Length of trip: 

30 km, https://mapy.cz/s/dajoduputu

Difficulty: ***

Which way to go: From the city centre of Liberce by bus Liberec-Bedřichov (Fügnerova ul. - Bedřichov, Maliník) -  reservoir Černá Nisa - Olivetská hora - Bílá kuchyně - Pod Ptačími kupami - Krásná Máří - Čihadla - Kristiánov - Šámalova chata -  bus Bedřichov-Liberec (Bedřichov,Maliník - Fügnerova ul.).

You can take the cycle bus or drive from Liberec to Bedřichov. Either way, your starting point is the Maliník car park. From there, head to the Černá Nisa dam along the “canal” route. This runs along the Černá Nisa Nature Trail and leads through natural terrain. At the Melzerův monument join the paved route, which takes you to the edge of the Bedřichov – Černá Nisa dam. This is the highest dam in the Czech Republic and is a bit like a Scandinavian lake.

Normally this is where you’d turn towards the dike, but that route is closed during the reconstruction works, and so now keep to the right bank. You have to get along a nice corduroy road here, which is also a bit inconvenient as you have to push your bike alongside you. Your next stop is at the Pod Olivetskou horou crossroads, which you get to along cycle route no. 3022. You then have a climb up over Olivetská hora to Bílá kuchyně. It’s a long hill, but the route runs through a beautiful forest and is the only longish ascent of today’s trip.

From Olivetská hora it’s a nice ride down, giving you a chance to recover your strength. At Bílá kuchyně leave the forest track and join the paved road to follow the yellow markers to Hřebínek. You can take the opportunity to top up your fluids there, and we definitely recommend trying the local cakes, which are delicious. From Hřebínek continue on to Točna following the yellow markers along the Hřebenovka route no. 22. Below Ptačí kupy the route markers switch from yellow to red; the Hřebenovka route stays with you. Your next waypoint is the Krásná Máří viewpoint, which is well worth stopping off at for the wonderful views. In good weather it’s like you’re holding the whole of Frýdlantsko in your palm. The smoking chimneys on the horizon belong to the Polish Turow power station.

Continue following the Hřebenovka route past Tetřeví boudy, Žďárek and the Nad Černým potokem crossroads to Čihadla. From there, take bike trail no. 3022 to Rozmezí and Kristiánov. You’ve now got a really nice ride downhill, but we certainly recommend stopping off in Kristiánov and checking out the local museum, as it has an exhibition on the history of the glassmaking settlement, which you really should visit while you’re in this part of the Jizera Mountains. After going round the museum it’ll be high time for something more filling to eat, so ride down to the Blatný rybník pond and from there it’s just a short way following the blue route to Šámalová chata. This hunting lodge at Nová louka is a real gem of the Jizera Mountains and its beautiful period architecture makes it a popular location for film shoots, as well as for wedding receptions and family celebrations.

Travel back from Šámalová chata to Maliník along the Vládní cesta route, which runs along the Forests of the Jizera Mountains Nature Trail. When riding downhill, as soon as you see the apartment buildings look out for the turn-off on the right, as it’s easy to miss. You now have the last, short but steep climb, which will take you to Maliník. You can enjoy some of the renowned local refreshments as a sweet end to today’s trip.