Kurort Rathen - Basteiweg - Bastei- Schwedenlöcher - Amselgrund - Kurort Rathen = 6 km, 2,5 hours

The Bastei-weg starts in the centre of Kurort Rathen, in front of the inn called Amselgrundschlösschen. This path exists since 1825 and is realizing a 190 meters of difference in altitude. On its way it is offering you great views

into the rock-and stone circus of Rathen, where you can see such outstanding climbing peaks as the Talwächter, Lokomotive und An der Kleinen Gans. At the Mönch, a highly appreciated climbing rock with white iron summit markations, the path is going into the rocks. Just before you can have a last view of the Elbevalley, from the lookout at Tiedgestein ( Rosenbettfels).

This path, which is partially hewn out of sheer rock was part of the Neurathen Stronghold, just as the Mönch Rock. This stronghold can be visited, starting at the Bastei.

Through the Neurathener Rock-Gate you have access to the 76 meter long Bastei-Bridge, which is bridging the "Mardertell" (Marderhöhle) since 1851. It now is a protected technical monument. The rocks on the Elbe-side are the Grossen Steinschleuder Rocks(stone sling) and have a long, man-made stairway; they also are part of the Neurathen Stronghold. Inscriptions on the rocks' surface remember of the two pioneers who opened  up the Sächsischer Schweiz, Götzinger and Nicolai, and the saxon court-photographer Hermann Krone, who was the first to " paint here with light".

Aside there is the view-point Ferdinandstein which can reached at the end of the Bastei Bridge and from where you can look into the savage circus with its numerous rocks and peaks- a heavily visited area by mountaineers.

Right in front of this view-point one can see the Grosse Wehl-Turm, one of the most important climbing-peaks of the Rathen area, with numerous routes of ascend, in various degrees of difficulty, up till extreme! On its left there is the Vogeltelle, a steep basin from where from 1812 till 1825 the old path to the Bastei started. The view from the rock plateau of the Bastei, at 305 meters

altitude ( and 190 meters above the Elbe-river level) is world famous. It reaches the deep Elbe-valley, the surrounding tablemountains and forests and meadows and plateaux until the round hills of the bohemian Mountains and the East-Erzgebirge.

Few other areas of the Sächsischen Schweiz offer such a variety of rocks and peaks right in front of you, enabling an almost direct contact with these formidable wonders of nature