We love our job...
Our colleagues Isabel Schirmer and Sophie Bergfeld have decided to hike the many varied hiking tours in Saxon Switzerland that AugustusTours has in its programme one by one. The reason for this is not only to further develop themselves to provide perfect advice to our hiking guests, but also because the two of them enjoy the active excursions themselves and this is a wonderful way to combine work and pleasure.
How lucky: we work where others go on holiday!
Poisonous beauty... A view of the Schrammsteine appears behind the foxglove.
By train through the picturesque Elbe valley
At the beginning of July, on a sunny Sunday, we started our hike on a section of the Malerweg from Krippen via the Schrammsteine towards Lichtenhain Waterfall and Neumannmühle. The route is part of our circular hike through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the section on the Malerweg is, of course, part of our complete Malerweg tour.
We travelled comfortably by train from Dresden through the picturesque Elbe valley to Bad Schandau in the district of Krippen. After a brief visit to our partner hotel, we crossed the Elbe by ferry, just as our guests are supposed to do for some tours. Quaint houses to our left, the Elbe to our right, a hike of around 5.5 hours ahead of us - including breaks, of course.
Before we set off on the Malerweg, we first had to complete the Obrigensteig trail. It was quite a challenge, but also rewarded us with the first beautiful view of the Elbe, the valley and the first rock formations that are so typical of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.
Off to the Schrammsteine
We then continued along the well-signposted Malerweg trail up to the Schrammstein viewpoint. Here we realised that we would definitely recommend the luggage transport service from accommodation to accommodation in future: Some of the steps and passages between the rocks were so narrow that you would be at risk of easily getting stuck with a large hiking backpack. But that made the route all the more interesting and beautiful.
Once we reached the top, the Malerweg led us from one impressive view to the next and at some point we decided to take a break with a view of the beautiful Elbe valley and raid our packed lunches. In the distance, we could see Schmilka and various table mountains on the other side of the Elbe.
Highly recommended: our luggage transport service! To avoid getting stuck in narrow staircases and passageways!
Truly wet after the rain shower: the Nasser Grund leads us back down and to the end of today's hike.
Steam in the "Nasser Grund" ("Wet Valley")
After refreshments, we continued along the rock formations and after a short rain shower, which we hadn't expected, the Nasser Grund (a very appropriate name at that moment) was steaming. Bit by bit, we made our way back down into the valley until we suddenly found ourselves on the road and had reached the end of our hiking tour. We took the hiking bus back to Bad Schandau, took the ferry back across the Elbe to the railway station and returned to Dresden, exhausted but very happy and with lots of great photos.
