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the bohemian switzerland |
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The Czech name for the Bohemian Switzerland is Ceské
Svýcarsko. I do not know if it is a person with a very subtle
sense of humour who named the region, but there is not much
Switzerland alp countryside over the area, which has a sense of its own.
We find the region at Hrensko, border crossing to Germany, and the
nearest bigger city is Decín about 20 km south of Hrensko.
The "may be humorist" has also been active on the German
side: Here the name is The Sachsonian Switzerland!
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The natural centre on the Czech side is the rock bridge on the picture above, Pravcicská Braná (braná = bridge). It is supposed to be obvious that the nature is fantastic and that you transport yourself by foot. The shortest trail to the bridge is 4 km and the same back, and I would not bring neither pram nor pushchair on the trip. A good starting point on the Czech side of the border is Hrensko and a good place to settle down is Decin, though there are lot of hotels in Hrensko. The shopping is just very limited if you do not fancy Vietnamese tourist shops. That is, I assume you stay in Decin and want to walk starting in Hrensko.! If you come by car just take the picturesque road along the Elbe back and forth. By bike is also a possibility, your feet too, if you like walking trips with a duration of more then 12 hours effective walking, but otherwise go by train from Decin to Schmilka (Germany), cross the river by boat and walk back to Hrensko. Though there is plenty marked hiking trails I advise you to look into a bookstore and buy the map "Edice klubu Cescých turistu" # 12-13, Ceskosaské Svýcarsko, 1:50.000. The places I refer to below may all be found on this map, which covers both the Czech and the Sachsonian Switzerland. |
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Below are links to the area spiced with pictures that are supposed to act as appetisers but first, let us see where in the Czech Republic we are:
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The
absolute main link to the region is the site of the local tourist
information, cztour,
which I highly recommend you to visit.
This is our favourite trail. Click on the image to get in full-scale 1:50.000.
A short description of the trail:
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If you come by road 261 (the main road) from Decin, take the road to the right just before you cross the river Kamenize in Hrensko and follow the red marked hiking trail. If you are by car you may place in at the parking lot at Klepác.
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From here it takes 4 km through the forest to Pravcicka Brana.
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Continue through the forest by the red trail to Mezni Louka. The tour offers many nice views and sand rock formations.
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From Mezni Louka continue by the green trail to Mesná. In Mesná you turn left and follow the yellow trail down to the river.
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After a very beautiful hike along the river the path ends, and if you do not want to go the same way back you have one possibility: Buy a ticket for the boat!
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The boat takes you almost all the way back to Hrensko at the end of the hike.
The length of the full hike is about 15 km + the boat and do
calculate it to last about 5 hours exclusive the rests you have. The
hike is in no way hard to walk - if you are used to do so.
The boat part of the trip is open from around April to about November.
The boat trip goes both ways so if you are not able to walk very
much, you may have the pleasure to see the gorge from the boat.
The latest trick is to charge you instantly when you enter the area.
Shame on the sick mind who got the idea and his followers!
Below are some pictures from the trail:
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The links below are in alphabetical order.
Boats
The boats from Mezna has a site where you can see the opening hours,
the routes and more.
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Decín |
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On the picture to the left is the Castle rising above the Elbe. I
dare to recommend a visit though I usually do not fancy that kind of
activity, but the castle has an interesting history away from the
usual noble families throwing each other out all the way in the past
history: In 1939 the German Wehrmacht occupied the castle, after the
war the Czechoslovakian army took over and finally the Red Army in
1968 found it suitable as garrison. Do also visit the zoo. The picture is taken walking towards it (you may drive to the doorstep if you prefer) and the walk offers many good views. Finally I will also recommend the town museum, which of course offers a lot of local cultural history, which I do not think is very uncommon in those places, but there is a very good exhibition that covers the history of the traffic on the Elbe and the role it has played for the development in the region. |
If you like to see the surrounding countryside do enter a bookshop again and buy the booklet "Decínsko Sluknovsko". The booklet has 52 pages (1. edition 1999) in Czech languages but you also get another booklet with the text in English and German.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels
Hotel Faust
A splendid hotel at the centre of Decíns, where we spent a
week in the autumn 2001 and many times since then.
Do ask for a room with view to the lake!
Hotel Ceska koruna
is located at the town square at the eastern part of Decin.
A suitable alternativ if you cannot get a room with a view at Faust!
The kitchen is better than Faust otherwise the standard is the same -
and you meet fewer Danes!
Pravcická
Brána
The famous rock bridge, which I think I have mentioned once or twice,
has its own homepage.
The German side
Schmilka is the
border town on the German side of the border, but as the region does
not follow the borderline I find it logical to mention it.
If you want to take a boat trip on the river - may be to Decin - I
guess you have to go to Bad
Schandau.
