Jeseniky Mountains the weekend trip

Jeseniky mountains for the weekend, of course, can not catch. But what to do when there is no more time? Fortunately, we could admire many other places quite recently – such as, Rejvíz moss lake, or Losiny castle and paper mill. So when we have a free weekend and optimistic weather forecast, we book a sporthotel right in the center and go for at least two days to walk what our old bones allow us … Of course, the center of events is Praded and the area below its peak, the well-known mountain cottages Ovcarna and Barborka, the seat of mountain service – and apparently the highest hotel in our country, sporthotel Kurzovní, which we choose we (it can be accommodated directly in the hotel on Praded, so the “highest” must be taken here with reserve). Although we arrive around nine in the evening, we go straight up to Praded itself. This gives us some unique experiences – views of the Jeseníky Mountains drenched with the red glow of the setting sun, the black silhouette of the transmitter on the background of the evening sky, and an open empty restaurant where a bunch of regulars ointments, probably a transmitter service.

The waitress is willing to bring ordered fernets and kofola, and does not show any surprise to late visitors at 21: 45. Few realize that the correct answer to the question: “The highest point of the Czech Republic?” Is not Snezka (1602 m). The transmitter on Praded (1492 m) has 162 m, so its peak is 1654 meters high. Which easily overcomes the buildings built on Snezka. After all, Snezka can be seen from the lookout tower at Praded with favorable visibility in the distance. In the morning we set out on a hike, which is known as one of the most beautiful in the top parts of the Jeseníky Mountains – the circuit from Ovčárna around Velká kotlina. It starts with a shorter ascent to the ridge starting roughly Petrove Stones, forbidden to tourists for protection of local endemic plants. is the second highest peak (1464 m). Socialist generals planned to build a backup airport for fighters (!), Still visible remains of small bunkers all around, but in the end, of course, never landed any plane. We would rather notice the beautiful, three-sided border stone that marked the border of the three manors, their reliefs adorn the individual sides. After less than 8 kilometers, our ridge at Jelení studánka ends. We pump up the water and plunges down, from the clearings into the forest overgrown with blueberry. The steep eight-kilometer descent is made more pleasant by a buffet at the Alfredka chalet, where we drink Alfrédský stink, a slice of bread and butter, finely spread cheese, chopped onions and sprinkled with ground paprika. Excellent. Our path is a triangle and its lowest point is after 8 km descent of 600 meters vertical settlement Karlov. We will have the last trimester and a steep climb. Therefore, we treat about two hundred meters to the nearest snack (garlic and blueberry dumplings). We are surprised by the owner and the waitress in one person (just before retirement): “And you go to Praded? I’ll have to go there sometimes, I haven’t been there yet. And where is it going? ”- her cafeteria is a quarter of a kilometer from the first stop of the nature trail through the Great Basin ending at Ovcarna.

Leaving without commentary, we go up the nature trail and rest after a while at the bridge with a water sprite. Gradually we go up to the edge of the forest, we open beautiful views, until we can not believe that we had lunch a few hours ago in the far Charles below us. We traveled 24 km, only the last third meant a seven-hundred-meter cant, at the beginning of another part of altitude while walking up-down the ridge, that is still not enough for us. We descend to Ovcarna and continue straight to the top of Praded, where we check that the Long Hills are filled to the brim and that Sněžka is really visible. We close the daily balance for more than 30 kilometers (pedometer claims even 36 km), altitude difference over a kilometer. We sleep like killing. In the morning we can see the White Opava waterfalls in Jeseniky mountains. Usually it comes from Karlova Studanka, but we are up, so we choose the option down the lighter blue, which leads through the hillsides and forests above the stream, and right back up the yellow, over footbridges and bridges, a bit reminiscent of Slovak Paradise, although its beauty does not reach . Around noon we drive to the free parking on Cervenohorske sedlo and set off for the last walk to Cervena hora, which gave the saddle a name. Notice the road that passes through the saddle on the serpentine map. They are pushing our time, so we are not able to continue to Keprnik and Serak what we can do, perhaps at some other time. Even so, it is a nice view, although the question is whether it is suitable for children – see what the slopes above the saddle look like, their proponent went off! We climb about 4 km all the way up to Vresova well, supposedly medicinal, and further to Skalni a window where we are just turning back from Jeseniky mountains. Fortunately for our feet already by car.