Today's hike was going to lead us past the (justly famous) Bastei and finish at Wehlen, where we were to turn around and returned to Rathen. Here's what Wikipedia says about the Bastei:
The Bastei is a rock formation rising 194 metres (636 ft) above the Elbe River in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains of Germany. Reaching a height of 305 metres (1,001 ft) above sea level, the jagged rocks of the Bastei were formed by water erosion over one million years ago. They are situated near Rathen, not far from Pirna southeast of the city of Dresden, and are the major landmark of the Saxon Switzerland National Park....
The Bastei has been a tourist attraction for over 200 years. In 1824, a wooden bridge was constructed to link several rocks for the visitors. This bridge was replaced in 1851 by the present Bastei Bridge made of sandstone. The rock formations and vistas have inspired numerous artists, among them Caspar David Friedrich ("Felsenschlucht")
The rock formation was used as part of the defensive ring around the Neurathener Castle -- that's why it's called Bastei (bastion). Here's a photo from Wikipedia:
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| Bastei Bridge |
Of course, it being a hiking day, it rained again but the walk up through the moss-covered forest was quite magical. Steep steps, of course, including a few extra steps. Because the streets around the hotel were flooded, we had to walk up stairs to the Hochwasserweg (high water path), and from there to the start of the hike. After we'd managed the 450 steps (maybe 500?) we arrived at the Bastei. Regrettably, the castle (Festung) ruins were closed for the season but we could still cross the bridge and look out at the rock formations, though the view was pretty much obscured by clouds and fog.
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| At the Bastei Outlook |
After an 80c toilet break (really?) we left for Wehlen, a picturesque village with an excellent cafe! James had the chocolate cake and Renate had the Quarkkeulchen, which brought back memories from childhood. Her mother was originally from Saxony and sometimes cooked Saxon specialties. Quarkkeulchen was always one of Renate's favorites, and the cafe's version, while missing the raisins, was quite tasty. She resolved to try making them herself when we got home, substituting Greek yogurt and maybe some lemon juice for the quark. Here's a photo from Wikipedia.
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| Quarkkeulchen (or Quarkkäulchen?) |
After our well-deserved break, we walked back up past the Festung and the Bastei for our return to Rathen. The landscape was spectacular:
Though the weather was a bit -- damp.
No matter, it was beautiful, and the fresh green, the different mosses, and the well maintained path made it a fine hike.
We got lost a bit in the middle and weirdly, Renate realized the mistake right away. But we recovered fairly quickly, and, anyway, we were there to hike so what's another kilometer or two among friends? Back at the hotel, we enjoyed a sauna and steam or, for some, a dip in the pool. After that another great buffet dinner plus, James had Schwarzwälder in glass! James loves Schawzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cherry cake), and even though it isn't originally from Saxony, Renate's mother made a special effort to learn how to bake it after Renate and James married. We watched another krimi (German detective TV) then to bed. Renate is a big fan of German krimis, and she watches them at home over the Internet. She really got into the Irland Krimi while we were in Germany, but unfortunately there's a geoblocker on it so she can't watch it from California.
