Friendship Route Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland

Those starting at the Kräuterbaude Saupsdorf follow the Yellow Dot hiking trail. This is the Hinterhermsdorfer Panoramaweg. It first leads up to the Weifberg, where the lookout tower offers wonderful views far into Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland as well as over Wachberg and Tanzplan. In good visibility, one can see as far as the Zittau Mountains. From Weifberg, the route continues along the Panoramaweg to the Emmabank and back to Hinterhermsdorf. Only when leaving the village do we leave the Yellow Dot and now hike on the Green Stripe, partly down stairs to the Obere Schleuse. At a junction, the Blue Stripe comes from the right, which we follow from now on, turning left.

Arriving at the Obere Schleuse, we have a choice: from Easter to the end of October, we can experience the anecdote-rich boat ride on the Kirnitzsch. Outside the season or for those who prefer to stay on land, there is the narrow path that winds upwards after the snack and ticket booth and runs parallel to the Kirnitzsch to the Hermannseck. There, boat ride visitors rejoin the hiking trail. To the Hermannseck leads an easy ascent (via stairs) and a difficult ascent on a narrow metal staircase through a narrow rock passage; with bulky luggage, caution is advised. The ascent is rewarded with another beautiful view.

A short stretch now follows the Red Stripe towards Hinterhermsdorf, but soon we reach a fork and turn left on the Green Stripe. This path leads us to the Rabensteine with another viewpoint. After the view, it goes quickly downhill. At the foot of the Rabensteine and thus back in the Kirnitzsch valley, we turn left and, after keeping right at the next fork, already see the bridge over the Kirnitzsch at the border crossing Zadní Jetřichovice (Hinterdittersbach). Here we cross the national border and are now on the Czech part of the Friendship Route.

Immediately after the border crossing, we stay half right at the junction and keep left at the next fork. We follow for a long time wide, gravelled paths that are also used as bike routes through wide valleys. Along the way, we pass a junction but continue straight on our path until at the customs post Böhmer Straße, "Česká silnice", we finally turn left onto a narrower hiking trail. This trail is marked red and leads along the foot of rocks, here we hike along the border of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. Soon, we leave this path to the right to follow the blue markings to Jetřichovice.

In Jetřichovice, the path passes the info point. Hikers wanting to stay in the former sanatorium turn left after the info point; the hotel is then located on the right side at the village exit. Otherwise, we follow the street straight ahead until at a waysign we turn left through the forest uphill to Rynartice. We cross a meadow. The next accommodation, the Wellness Hotel Zámeček, lies on the right. The first stage ends for multi-day hikers in Jetřichovice or Rynartice.

The Friendship Route follows the blue stripe at the meadow to the left, past Křížový vrch, and then meanders slightly up and down through the forest to the Balzhütte (Na Tokáni). Here are the ruins of a burned-down inn and shortly after a place to stop for refreshments. The path continues relaxed along the blue stripe past rocks through the forest. At a junction, we turn left onto the green-marked path, which eventually takes us back to the border crossing.

Back on the German side, we walk a short stretch back along the already known path, but do not take the Rabenstein path again. Instead, at the next junction, we turn onto the Zollstraße. We follow the wide bike route for a while until the Red Stripe hiking trail turns left into the Tunnelweg, which steadily goes uphill, through a rock tunnel and over steps, eventually leading to a detour to the Königsplatz. After enjoying the expansive view here, appreciated already by the Saxon King Friedrich August II, we follow the Red Stripe back to Hinterhermsdorf.

Opposite the guesthouse Buchenparkhalle, we turn left and thus are back on the Yellow Dot, which we have already known from the beginning of the route. This leads us along the edge of the adventure area Waldhusche (those interested can visit the national park info points Blockscheune and Beizehaus here or explore the stations of the Waldhusche with their children), briefly through the village, then past the campsite and a stretch along Schandauer Straße. Soon, the Yellow Dot turns right, and we follow it through the Hintere Räumicht until we finally arrive back at the Kräuterbaude.

Those who want to hike the German part of the route as a day hike should best start at the Buchenparkhalle parking lot in Hinterhermsdorf - the Kräuterbaude offers a good place to stop for a meal, for example (note: closed on Wednesday and Thursday). Directions to Buchenparkhalle: From the direction of Bad Schandau through the Kirnitzschtal to Hinterhermsdorf, from Sebnitz follow the signs via Saupsdorf to Hinterhermsdorf; in Hinterhermsdorf follow the signs to Obere Schleuse/Parking Buchenparkhalle.

Day hikers are best to park at the Buchenparkhalle parking lot, where a day ticket costs €5. The machine accepts coins and card payments (including contactless), app parking is also possible.

For day hikes: Take the bus to the stop Hinterhermsdorf Hirschewaldweg (entrance to Hinterhermsdorf) or Hinterhermsdorf Hoffnung (a bit further in the village)

• Line 241 (Pirna - Bad Schandau - Hinterhermsdorf)
• Line 268 (Sebnitz - Saupsdorf - Hinterhermsdorf)
• Line 269 (Sebnitz - Ottendorf - Hinterhermsdorf)

Pirna and Bad Schandau are accessible via S1 as well as regional trains. The National Park train U28 stops in Sebnitz.

Plan your bus trip (also for U28 and S1)

• Kräuterbaude Saupsdorf - on the Kräuterbaude website you will also find more information about the Friendship Route. The operator of the Kräuterbaude is a national park guide and offers guided hikes also on the Friendship Route.
• Thorwaldblick campsite in Hinterhermsdorf
• Wellness Hotel Zámeček in Rynartice
• Former sanatorium in Jetřichovice (page only in Czech, use your browser's translation function!)

The national parks

• Saxon Switzerland National Park
• Bohemian Switzerland National Park

The boat ride in the Kirnitzsch Gorge takes place daily from Easter until October 31, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The last boat ride starts at 4 p.m. More information about the history of the boat ride on Hinterhermsdorf's website. Note: those wanting to experience the boat ride must definitely hike the loop on the German side of the Friendship Route clockwise. This way, you reach the starting point at the Obere Schleuse and at the end of the boat ride can continue directly to the Hermannseck. The boat ride is only possible in this direction, downstream. Those who skip the boat ride and instead take the path above the Kirnitzsch can choose the hiking direction freely.

The route on the German side outside the national park consistently follows the 'Panoramaweg' marked with a yellow dot.

There are two paths to the Hermannseck, an easy one via normal stairs and a narrow one on slim metal steps through a narrow rock crevice. Caution is advised with larger luggage; in that case, better use the easier ascent.

Please remember a valid ID.

Equipment:

• It is essential to wear sturdy footwear. With snow and ice, especially in the Kirnitzsch Gorge, it can be extremely slippery.
• Those hiking the tour as a two-day route need a correspondingly larger backpack (trekking backpack).