"Walk to the "Brand" viewpoint" Hohnstein Things to Do Tip by german_eagle

A *must* when in the area is to visit the viewpoint named "Brand". It is a very easy, flat walk of about 40 minutes, all the time through a beautiful forest, from Hohnstein to Brand. There is a hut with restaurant and rooms/B&B at Brand, also an information point of the National Park service (free exhibit). The viewpoint is right on the edge of the plateau/cliff, 187 m above the Polenz river valley and offers gorgeous views of the Saxon Switzerland region. The panorama includes (from left side) Schrammsteine near Bad Schandau, Ruzova hora in the Czech Republic, Zschirnsteine and Sneznik (Cz. Rep.) at the horizon, fortress Königstein and Mt. Lilienstein in the middle, the sandstone massif of Bastei to the right. Sometimes you can even see Dresden in the far distance.

The name (Brand = fire) comes from a big fire in the forest, centuries ago. The restaurant/hut was built 1877, reconstructed in 1894 and very nicely restored a few years ago.

If there is a favourite time for a visit, then it's late fall - end of October, early November (depends) the foliage is fantastic - brilliant colours.