On the Rübezahlweg to the Lichtenhain waterfall

We start at the Elbe quay in Bad Schandau and follow the signs for the "Rübezahlweg", which follows the course of the Elbe in an easterly direction. The beautiful riverside promenade leads us along the picturesque river. On the hill to our left we see the listed passenger lift (1), which can also be used by bike to shorten the steep ascent of the Zahnsgrund. However, we continue straight ahead and after a short while we reach the jetty of the passenger ferry Krippen (2), which runs between Postelwitz and Krippe. A little later we meet the main road, which we only follow for a short distance before turning left onto the steep ascent of the Zahnsgrund. Accompanied by the shade of the trees, we cycle sharply uphill towards Ostrau until we follow the Wenzelweg to the right into the area of the Saxon Switzerland National Park. The Falkenstein rises to our right, behind which we change to the Zughausweg and then turn left onto a narrower forest path. The trail continues slightly undulating over the ridges of the hills in a north-easterly direction. In constant ups and downs, we ride along a winding route to Bloßstock (3) - the imposing northern peak of the Langer Horn. Our route then descends through the Dietrichsgrund, at the end of which the Beuthenfall awaits us. Here we make a short detour to the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall (4) before we follow the Kirnitzschtalstraße, which leads us westwards, lined by forests and slightly undulating. At the height of the Kirnitzschberg we reach the Nassen Grund (5), which owes its name to the water dripping down the damp rocky slopes. Our path now follows the loops of the meandering Kirnitzsch, which accompanies us first past the forester's lodge (6) and later past the Waldhäus'l restaurant (7) through the densely wooded river valley. Through the Kirnitzschgrund we come back to Bad Schandau, situated at the foot of the Schlossberg. In the town, we keep to the right and cycle across the charming market square (8) to the starting point of our tour, which we reach at the Elbe quay.