Bohemian Switzerland National Park – children friendly hike

Day 1: arrival in Děčín

Today you arrive in Děčín, the base for this tour. The lowest lying city on the Elbe is an ideal spot for recreation and relaxation. The gateway to Bohemian Switzerland National Park, it is a jumping off point for outings to fabulous panoramic spots, magnificent cliff formations, and historic sights.

The walking program starts tomorrow, so you have plenty of time to explore this historical town. Děčín Castle with its beautiful rose garden, for example, is worth a visit. Another suggestion is the spectacular via ferrata in Děčín with a magnificent panorama of the city on the Elbe as a reward. There’s loads of fun at Dečín’s modern swimming complex, one of the best equipped in the country.

• Overnight: Hotel Česká koruna, Hotel Faust, Pension U Pekaře

Day 2: Děčín – Hřensko – Mezná (Mezní louka)

The day starts with a boat trip on the Elbe. The boat sails all the way to Dresden, but you get off in Hřensko village.
Note: the boat does not sail at extreme water levels. The timetable will be announced one day in advance, we will provide information about this. An alternative to the boat is the train, a very nice train ride to Schöna where you still have to cross the Elbe with a local ferry from the left to the right bank.

We enter the village (red marked path) and walk in the direction of Edmundova soutěska to a junction with yellow marked path for about 1,2 km. Here we join the yellow marking and hike along the gorge of Kamenice river to the start of a “punt ferry”. The boat trip takes approx. 20 min. Continue of yellow path towards junction called “Mezní můstek”. From here follow the green path ( the only steep climb of today) to a little settlement called Mezná or further to Mezní Louka for today’s overnight.

• Distance: 5,5 km – 7 km
• Climbing: 250 m
• Descent: 98 m
• Overnight: Penzion Na vyhlídce, Hotel Hubert or Hotel Mezní louka (upgrade), Penzion U Fořta (upgrade)
• interactive map

Day 3: Mezná / Mezní louka circuit hiking trip

Today you have got several hiking possibilities.

Option 1:

Short hike about 7km via the Nová cesta (New pathway), a yellow marked path to the ruins of rock fortress Šaunštejn. Not much is left of it now, but in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the castle was a base for robbers and bandits. Back way goes through Malá Pravčická brána (Small pravčická archway) and Větrovec hill on a red marked path.

Option 2:

Follow the yellow marked path to Vysoká Lípa (refreshment / lunch possibilities) for about 8km. From this village you join the blue path north direction to Mezní louka via “Divoká soutěska”. Do not miss the viewpoint Ptačí kámen (the Bird’s Stone) under the wild Kamenice canyon. You reach Mezní louka after 12 km of walk.

Option 3:

Nature trail “lynx” near Mezní louka. It consists of two circuits – red and blue, along with twenty interactive sites. The blue circuit is about 800 m long and also has ten stops. It differs from the red route by the nature of the terrain, which is more challenging and more suitable for older children. Lots of interesting things and active entertainment await them at the stops called “Animal Olympics”, “Forest Pool”, “Life in the hollow of trees” and others. They can try walking on a wooden sidewalk over a pond, see with their own eyes a lichen-eating climbing frame or, for example, get to know a special musical instrument called the “Tree Dendrophon”. For the blue route, count on a time requirement of 60 – 120 minutes.

• Distance: 7-12 km
• Climbing: 270-389 m
• Descent: 270-389 m
• Overnight: Penzion Na vyhlídce, Hotel Hubert or Hotel Mezní louka (upgrade), Penzion U Fořta (upgrade)
• interactive map

Day 4: Mezná / Mezní louka to Hřensko over Pravčická brána

Last day of hiking starts with a walk to Pravčická brána ( Pravčická archway), the symbol of Bohemian Switzerland. It is the largest natural gate in central Europe. You follow the Gabrilia’s path (red colour) to Hřensko for about 10,5 km. From Hřensko you take a public bus back to Děčín (schedule of departures to be provided).

• Distance: 10.5 km
• Climbing: 247 m
• Descent: 388 m
• Overnight: Hotel Faust, Pension U Pekaře
• interactive map

Day 5: Departure

After breakfast, departure to your next destination …

Highly recommended is the via ferrata in Děčín. Not only great fun for the kids 🙂

• Overnight: none

Difficulty Grade: Easy

Relaxed and mild walks suitable for walkers with average levels of fitness and who are generally in good health. These walks are typically on maintained trails or timber roads and have marked trails with signage. Gradients are mild with no steep uphill or downhill section. No previous hiking experience is required and they are suitable for novices and different age groups. Walking is typically limited to 3-5 hours per day (up to 12 km of walking).(read more about explanation of our difficulty grades).

Route Navigation in the field

You will walk mostly on rocky roads and even some paved roads. All trails are well-marked in the field. We advise  to follow only the marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. Off trail walking is strongly forbidden. We will provide you with detailed navigation instructions and maps (1:40.000 or 1:25.000).  You can call us 24/7 for assistance (however preferably during working hours only).

More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your booking documents.

Best time to go

This trip as available from April until October. April you still will find some remnants of snow on the ridges. The weather for walking is optimal in June – September. However July and August can sometimes be quite warm and weekends can be busy at some hot spots.

The busiest months are july and august. If you want to travel in that specific term, it is preferable that you book as early as possible. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your holiday on any date in the season, therefore please indicate desired starting date when booking.

Weather

The climate is typical for Central Europe. Humid summers with occasional hot spells, and cold, cloudy and humid winters. If you are planning a trip to the Czech Republic, weather will probably be one of your concerns. Czech Republic’s climate is comparable to that of southern inland Canada. Summer in the Czech Republic typically covers the period from June through mid-September. Czech summers are usually mild (20-27°C/70-80°F) and somewhat humid, with the highest temperatures up to 30-35°C/85-95°F (occasionally higher) for short periods. Such heat waves can be expected in July and August. Sudden showers and thunderstorms are common, so bring an umbrella or be prepared to dash for cover.

Recommended weather information: yr.no

What to bring

We recommend that you travel as light as possible because airlines nowadays charge larges fees for luggage above 15kg. Ideally, you should bring one piece of luggage weighing not more than 25 kg (to be checked in) and a daily pack (15 – 20 l backpack) for your daily essentials (snacks, drinking water, camera, etc). Below is a indicative list of what you should bring with you on this trip. More detailed information will be included in your booking information documents. If you need further advice, please contact us or ask at you local outdoor retailer.

• Good hiking boots (we have seen hikers on sneakers though)
• Hiking socks (at least 2 pairs or 3 pairs on the longer trips)
• Several t-shirts (cotton or preferably breathable/fast drying)
• Waterproof and windproof jacket with hood
• Synthetic mid layer or warm fleece
• Shoes/slippers – to relax and wear inside accommodation (shower / toilet)
• Sunglasses, sunscreen skin protector and lip salve
• Hat/Baseball cap
• First Aid kit (aspirine, diaria profilact)
• A good book 🙂