Hikes in Hejnice

Part 3 of the hike - to the bus in Strážné (Pommerndorf) and further to the Vrchlabí (Hohenelbe) train station from Tetschen (DE) / Děčín (CZ) on the Elbe to the Elbe springsat the Schneekoppe (DE) / Sněžka (CZ) / Śnieżka (PL)

From the magnificent Baroque monument, the Pilgrimage Church of the Visitation of Mary, the trail begins on an unremarkable path. That changes quickly. Following the Štolpišská Trail, built in 1891, we then walk through a fascinating gorge with numerous waterfalls and rapids. Huge boulders are scattered everywhere. Then we admire the great Velký Štolpich Waterfall, whose average flow rate ranges from 80 l/s to 100 l/s. In winter, the gorge is known for its icefalls. We don’t realize until we climb out of the gorge that the waterfall is flanked by sheer rock faces. On to the next attraction: the spectacular via ferrata leading to the rocky peak of Ořešník, the “Nut Rock.” After all we’ve experienced, we make our way back to the starting point at a leisurely pace, filled with a sense of joy.

Right at the start of this hike, you can see our destination for the day high up on the mountain: the rock formations of the Friedländer Zinne. After passing through the meadows, we enter a fairytale forest where it seems as though furious giants have scattered enormous boulders at random. One highlight is a waterfall. A massive boulder has become wedged in the vertical drop of the water, forcing the water to flow around it to the right and left. After a short detour to a first boulder, we then climb up to the unique rock fortress of the Friedländer Zinne. From there, we wind our way through numerous rock formations to the highest point. Conclusion: One of the most beautiful hikes in the Jizera Mountains, with the motto: Pause where nature enchants.

As we continue on the hikes described in this guidebook, we’ll repeatedly come across spectacular rock formations. What we’ll see is the result of a process known as “wool sack weathering.” The interplay of physical and chemical processes creates rounded boulders that look like stacked pillows, mattresses, or—as the name suggests—filled wool sacks. A particularly adventurous part of this tour is the small wooden footbridge leading to the approximately 20-meter-high formation, from which you can walk from one “wool sack” to the next, where a cross—erected in the early 1990s—stands. From here, you have a beautiful view of the Frýdlant region and the northern slopes of the Jizera Mountains. To the east, you can make out Bukovec and the ridge of the western Krkonoše Mountains.> From the small parking lot at the Bartlova Bouda restaurant, we cross the upper road and head uphill toward Paličník (marked in yellow). Huge boulders topped with green caps of moss line the stream bed to our left. The trail runs almost entirely in the shade.As we ascend, the gorge gradually narrows, and we cross the stream on a bridge. The gravel road turns into a narrow trail, followed by a third and fourth bridge. The subsequent ascent becomes steep and rocky. Stairs have been built in some places. The forest becomes increasingly sparse, and we enter the realm of blueberries. Following a trail that branches off slightly to the right, we then reach the Paličník rock formation. A secured trail leads over stairs and steps carved into the rock up to the summit cross. From there, you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the rolling landscape of the Jizera Mountains. Once back on the main trail, we continue to the right.After a short stretch, at the Pod Klínovým vrchem fork, we ignore the trail branching off to the left and continue straight ahead toward Předěl (marked in blue). On the beautiful trail that follows, we pass the highest point of the loop. It’s easy to miss the inconspicuous trail branching sharply to the right (marked in green). So, once we reach a small shelter located at the Předěl d (German: Scheide) trail junction, we must walk back about 75 meters to turn slightly left there.A beautiful section of trail through the pristine Šindelový důl gorge follows. The path leads onto a gravel road, with streams rushing downhill from all sides. At a right-hand bend in the forest road, we cross the Smědá River and then reach State Road 290. We walk a short distance uphill to the left along this road, then, after a 5-meter-long guardrail, turn right onto a path leading downhill (marked in red). This path ends back at the road. Here, we cross the road bridge and climb over the guardrail at the first right-hand bend in the road. The path that follows leads downhill (now marked in green!). This path ends back at the road, and after a few meters we reach the parking lot and the Bílý Potok, Zadní Studánka bus stop. At this point, we turn slightly right onto the cul-de-sac and thus reach the starting point—the parking lot at Restaurace Bartlova Bouda.

Jizera Mountains

An emotional highlight is the ascent of the unrivaled King Smrk in the Bohemian Jizera Mountains. The mountain’s name comes from a massive spruce tree—the Czech word for which is “smrk”—that once stood on the summit plateau. The observation tower at its summit is definitely a tourist magnet, but the ascent and descent of this described circular hike then lead through unknown, largely undeveloped for tourism, and pristine gorges. The high moor is impressive, with its water-soaked spruce forests, silver firs, overgrown meadows, and small ponds. Blueberries, from the heather family, also thrive at higher elevations; in September, you’ll encounter many hikers with blue tongues and teeth.> From the parking bay and bus stop at Bílý Potok, Zadní Studánka, we walk along the main road toward Desna. At the very first left-hand bend in the road, we turn onto the path slightly to the right (marked in green). This path leads through a sparse forest and ends at a guardrail along the connecting road. We climb over the guardrail and turn right. After the road bridge, follow the continuing trail (marked in red), which runs parallel to the connecting road. As soon as we reach the road again, we walk down it to the left and, at the next opportunity, turn right off connecting road 290b. The trail continues through a left-hand bend across the Smědá River. What follows is a scenic highlight: the ascent through the beautiful Šindelový důl Gorge.After a long climb, the trail joins a dirt road, which we follow for about 75 m to a wooden hut. This hut is located at the Předěl c. trail junction. It got its name from its location on the watershed between the Baltic and North Seas. From here, the waters flow into the Jizera on one side and into the Smědá on the other. We continue left on the paved road toward Hubertka (marked in red). We hike through a fascinating landscape featuring raised bogs and many protected species. We pass an artificial pond and ignore the left fork at the Na Písčinách trail junction, 877 m (marked blue and red from here on). We pass the trailhead into the forest d, which we ignore on the ascent. At the Nebeský žebřík junction, 931 m, we leave the road and ascend to the right toward Smrk (marked in blue). After a marshy section with stairs, we reach a wide gravel path, which we now share with mountain bikers. We cross the summit of Smrk e quite unobtrusively. All the more spectacular, then, is the steel observation tower behind it, which opened on September 21, 2003. It was built after the first wooden observation tower, dating from 1892, was destroyed during the war.We first retrace our steps along the way we came until we reach the Nebeský žebřík junction, where we meet the paved road and continue back 350 m to the left. Behind the rusty railing of a bridge, there is a passing bay on the otherwise narrow paved road. After another ten meters, we reach the turnoff into the forest (d) and turn right here (unmarked). After a short stretch, the track forks; we follow the left-hand branch. The track turns into a trail. From this point on, a good sense of direction is needed to find your way. Further along, we cross the stream over the remains of a small bridge. Numerous marshy sections follow at first, until the ground becomes rockier. The trail ends at a hiking trail that crosses it. To our left is a small wooden bridge. We turn right and head downhill along a beautiful hiking trail by the stream. We then cross three bridges until we reach a road intersection, beyond which lies the Bartlova Baude f rest stop. If we don’t stop for a break, we turn left and walk slightly downhill to the starting point at the parking bay and bus stop Bílý Potok, Zadní Studánka.

From the pilgrimage church of Maria Heimsuchung up through the valley of the Stolpichbach and back down in the Schwarzbach valley.

An exhilarating hike from the car park at Albrechitice to Bily Potok, taking in wonderful views of the surrounding valleys, dense forest and wildlife.