Hinterhermsdorf – Neue Strasse – Wettinplatz – boat station Upper Sluice and back
Through the lush forests at the border of the Czech Republic this tour takes you to the only water-bearing gorge of the Saxon part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. Your destination is the romantic sluice of the Kirnitzsch River.
At the bottom of the Kirnitzsch gorge, the river – supported by the upper sluice – carries the boats a little way along the gorge / Photo: Archive National Park Management, S. Klingner
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Distance: 8 km
Narrowest point: without restrictions Obstacles: none Accessibility in wet conditions: yes, partly small sandstone gravel Transport connections: Bus lines 241, 268/269 to Hinterhermsdorf, Erbgericht, by car to the Buchenparkhalle car park Parking: Buchenparkhalle car park, subject to charge, no seperate disabled parking Refreshments: Restaurant at the car park, snacks at the boat station Accessibility of boat station: snack bar accessible on the the outside, toilets available, narrowest point to the toilet: 70 cm |
From the centre of Hinterhermsdorf you first have to cross a steep, asphalted section of the road to the car park at the Buchenparkhalle. By car, however, you can reach the upper car park (subject to charge) directly.
Now follow the road to the left for about 400 m until you reach the junction. Continue left down the forest road. At the Wettinplatz keep left and continue downhill following two serpentines toward the Kirnitzsch gorge. Shortly before the boat station the path gets worse containing several cross sleepers. The last 150 m are very steep on gravel and we do not advise taking this path without strong assistance. If you want to enjoy the beautiful boat trip in a wheelchair you should take advantage of this assistance again to climb the boat. The boatsmen will also be happy to help. Your wheelchair can be parked at the boat station and you have to take the return trip on the boat. The return trip from the Upper Sluice is the same as your way there, continually moving up-hill.
A small hint: The “Waldhusche” outdoor compound starts right at the Buchenparkhalle – it is worth a visit!
To enlarge, please click on the map.
The Kirnitzsch River has its source in the Czech town of Studánka (Schönborn) and has a total length of 38 km, before flowing into the river Elbe in Bad Schandau at a height of 120 m above sealevel. Its course runs through attractive national park terrain, in some parts as border river. The water of the Kirnitzsch River is clear, cold and very clean. That is why the water is still ecologically intact, as is evident from the animals and plants that live here. Water crowfoot, dippers and kingfishers, brook trout and bullheads, otters and all sorts of rare animals can be found here among other species.
The length of the river to the sluice is 700 m and a boat ride takes about 20 minutes.
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