2/2 If you ask me, it's part of the experience and I wouldn't want it any other way. It was even officially declared 'immaterial cultural heritage' a year ago or so!

1/2 Well, it depends. There are different kinds of sandstone and there is a great debate in the climbing world whether it's justified for the local mountaineering association to impose these rules here to protect the rock. There are areas where metal gear wouldn't work at alI though, like Rathen.

*Saxon Switzerland, it's more of a nickname coined by a couple of Swiss immigrants. But yes it's the same, we share the mountain range across the border: The Elbe Sandstone Mountains.