Heaven and Hell

You should be a good walker and be able to climb a little

A beautiful route with great views :) The wild hell should only be entered if you are sure-footed and wearing sturdy shoes. Get to the Nasser Grund car park/bus stop.

A few days in Saxon Switzerland and this was our first tour on the day we arrived. Simply beautiful viewpoints and definitely worth a visit. The descent through the green hell is really not for the inexperienced. At two or three points you have to use footholds and handholds. It is particularly dangerous when it has rained and is wet. Then the rocks become soapy and slippery. Adventure included. 😉

Always an experience: The stairs in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains 👍🏻😇 On the way to the Carolafelsen we went up through the "Wilde Hölle" today... The view from the Carolafelsen is always a highlight on every tour... Then we went on to and over the Obere Affensteinpromenade to the Domerker and the Kleine Domstiege back down into the "Nassen Grund"... Conclusion: Successful💪🏻🪜👍🏻😇

I'd already noticed beforehand that almost all of the parking spaces are paid parking, so I tried to stock up on some coins before arriving, but the liquor store said, "No, everyone's paying with large bills today," and someone at the cash machine at the car wash, which only accepts coins, had apparently forgotten to return the collected coins. Well, at the Bastei, I was able to pay for parking with a card... I actually wanted to use the historic Kirnitzschtalbahn with my guest card today, but I was too early for that. So I drove to the parking lot, but the machine didn't accept bills or cards. Unfortunately, I had to waste another hour and then took the rattling, squeaking tram to the starting point at a snail's pace. Note: Find out about payment options (app, card, cash) beforehand and collect coins. From the Nasser Grund car park we went through the wild hell (via ferrata in a washed-out gorge) up to the Carolafelsen and over the Domstiege (nasty exposed) back to the starting point.

On Saturday Joha, David and I got up early, some of them a bit fitter than others because we had picked out a tour in Saxon Switzerland. Since Saxon Switzerland has been a destination of mine for a long time, I've been very excited all week. The weather outlook was rather bleak, but we didn't want to let that deter us. Always there was only a 60 percent chance of rain, 40 percent stayed where it shouldn't rain. And I was so determined that we would hit that 40 percent. The journey from Saxony's capital passed quickly. When we wanted to take a ticket in the parking lot, however, we realized that we unfortunately only have four of the five euros required in change. However, other hikers were so friendly and donated one euro to us, our offer to sing a serenade was declined with thanks, it was probably better too. Our path leads us first over the small stream Kirnitzsch and then it went comfortably uphill through the forest. Our sponsors turned left after a short time and in the end only the cheerfully whistling chaffinches accompanied us on the way. Shortly afterwards we also left the Nassen Grund to turn into the Jordanweg. At first it looked like a small path, moss-covered stones lay in the forest and the rock walls became thicker and thicker and parts of the route looked as if they had been paved ages ago. At the end of the Jordanweg, you follow a section of the Malerweg for a while. You come to the small cathedral staircase. We bravely climbed it and enjoyed the view. A short time later we realized that the next section would be more like a mud fight. Apparently it had rained extensively in the area in the last few days. The path was softened and over large parts of the way to the Carolafelsen that shouldn't change. The new shoes could show whether they would keep what they promised. Once at the top we hiked on to the small Prebischtor, which invites you to try out whether you can still do that with bouldering - I preferred to leave it, I prefer to fall soft. On the way to the Carolafelsen we are partly sunk up to our ankles in mud and mud, a slight wacken feeling arose, but this didn't detract from the beauty of the way. The sandstone formations could be admired everywhere. In addition, we had apparently really got hold of the 40 percent in which it was not raining. Therefore we sat in the sunshine, with a magnificent view on the Carola rock and enjoyed bread on our way. From the Carloafelsen we wanted to go back to our starting point and our way led us through the Wilde Hölle, signposted with difficult! The path was fantastic, thanks to the sun everything shone in different shades of green from light green to medium green to very dark moss green - everything was there. The moss grew on all the rocks and one descended between large boulders that had to be climbed over in the middle of the way. Until then I still thought, well, it is not that difficult for the experienced hiker ... but then came the place with the step irons in the rock. Here at the latest, balance and a head for heights were required, as well as shoes with a good profile 😉 After the section was done, it was relaxed through the Eulentilke and over the Nassen Grund back to the parking lot. The shoes passed the endurance test with almost ankle-high mud and we arrived at the parking lot in bright sunshine.

Day 3 in Saxon Switzerland: Today's itinerary included a tour through the "Wilde Hölle" (Wild Hell) on the Carolafelsen (Carola Rocks). We started from the "Nasser Grund" parking lot (€5 parking fee). We took a leisurely walk through Nasser Grund and over the Eulentilke to the entrance to the Wilde Hölle (Wild Hell). The Wilde Hölle is a hiking trail with small via ferrata sections that don't require any special equipment. However, you should wear grippy shoes, be somewhat athletic, and not be afraid. Children of school age and older can also tackle this trail with supervision and some guidance. My 7-year-old had a blast 😊 and did a great job. The effort of the climb up the Carolafelsen is rewarded with a fantastic view of Saxon Switzerland. At the top, there's a large rocky platform with other small rocks where you can take a break.

The path through the Sachsenhöhle is not signposted. Sure-footedness and appropriate footwear required!