Blogs from Hrensko, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czech Republic, Europe

Ahoj.Minuly vikend som sa vybral konecne do Ceskeho Svycarska - uz som to dlho planoval.V sobotu som rano som siel vlakom do Usti nad Labem a odtial busom do dedinky Tisa - prvej zastavky. V tejto dedinke sa nachadza area Tiske steny s unikatnymi skalnymi utvarmi.Presiel som si velky okruh (je tam aj maly) a pokracoval som dalej cestou na najvyssiu stolovu horu - Decinsky Sneznik.Na vrchu je vyhliadkova veza, z ktorej mal byt podla fotiek paradny vyhlad na okolitu krajinu.Bohuzial nebol, kedze bola husta hmla.Tak som po malom obcerstveni z vlasntych zasob pokracoval dalej lesom k obci Maxicky odtial som povodne chcel ist do Decina a odtial busom do Hrenska a tam prencovat.Posilneny gulasom a pivom som sa rozhodol inac a pokracoval som dalej po turistickej znacke do obce Dolni Zleb.Tam som sa chcel preplavit ... read more

With time getting short and the weather finally being sunny and warm we decided to return to Hrensko for a weekend of hiking. We enjoyed this area so much last year and wanted at least one more visit to this beautiful region. The small village of Hrensko is located right beside the Labe River. Across the river is Germany. The border crosses the river about a mile north of Hrensko and beyond that is also Germany. The Czech customs station is only about three hundred yards from the village. Here cars entering the Czech Republic are checked. Ships going up and down the river are also checked. We walked to the customs office, but as we did not have our passports in our pockets it seemed prudent not to cross the border and end up stuck ... read more

Climbing on up the mountain we finally reached the top of the mountain where the largest natural bridge in Europe stands. Below and at one end of the bridge an old hotel still operates as a restaurant, but accepts no overnight guests. The employees have to hike in each day to their job. All supplies for the restaurant are brought up the mountain in a small cable car. The cable car is not large enough to carry any passengers. In fact, when I saw it in operation I think I would call it the cable bucket. The motor is tiny and the supplies come up a little at a time. The natural bridge is at least fifty to sixty feet high and I would guess at least one hundred feet across. No one is allowed to ... read more

We set off up the trail. Our destination was four kilometers away, the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe. A huge group of school kids were ahead of us ... thank goodness they were ahead of us. In fact, we slowed so they would get far enough ahead that we could not hear them. When in the woods we prefer the sounds of nature to the sounds of 40 excited school children. I must say the kids were having a great time, and that is good. We had been told the trail is quite steep and difficult. Pleasantly surprised we did not find the trail particularly steep nor particularly difficult. We have hiked more difficult trails in the Shenandoah National Park and climbing through the slot canyons, Peek-a-boo and Spooky, in Utah was more difficult. We ... read more

Do you remember in the blog on going to Dresden that I mentioned the beautiful mountainous country we passed through and I said, "Nancy and I have to learn more about this area. There must be some wonderful hiking in that area." Well ........ when we returned to IBTS we metioned the beauty we saw to several people. Each enouraged us to return and hike there. In fact PP said, "Take two days off. Go there and see the beauty." So, we did. But this trip will take several entries. We left Prague on Tudsday, going by bus from Prague to Decin, and then by local bus from Decin to Hrensko. Hrensko was our base for hiking. The town is right on the German/Czech border. It is a town with two streets, shaped like a "T". ... read more