From Dresden to the Edge of the Wild
Saxon Switzerland trip on footbikes. The journey from the heart of Dresden to Bad Schandau feels like stepping into another world — just an hour by train, and suddenly you’re by the Elbe, in a spa town where crowds set out for viewpoints and gorges carved in stone. Hiking, and nothing but hiking — probably the best thing you can do in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It’s a land shaped by time, one of Europe’s most magical landscapes.
But what happens if you set out not with hiking boots, but with a scooter, torn sneakers, and the optimism of two overconfident old souls?
Train from Dresden to Bad Schandau
The train ride from Dresden to Bad Schandau is a trip on its own. It snakes along the Elbe, surrounded by steep sandstone walls and forests that look as if they grew out of a fairy tale. Anyone who’s been to Bohemian Switzerland knows the feeling.
Most backpackers stare quietly out the window. Some take photos. Locals barely look up — they’ve seen it a hundred times. There’s this calm anticipation on board, like everyone’s waiting for nature’s big reveal. We pass Kurort Rathen, Königstein… and finally, Bad Schandau.
Bad Schandau — The Gateway to Saxon Switzerland
Exactly what we expected — peace, nature, escape from the city. We skipped the ferry from the train station to the town center. “We’ve got scooters, right? Let’s cross the bridge.”
Three pointless kilometers later, we took the first side street leading toward the gorges. The road climbed, the sidewalk vanished, and we ended up pushing our scooters uphill beside cars and buses. Two kilometers later and 200 meters higher, a huge parking lot appeared — trailheads everywhere: two viewpoints and one Panoramaweg.
“Must be packed,” we thought. Wrong. Only one man was there, beating dust out of car mats. Across the road — a row of garages. Winter storage for locals, probably.
We proudly pushed our scooters toward the first viewpoint. Nothing but trees. Overgrown. The second one? Same story. Jungle vibes. Finally, we spotted a faded yellow trail marker. We were clearly the first ones there that day. Mostly pushing, sometimes riding, we followed the Panoramaweg deeper into the forest.
And finally — a slope. Time to ride! Straight downhill, like into the underworld. Every meter we’d climbed before, we now lost in seconds.
Goldgrundeltal Gorge: A Scooter Carry-and-Drag Adventure
We hit the stream crossing. Middle of nowhere. Johnny lets out a few colorful words, most of them centered around adjectives like stupid and irresponsible. I’m amazed at how creatively he combines personal pronouns with various anatomical terms.
No way back. Uphill both directions. Heroes that we are, we go forward — drawn by wooden ladders and chains nailed into rock.
“You don’t find scooter trails like this every day,” I say, half-laughing. We carry, drag, and push our scooters through mud and over roots. My sneaker’s sole, already cracked, now has a two-centimeter hole. Socks are soaked. But ahead — sunlight, a meadow, and the open sky. On both sides, the sandstone giants of Saxon Switzerland. In the distance — Altendorf.
Altendorf — Salvation in a Deck Chair
Altendorf is where Johnny will remember this day forever. Out of water, dripping with sweat, we stumble into the village like desert nomads. Then — salvation. A meadow, two deck chairs, and on one of them, a kind-looking lady basking in the sun. She’s our only hope.
“Hallo. May I ask for some water? My friend here overdid it — he’s slowly dying of thirst,” I say, gesturing toward Johnny like a stage actor. She smiles, takes our bottles, and brings them back filled with cold, fresh water. Pure bliss.
As we drink, we scan the map and pick our next challenge — the Dorbach Gorge.
Dorbach Gorge: Scooter Descent towards Löwenkopf Rock
Altendorf offers stunning views — everywhere you look, sandstone towers and forested ridges. “That’s it, Johnny. The worst climb is behind us. Now it’s all downhill. Easy ride,” I lie. He doesn’t believe a word, but agrees anyway.
We roll down a perfect asphalt path, and then — paradise. The asphalt fades into a smooth flow trail. Minutes later, we stop beneath Löwenkopf — Lion’s Head Rock. And our jaws drop.
Löwenkopf — Where the Land Breathes Stone
Cliffs and views that steal your breath. Saxon Switzerland trip at its purest.
We ditch the scooters and climb on all fours. The path narrows and tilts toward the edge — one wrong step and gravity reminds you who’s boss. But the views! The Kirnitzsch Canyon yawns below, sandstone pillars glowing in the sun.
Only up here do you feel the real soul of Saxon Switzerland. After an hour of climbing and gasping, we return — scooters untouched. We hadn’t seen a single soul all day.
The Gorge Fight Club
Ahead — a 50-meter vertical drop on a “path.” Six wooden steps. Then chaos. Fallen trees, landslides, slick stones. Ever tried to cross a gorge like in Slovakia’s Slovenský raj — after a storm, with a scooter on your shoulder, and holes in your shoes?
That’s it. Crawling, ducking, slipping, laughing hysterically. Dorbach Gorge isn’t a tourist trail anymore. But it’s wild, silent, majestic.
Finally, two humans! A man and his son. The father looks like a ranger, eyes our scooters, shakes his head, taps his temple: “Willst du wirklich mit diesen Rollern runterklettern?”
We smile. “Buddy, we’ve got no choice.”
Two hours on Panoramaweg, one hour of climbing, and another crawling through fallen trees and waterfalls — inching our scooters from one rock to another. A steel ladder finally led us out of hell. My sneaker hole now measured three centimeters. I didn’t care anymore. I doubt the Kostka engineers ever tested their scooters like this.
Back to Bad Schandau: Finding Kirnitzschtal Valley
“Look, there’s a tram!” Johnny points downhill. And yes — there it was. Only then we realized: we took the wrong gorge. The real entrance to the Kirnitzschtal valley — the famous one — was one gorge further. Most tourists ride up there by tram, not by blind luck.
Bad Schandau — Spa, Beer, and Redemption
Fifteen minutes later, we glide back into town. Finally — a real ride.
Bad Schandau greets us with wooden villas, calm streets, beer gardens, and the scent of pine and thermal water. The Toskana Therme spa beckons, but so do the trails leading back into the wild. From here, trams take hikers to the sandstone peaks of the national park — to Falkenstein or deep into Kirnitzschtal, whose wild gorge we just “discovered.”
Beer, bratwurst, ferries, trails — this place has it all. From lazy riverside walks to adrenaline-charged descents on battered scooters with holes in your shoes.
Bastei Bridge and Königstein Fortress: Must-See Saxon Switzerland Sights
Among Saxon Switzerland’s must-sees is Bastei Bridge, an iconic stone bridge soaring between sandstone towers, offering jaw-dropping views of the Elbe valley.
Another highlight — Königstein Fortress, once an impenetrable stronghold, now a vast lookout point over the region.
We couldn’t resist. Took the ferry across the river, followed the smooth Elbe Cycle Path to Königstein — passing old steamships from Dresden along the way. The Saxon Switzerland trip continued comfortably and more than peacefully on asphalt.
After a day of sweat, laughter, and absurd adventures, we rode the train back — tired but fulfilled. Saxon Switzerland may not shout for attention, but once it gets under your skin, you’ll crave to return.
The Saxon Switzerland trip surprised us and tested our abilities. Next time, though — proper shoes. No scooter. Dry socks. And maybe… a map.
TAGS: #SaxonSwitzerland, #BadSchandau, #BasteiBridge, #KönigsteinFortress, #Kirnitzschtal, #ScooterTrip, #Footbike, #GermanyTravel, #ElbeSandstoneMountains
