VIA THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS TO THE FORMER LOOKOUT TOWER

Stations of the Cross – U Obrázku church – former Humboldt lookout tower

The charming U Obrázku church and the surrounding area are deservedly a popular destination for trips through the forests of the Jizera Mountains. The route there, which goes up through an alley of chestnut trees with Stations of the Cross and an Art Nouveau church, is well known to the people of Liberec. However, not so many people know that not far from there stands a memorial to the former Humboldt Heights (a lookout tower that stood over Ruprechtice in 1887-1902 and then again from 1905 to 1932). The remnants of the tower and the memorial stone can be seen in front of Liberec quarry.

Hiking tour: 2,3 km; https://mapy.cz/s/gojabejeja

CIRCULAR WALK AROUND THE HEIGHTS AND THE FOREST SWIMMING POOL

Lidové sady park – Liberec Heights lookout tower – Scout Spring – Forest Swimming Pool

An almost perfect circle takes you the traditional route from Lidové sady park first to the Liberec Heights lookout tower and then past the Scout Spring from 1968 to the renovated Forest Swimming Pool, and from there past the Zoo back to the park.

Hiking tour: 4,3 km; https://mapy.cz/s/kakahofono

THROUGH A LANDSCAPE OF PONDS

Chateau park – Forest park – Kunratické ponds – Pivovarské ponds – Vratislavice pumptrack

There’s rather a nice set of ponds around Vratislavice (Pivovarské, Kunratické, Pekelské in Proseč); the map is nice and blue here and so it’s worth taking a closer look at the first two ponds while on a walk around the group.

Hiking tour: 5,1 km; https://mapy.cz/s/dujefomuvo

FROM VESEC TO THE EMPEROR

Vesec sports complex – Emperor’s Stone lookout tower – Tajch, a pond in Vesec

It’s a nice long hike up from the Vesec sports complex to the lookout tower on the Emperor’s Stone. It’s a real climb, but it’s a nice route that runs through the forest. The recently reconstructed lookout tower (2018) offers some wonderful views of the countryside. In fine weather you can see Ještěd, Trosky, the lookout tower on Tanvaldský Špičák and the cities of Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou. We take a smaller arc on the route back, past Tajch, a pond in Vesec, and if the weather is warm enough this is a lovely place to relax by the water.

Hiking tour: 8,4 km; https://mapy.cz/s/horoguhaze

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.

Hiking tour: 4 km, https://mapy.cz/s/dahegofuka

HEAVENLY PONDS AT OPIČÁK

This trip is actually not really a trip at all. It’s more an invitation to a special and long-forgotten corner of the countryside that is hidden away right next to some huge shopping centres. There used to be a brickworks here, but now the area has become a wilderness. Alongside the footpaths there are little pools that only fill up when it rains. These places are known as "heavenly ponds" and are home to numerous amphibians, while the surrounding trees provide a haven for insects and birds. And it is these old and bizarrely-shaped trees that have not only imbued this place with its own special magic, but have also given it its name – Opičák (Monkey).

https://mapy.cz/s/2E8jl