TO ROYAL MOUNTAIN

Below Roimund - Roimund

This short work through a deserted wood takes you to the ruins of the castle of Roimund. Nowadays there are only a few remnants of its former beauty, but when Jan of Donín built it in the mid-14th century, he gave it a grand name – the name of the castle is derived from the French words roi and mont – i.e. Royal Mountain. It was apparently named in honour of King Charles IV, who, when the castle was founded, married Blanche of Valois and often stayed in Zittau, which is not far from here.

Distance from Liberec: 16 km, GPS parking: 50.8028489N, 14.8842964E
Hiking tour: 3,2 km, https://mapy.cz/s/ravamufuvo

KOTEL BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL

Below Devil’s Wall – Devil’s Wall – Below Devil’s Wall – Kotel stations of the cross

Although this trip is a little further away from the Ještěd Ridge, we like it, and according to legend it does belong here. It is said that a peasant farmer once made a bet with a devil that the infernal creature couldn’t built a wall from Ještěd to Bezděz overnight. The farmer cheated and won the bet, but as the devil really did try, a short way from the village of Kotel we can indeed walk along a basalt wall, where we can find places such as the Devil’s Chair or the Devil’s Head. And to balance things out nicely, on Kotel hill opposite there is a restored stations of the cross that ends with the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre.

Distance from Liberec: 22 km, GPS parking: 50.6785339N, 14.9508464E
Hiking tour: 2,6 km, https://mapy.cz/s/kevatofata

THROUGH THE QUARRY ON THE TRAIL OF BANDITS

Křižany, railway station – Below Solvayův quarry – Turn-off to viewpoint – Viewpoint – Turn-off to viewpoint – Solvayův quarry – Bandit’s Cave

The three-storey Solvayův quarry used to be the largest quarry on the Ještěd Ridge and limestone was quarried there until the 1920s. Nature has taken over in the almost 100 years since the quarry closed, and it is now even a habitat for some rare species of plants and animals. Along the circuit walk around the quarry there are information boards, outdoor seating and the turn-off to Bandit’s Cave, although that is not open to the public.

Distance from Liberec: 17 km, GPS parking: 50.7514153N, 14.9185247E
Hiking tour: 2,9 km, https://mapy.cz/s/dapugotece

IN SEARCH OF ANIMALS NEAR HANYCHOVSKÁ JESKYNĚ CAVE

Liberec, Horní Hanychov, P3 central car park – Hanychovská jeskyně cave

Hanychovská cave is Ještěd’s most famous cave and although it is not open to the public, there’s plenty of interesting information along the way to it. At the rest area at Panský lom quarry there are information boards, models of the tracks of forest animals, and especially two totems with beautifully carved animals.

Distance from Liberec: 6 km, GPS parking: 50.7373378N, 15.0097489E, nebo tramvaj č. 3 směr Horní Hanychov (výstup na konečné)
Hiking tour: 4 km, https://mapy.cz/s/dahegofuka

TO JEŠTĚD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROCK AND SADDEST STONE

Tetřeví sedlo (also known as Výpřež) – Stone Gate – Red Stone – Barrow of the Aviators – Above Výpřež – Tetřeví sedlo

This easy trip through the Ještěd woods, from a different side to the one usually frequented by walkers, takes us to some viewpoints that will literally take your breath away. First to the Stone Gate, which is said to be Ještěd’s most beautiful rock, then via the pretty Red Stone viewpoint to the sad site of a plane crash in 1948. This tragedy is commemorated by a memorial stone at the Barrow of the Aviators and the remnants of the aircraft, which crashed into the slope of Ještěd in bad weather.

Distance from Liberec: 10 km, GPS parking: 50.7438364N, 14.9784683E
Hiking tour: 5 km,  https://mapy.cz/s/hufogamema

THROUGH RAUBÍŘSKÉ SKÁLY ROCKS

Hodkovice n. Mohelkou, railway station – Raubířské skály rocks

Rising out of the forest almost visible from a busy road, these sandstone rocks evidently take their name from the highwaymen that used to prey on merchants heading for the regions of Nisa and Lusatia. Luckily we won’t find any bandits here today, although there is a Climbers’ Cross on the top of the rocks, and a small cave to be discovered on the other side of the road.

Distance from Liberec: 16 km, GPS parking: 50.6672975N, 15.1006900E
Hiking tour: 3 km, https://mapy.cz/s/cojolejomo

Wishing you a pleasant trip, and if you’re looking for tips for other walks through the countryside, check out the "Hiking" section on our website.