On Sunday, I'd planned a walk through the forest which involved a couple of boat trips. As the bus didn't leave until after 9am, I went birding early in the morning. I walked up the Wolfsgraben valley - lots of steps past houses until I reached the forest. However, the forest was dark and quiet, so I settled down near some houses and lawns, and saw lots of tits, robins, blackbirds, and heard woodpeckers. Then came the deer - two of them.
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| Obviously used to people |
At breakfast, Petra informed me that my plans had changed. As the weather was going to be a bit cooler (less than mid 30s!), I should walk the Schrammstein range today. She and Karl photocopied a map for me, and showed me several options for returning. After packing plenty of food and water, off I went. The beginning was the same as yesterday morning's walk, but as there were three different paths I was able to take the one I hadn't been along. This time, though, once I reached the signpost to the Schrammstein Aussicht (lookout), I kept going. There were a few other people as well. The closer we got, the more ladders and steep steps we encountered. Fantastic!
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| This is actually the path - 20 cm wide and 2 metres up! |
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| Such fun! |
The Aussicht is amazing. Almost 360 degree views. I stayed up here for almost an hour.
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| Schrammstein Aussicht |
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| Bliss! |
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| Looking towards the Elbe and the Czech border |
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| Lots of kestrels flying around the rocks...... |
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| ......and a handful of people on top of two of the columns |
Climbing down from the lookout, I headed along the top of the range towards the town of Schmilka and the Czech border. A lot of the time it was easy walking through forest with no views, but every so often there'd be a break in the trees and an amazing panorama unfolding on both sides of the track.
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| The forest was lovely |
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| Lots of people up here...... |
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| ......which meant there was always someone to take a photo of me |
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| And then there's the self-timer, too... |
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| So many wonderful views |
There was also the occasional ladder or metal staircase going down, then up. Just my cup of tea!
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| The ladders continue towards the top of the picture |
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| The brown vertical line on the rock in the centre of the pic is a ladder |
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| Sometimes there's a chain instead |
I headed for Schmilka using the Heilige Stiege (holy staircase). Over a thousand steps - metal, wood and rock - to reach the valley floor. I was so glad to be going down and not up!!
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| This is the first staircase going down (or the last one going up) |
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| This is somewhere in the middle. Exciting, hey? |
Once in Schmilka, I waited for the Wanderschiff, which travels between Bad Schandau and Hrensko (CZ) four times daily. I caught the boat to Hrensko (and in so doing visited the Czech Republic) and then returned to Postelwitz. The dock is about 200 metres from my Pension. Followed, of course, by a welcome swim in the river!
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| Nice view of the Schrammstein from Schmilka |
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| Der Schrammstein from the Elbe |
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| My Pension is the middle house with the red roof |
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