsturm to the Rauschenstein. At the foot of these impressive rocks, the hike continues along the Elbleitenweg trail, mostly at a leisurely pace. Here your thoughts come to rest and with a little imagination, associations with old fairy tales and legends can quickly arise in this silence. At the end of the trail, you finally reach the cosy village of Schmilka. Here you can round off this beautiful tour with a home-brewed beer or a hot tea before returning to Bad Schandau by bus or S-Bahn.