The Falkenschlucht and other surprises around the Gohrisch in the Saxon Switzerland Landscape Protection Area

We reach the rock plateau of the Gohrisch through the narrow Falkenschlucht, at the top two wonderful views reward us for the effort of the ascent! The second part of the hike is a little more leisurely, but there are surprising things to discover near the ground. The tour is suitable for children who like to run. Dogs can only be taken if the Gohrisch is bypassed.

From the health resort of Gohrisch we hike along the Stille Grund (marking "yellow dot"; Oberer Rundweg) and past the greenhouses of the former nursery (now the Forststeig bivouac area). We stay on the Oberen Rundweg, which turns right (marking "yellow dot") and come to the first small view "Onkel Pauls Bank". From here you have a wonderful view of the Lilienstein.

Shortly thereafter we come across the Malerweg, which we follow, turning left. At the foot of the Gohrisch we can choose between two different ascents. The ascent through the Falkenschlucht leads through a narrow rocky gorge, which requires some climbing skills. In the second variant, you stay on the Malerweg. Once at the top, we want to see the weather vane view first. To do this, take a small path to the left on the rock plateau, through rocks and up a short passage secured with an iron chain.

The same way back and further over the Gohrisch, we come to the pavilion view. After the east descent to the saddle between the Gohrisch and the Papststein we come across the soapstone tunnel, which is connected to the basalt quarry. In the immediate boundary between sandstone and basalt is a layer of brown iron and a layer of decomposed basalt known as "soapstone". The age of the tunnel is not exactly known. Older traditions already call the pit "God's help" in 1583 on the Gohrisch. The chronicler Wilhelm Leberecht Götzinger states that the soapstone tunnel was created around 1750 in search of hard coal. It is still unclear whether the tunnel was originally used to mine the soapstone or whether it was actually intended to open up coal deposits (created by driftwood in the sandstone). The tunnel has served as winter quarters for bats since the 1990s.

We cross the street at the Galgenschänke. Immediately after the parking lot, we turn sharp left onto the Alte Jäke hiking trail. It goes steeply down into the valley, we cross Schandauer Straße again at the entrance to the spa town of Gohrisch, walk past the forest cemetery and straight on to the sports field. Turn left on Lindenweg to Hörnelweg. Now we follow the "yellow dot" marking in the direction of the Hörnelteich (boulder from the Ice Age). Continue on the path around the Folgefelder, past the Caravan Platz, to the starting point of the hike in Gohrisch.

The name of the village "Gohrisch" is derived from the old Slavic word gora, which means "mountain". First documented mention was in 1437 as Gorusch and a year later as Gorisch. It remained a very small village for centuries, because there were only limited possibilities for cultivating fields on the flat areas. 200 years ago only about 100 people lived in 20 farmhouses. Only through the development of tourism did the place flourish and was soon allowed to call itself a high-altitude health resort. In 1910, around 700 people were already living in Gohrisch. Since 1936 it has been allowed to bear the title "spa".