Wachberg is a modest but wonderfully scenic peak right on the Czech border, just a kilometre north of Saupsdorf. Its name recalls the medieval border watchtower that once stood here, and today hikers also know it as the 'Schweizerkrone' — the Crown of Saxon Switzerland.

Although it belongs scenically to Saxon Switzerland, geologically the mountain is part of the Lusatian Highlands, built from granodiorite with scattered boulder fields on its wooded slopes. From the summit plateau you get sweeping views over the table mountains of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains to the south and the Eastern Ore Mountains with Geising and Kahleberg to the southwest — on very clear days you can even spot Sněžka in the Giant Mountains. In summer it's a peaceful spot to linger over the view; in winter, road access can be considerably restricted.

How to reach the summit

• Saupsdorf — road leads to a car park just below the summit, short easy walk
• The Dr.-Alfred-Meiche-Weg runs along the ridge, doubling as a section of the European long-distance trail E3 between Sebnitz and Hinterhermsdorf

Good to know

• The Wachbergbaude, an inn with guesthouse rooms, sits just below the top and has been run by the same family since 1898
• A cross-border trail branches off near the inn to Mikulášovice in the Czech Republic
• Winter access by car from Saupsdorf can be severely limited by snow

In 2011 a plaque was unveiled at the Wachbergbaude marking the 200th anniversary of balloonist Wilhelmine Reichard's emergency landing here — one of the earliest female balloonists in history.