Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Elbe Sandstone Mountains
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5.0
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Lets cruise
Miami, FL1,819 contributions
Sept 2020 • Friends
Very nice hiking opportunities. Interesting sandstone formation and beautiful view from the top. Great for any age groups. You can choose from two different paths. Possibility of rock climbing although its for skilled climbers only.
Written 13 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FLnurseER
Boca Raton, FL5,621 contributions
Sept 2015
Great place to hike, well marked trails, safe and with absolutely stunning views of the river Elbe and the mountains. I have been hiking these mountains for many years during my annual trips to Czech Republic. I took a train from Usti nad Labem (originating in Prague) to Bad Shandau then hopped on the local train to Kurort Rhaten. A ferry takes visitors across the river, where a most beautiful trail to the Bastei bridge begins. The trail is not difficult and is suitable for older visitors as well, but not for handicapped. It is a very popular and busy trail. I also hike these mountains on the Czech side, equally well marked and safe, but with less visitors.
Written 3 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fitzbip
Melbourne, Australia77 contributions
Jul 2018
This experience of that type mountain and nature setting was definitely unique in all my extensive world travels, where a river meets a low mountainous range with beautiful features of prehistoric carvings made by nature, the weather and the Elbe river. German minds and man power have added their craft, creating the Bastei, to this nature phenomena. A 'must see and do experience' for the world traveler.....
Written 14 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shatiel
Belfast, UK727 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
Not as spectacular as the formations that can be admired in many area of the States, but still quite intresting and often surrounded by green. The best formations and the most intresting and fun hike for us was Schrammsteintor. Going up and down tall set of stairs, narrow passages and metal bridged is a joy on its own and the views and fomrations are just amazing. Bastei is probably a bit overrated for us.
Written 11 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
callumx
London, UK973 contributions
Jul 2016 • Friends
The Elbe Sandstone mountains were recommended by German friends as a place to go for a walking holiday, and their suggestion was well founded. The landscape was truly beautiful, so many amazing rock features.
If you have the equipment for rock climbing, there are lots of great climbs. There are also walks involving varying degrees of difficulty. Some walks do include ladders and staircases!
The national park has many well signposted paths, but make sure you get a walking map from a tourist office before you set off. I would also suggest having a map downloaded to a smart phone to help ensure you have your bearings.
If you have the equipment for rock climbing, there are lots of great climbs. There are also walks involving varying degrees of difficulty. Some walks do include ladders and staircases!
The national park has many well signposted paths, but make sure you get a walking map from a tourist office before you set off. I would also suggest having a map downloaded to a smart phone to help ensure you have your bearings.
Written 7 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christina R
Hamilton, New Zealand18 contributions
An amazing stone arch bridge built in Middle Ages high in the sandstone pinnacles - fantastic views over the Elbe River - we drove up to the top then walked over the bridge and around the other structures then down into the village below where we enjoyed a very pleasant German beer. Well worth it. Our son had to sprint back up to get the car! Public transport to the site might have been a better option.
Written 28 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
47Wave
Cheltenham, UK77 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
If you're a keen walker, you must try this area. Look at Julia Bradbury's German Wanderlust TV programme on YouTube for a flavour. Highly unusual, with metal "staircases" up to the dramatic sandstone plateaux which rise above the forests. The Malerweg links some of the best routes, but (while it's a long-distance path needing 6 days) it can be done in shorter day-long segments, then back to your hotel on the excellent local transport network
Written 4 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Geographika
Istanbul, Türkiye21 contributions
Aug 2012 • Solo
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains (Czech: Labské pískovce; German: Elbsandsteingebirge) is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the northern Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about ¾ of the area on the German side. The mountains are also referred to as Saxon Switzerland and Bohemian Switzerland in both German and Czech. In both countries, the mountain range has been declared a national park. The name derives from the sandstone which was carved by erosion. The river Elbe breaks through the mountain range in a steep and narrow valley.
The range stretches on both sides of the Elbe from the Saxon town of Pirna in the northwest toward Bohemian Děčín in the southeast. Its highest peak with 723 m is the Děčínský Sněžník in Bohemian Switzerland on the left bank of the river in Bohemian Switzerland north of Děčín. The Elbe Sandstone Mountains link the Ore Mountains in the west with the Lusatian Highlands range of the Sudetes in the east. Saxon Switzerland and the Zittau Hills of the Lusatian Mountains form the Saxon-Bohemian Chalk Sandstone Region.
Climbers who already know how to belay and tie on, with at least some indoor climbing experience, will really benefit from the experience of climbing this range. Probably the best rock climbing destination of Europe, the Geographika climbing camp (http://geographika.com/tour/climbing-labske-udoli-czech-rep) will give you the chance to do as many hard sport routes as you possibly can and get one-on-one coaching if desired.
The eroded sandstone of this region presently shapes the landscape which was the sea bottom millions of years ago. Large rivers rinsed sand and decomposition debris into the Cretaceous sea. Rough quartz sand, clay and fine marl sank and solidified themselves layer for layer. A compact sandstone plate developed, about 20 x 30 kilometres wide and up to 600 meters thick.
When the sea left approx 80 million years ago, the mountainforming decay began. At first bursts developed. From the north coming the Lusatian granite massif pushed itself gradually onto the sandstone plate. From the south the lifting mountains of the today’s Ore Mountains caused counterpressure – which slanted the brittle sandstone plate and burst it. From the nearly right-angled break lines later the typical, cuboid-like fissure of the Elbe sandstone developed. It is a coveted building materiel, e.g. for the Church of Our Lady in Dresden.
The range stretches on both sides of the Elbe from the Saxon town of Pirna in the northwest toward Bohemian Děčín in the southeast. Its highest peak with 723 m is the Děčínský Sněžník in Bohemian Switzerland on the left bank of the river in Bohemian Switzerland north of Děčín. The Elbe Sandstone Mountains link the Ore Mountains in the west with the Lusatian Highlands range of the Sudetes in the east. Saxon Switzerland and the Zittau Hills of the Lusatian Mountains form the Saxon-Bohemian Chalk Sandstone Region.
Climbers who already know how to belay and tie on, with at least some indoor climbing experience, will really benefit from the experience of climbing this range. Probably the best rock climbing destination of Europe, the Geographika climbing camp (http://geographika.com/tour/climbing-labske-udoli-czech-rep) will give you the chance to do as many hard sport routes as you possibly can and get one-on-one coaching if desired.
The eroded sandstone of this region presently shapes the landscape which was the sea bottom millions of years ago. Large rivers rinsed sand and decomposition debris into the Cretaceous sea. Rough quartz sand, clay and fine marl sank and solidified themselves layer for layer. A compact sandstone plate developed, about 20 x 30 kilometres wide and up to 600 meters thick.
When the sea left approx 80 million years ago, the mountainforming decay began. At first bursts developed. From the north coming the Lusatian granite massif pushed itself gradually onto the sandstone plate. From the south the lifting mountains of the today’s Ore Mountains caused counterpressure – which slanted the brittle sandstone plate and burst it. From the nearly right-angled break lines later the typical, cuboid-like fissure of the Elbe sandstone developed. It is a coveted building materiel, e.g. for the Church of Our Lady in Dresden.
Written 15 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
airboss01
Highlands, TX61 contributions
Aug 2019
We dropped in here on a day trip from Bad Schandau. So, here's what we did, your mileage may vary. We took the DB train from Bad Schandau to Rathen. The Bhf is essentially on the west side of the Elbe river, to cross you must take the ferry which can require perhaps 20 minutes wait, something like 2-3 Euro each way unless you have a zone pass. Both sides of the river are deceptively hilly. There are several paths you can take once across the river and past the first hotel, if I remember correctly it said in effect 'Bastei Bridge, 350m' Well, that doesn't sound like such a big deal, rifght? Well, it's all uphill, quite a number of switchbacks, there's a lot of steps, walking/climbing on sand- when you think, 'aha, almost there' - well you aren't but you are closer. Pay the 5 Euro I think it was at the top, a bit of a 'Holiday Inn' commercial surprise, but hey. A more daunting task than I would have guessed but the views at the top are magnificent, I wish I were a better climber but then again I'm 68 now and I made it in maybe 30 minutes. Wish I had more time to explore more of this area, there is so much to see and now I realize somewhat of a well-kept secret.
Written 3 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bellebutton
Melbourne, Australia223 contributions
Sept 2018 • Couples
We spent a week in Bad Schandau surrounded by these mountains. The mountains are amazing to look at, lovely for moderate walkers and apparently have no shortage of challenging hikes and rock and ice climbing.
Well worth visiting.
Well worth visiting.
Written 13 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi
My husband and I are in our early 60s and would like to hike for 10 days in the Elbe Sandstone of Saxony Switzerland; that is hiking but not rock limbing.
Q1: How and where can we get Hiking maps for this area in English?
Q2 : Are there any books in English for walking routs / hiking trails with advise and guidance to follow.
I would like to plan our routes so we avoid getting our selves in situations where we end up on a rock climbing route.
While we like the challenges we really want to avoid putting our selves in dangers situations.
We have previous Hiking experiences like KK mountain in Sabah island of Malaysia, Tukbal mountain in the Atlas mountains and the three peaks in Britain ( not as a challenge to achieve in 24 hours though)
I have bought Kompass map of the region but unfortunately it is all written in German and I am not able to get any helpful maps in English.
Your help would be very much appreciated.
Written 21 June 2022
Ruslana B
Moscow, Russia
Здравствуйте, хотелось бы узнать какой самый удобный маршрут прогулки с маленькими детьми естьв этом месте
И есть ли бесплатные парковки
Спасибо
Written 22 August 2019
Hi there, we are a small group walking the Malerweg in April 2019. Does anybody recommend or know if there are any companies or local businesses offering a luggage transfer service?
Thanks!!
Written 11 March 2019
Hello!
I cant find any coordinates how to get to Bastei rocks. Where would be best parking place for private car? gps coordinates are welocme
Written 1 June 2016
They have parking available for private cars. Remember to carry exact change for the parking fee cause otherwise the fine is triple .
Check on Google maps for directions.
Written 2 June 2016
Are there buses between Bad Schandau and Start Wehlen. Lomen and Hohnstein? Thank you
Written 22 January 2016
Dear travelers,
I hope that someone could answer these 2 questions for me:
- my main consern is reaching the area, i will be staying in Dresden and im fully relying on public transfer
- is the area still beautyful this time of year?
Thanks in forward,
Peter
Written 15 December 2015
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