Měděnec to Jáchymov: Day 181

A shorter walk today over a mountain ski resort and visiting a mine.

Overnight the wind dropped nothing more dangerous than pine needles on my tent, although I was annoyed that the inside was wetter than the outside. 

I continued through the forest I noticed a fenced area. I had seen many of these on my trip across Czechia. According to Google they are to protect young plants and trees from grazing by deer and other wild animals, and to encourage native species. 

On my approach to Klinovec I passed an enclosed shelter designed for sleeping in. Had I known of it I might have kept going last night although I probably would not have reached it until after dark, and it may already have been occupied (although in that eventuality there was a covered picnic area nearby). It is the third I have come across on my trip. They are marked on mapy.com but you have to look carefully.

A little later I reached a ski slope beside which there was a final steep climb up to the summit of Klinovec. Ski lifts converge here. There are three towers and a cluster of buildings falling into disrepair. At 1244 metres the mountain is the highest in the region with several chairlifts amd ski runs. Therefore I was surprised that the buildings had not been renovated. The original, stone lookout tower was unexpectedly open, so I paid to climb up it. The lady looking after selling the tickets must have thought I was crazy as the summit was completely enclosed by cloud so I could see more from ground level. Still, it was a historic building dating from the end of the 19th century and renovated at the beginning of the 21st. There was a display about it, although not in English.

There were a few cyclists about otherwise it was quiet apart from the noise of the cold wind. A few hundred metres down from the top a café was open which beckoned me in. I was the only customer enjoying the warmth of the wood burning stove while drinking a coffee with my square of warm blueberry cake.

At the village of Bozi Dar I stopped for another coffee, this time with apple strudel (which in addition to apple and raisins had walnuts). A man with an impressive, bushy, curled up moustache, who I took to be the grandfather of the family, told me that he had been to St Ives. He gave me a free shot of schnapps which he had made himself. They also had a log burning stove which three of their six cats were enjoying. 

I knew there were mining museums in the area and after eating my strudel I did a little research. The most interesting looked to be at Jáchymov where you were taken into an adit. Tours began on the hour and I planned on reaching Jáchymov in time for the one at 2 pm. First I had several kilometres to walk, mostly downhill through the forest.

I was the only one on the mine tour, which involved walking into a long horizontal tunnel dug into the mountainside by political prisoners in 1952. It was an exploratory tunnel, there were deep mines nearby, pithead winding gear was still standing. The guide pointed out smaller tunnels from the 16th century which were dug with hammer and chisel for silver. Coins made out of the silver were called tolars, from which the word dollars is derived. However in the 20th century the interest was in other metals, in particular uranium. It was from this area that Madam Curie acquired the pitch that she used to extract Radium and Polonium.

For my meal this evening I went to a small, nearby bar. All the tables were marked as reserved. I was the only customer. The barman was humming to Bruce Springsteen's "The River" (one of his greatest songs in my opinion). A Jawa, a famous Czech motorbike, stood on one side below the kind of stacked stereo system I bought over 40 years ago. Signs with a mobile phone crossed out suggested I should focus on the many items on display. I ordered goulash as it was the only word I recognised that the barman suggested, and of course a beer as this was Czechia.

Hora Sv Šebestiána to woods beyond Měděnec: Day 180

A day in the woods, wet in the afternoon. 

After a big breakfast following a big dinner last night which I could not finish, this morning I felt as if I would not be able to eat anything for a long time, possibly forever. Consequently I started off with a heavy tummy, burping. The theme tune to "MASH" was going around my head as a dubbed version of the show had been on the television over breakfast. A programme I had not thought about for at least 30 years.

The walk began through fields to the nearby village of Nová Ves. Beside the trail the blueberry bushes had now turned a bright shade of red. After the houses of the small settlement I began walking beside the railway, I would return to it later in the day. I was curious as to whether trains still ran on it. None passed while I was walking although the rails had a shine suggesting some traffic.

Much of the day was again walking through the forest although there were some open fields, where the big rolls of hay had been neatly bagged in plastic. A view of a reservoir in the distance added interest. My most precious sight was a possible wolf sighting. I had been walking along the trail noticing patches dug up by, I  assumed, wild boar. Ahead of me a movement caught my eye. Instead of a wild boar I saw what I believe was a grey wolf disappearing into the trees. Grey with elements of white fur and a bushy tail. Although wolves are known to inhabit the area I wondered if I was confusing it with a large dog, however there were no buildings near and no owner. Only close to villages did I see any people today.

The second village of the day was Medenec. Not much was there, the bistro was not open until Saturday. 

Beyond Měděnec was a small hill, topped by a round chapel. In the hill were adits created by miners. The two entrances I saw were locked although they run tours of the old mines (but not today).

The final small village of Horní Halže was largely bypassed, the trail ran along the back of the houses. However at the end of the village the E3 crossed a road to reveal a wide ranging panorama. The lowlands beyond the mountains were visible although not too clear as light rain had begun. Two power station cooling towers were visible from the white steam they emitted among the many urban areas.

Then it was back into the trees. There were many small green signs in this area which according to Google Translate said "Contractually Protected Area". Protecting the plants and animals maybe? One does wonder what different warning notices mean. One painted on a crude wooden bridge said "Klouže", which means "It's slippery".

In the afternoon it rained steadily. I just continued with my waterproofs done up. By 5 pm I was looking for a place to camp. The rough ground limited the options. Somewhat concerned about the wind and the risk of falling trees or branches, I avoided a couple of flat spots beneath beech trees with dead branches. As trees could not be avoided, they continued for many more miles, I settled for a spot between sturdy looking conifers, clearing a large number of pine cones out of the way.

Nová Ves v Horách to Hora Sv. Šebestiána: Day 179

A forest walk over the high plateau with lakes reflecting blue sky and orange, Autumn leaves.

My walk began with a loop in the route taking me to the village of Hora Svaté Kateřiny. A village with an imposing square by the large school. However the E3 was perhaps taking me this way due to a stone lookout tower, which was closed when I passed. Even from the base of the tower there were views of the surrounding forested hills.

Most of the day was walking on good tracks through the forest of the plateau. Mainly conifers, including larch, there were also stands of silver birch, their trunks highlighted by the morning sun, and scattered rowan, beech, alder, maple and sycamore. The forest tracks were often remarkably straight, possible as there were only gentle gradients although these led to a net increase in height. My final destination today at 850 metres is a hundred metres higher than where I slept this morning. There were a few swathes of grassland, one dotted with blue harebells beside a track on which a line of rowan trees had been planted.

Two scattered settlements were on my path today, one was Lesná, where there was a tourist information centre where I bought an ice cream. Possibly I could have camped there. Much is made of the mining heritage in the area on signs and information boards but there has been no visible evidence of it from the E3.

A few lakes added variety. Beside them the leaves of the trees were turning yellow. My efforts of capturing their beauty on my camera attracted the attention of an 80 year old who asked me where I was from etc.. He took a picture of me with his wife with the trees in the background.

As I neared Hora Sv Šebestiána there was evidence of an old railway line, stone piers that would once have supported a bridge. The track was built in 1875, a connection with Germany, it was finally abandoned in 1972. Trees have now obscured where the line once ran, only the bridge supports are visible.

In the last few kilometres before Hora Sv Šebestiána the track plunged into a narrow valley, rocks outcropping each side and brook running beside me. There was a small waterfall which I did not bother to climb down to, eager to reach my destination. 

At the village I first went to a place selling coffee which I combined with an oversized donut. Then I search for some food as I will be camping tomorrow night. The big stores on the main road were aimed at Germans stocking up on cheaper Czech goods. Fortunately I found a small store signed as a "Tabak" and "Drogerie" but actually a small convenience store. The owner juggled his baby, my goods and change as I paid.

I am now in my Penzion where they are cooking me dinner. "Bears Paw" is the translation of what I have eaten but it was actually pork and chicken.

Cesky Jiretin to Nová Ves v Horách: Day 178

A short walk today through a forested plateau touching the German border again.

My tent was dripping was condensation this morning, dry on the outside but wet inside. On leaving the warm womb of my sleeping bag I found the morning cold, a sign of the advancing year. As I knew I would warm up as the sun rose I avoided putting on extra layers of clothing. After an hour I left the dark valley in which I had camped and walked into the sunshine which warmed my hands.

Continuing on tracks through the forest of the plateau I reached the German frontier once again. A couple of cyclists passed, two women were searching for mushrooms with their wicker baskets and a hiker out for the day exchanged an "Ahoy".

I had not far to walk today so stopped at the "Outlet Center" at Mníšek where a Chinese restaurant served me a coffee and slice of apple pie. The restaurant seemed to be doing more trade than the shops selling flowers among other things. All these Czech villages along the border had a corresponding village close by on the other side. The twin with Mníšek was the larger, and from a distance more attractive, village of Deutschneudorf.

From Mníšek it was an hour's walk to Nová Ves where I had a Pension booked. Arriving lunchtime gives me a chance to rest for longer walks in the next few days. 

I was not the only one at the pension. In the entrance area were over a dozen bikes of a cycling group.

Cínovec to Cesky Jiretin: Day 177

An uneventful walk through a forested plateau, followed by a late lunch by a reservoir.

Today was mainly through forestry across a plateau, less strenuous today compared with a few days ago due to the lack of step slopes. The morning sun cast sun beams through the trees which my camera struggled to catch. It also failed to catch the redness of the rowans, heavy with berries which were more prominent now the leaves have shrivelled or fallen. A camera is a poor substitute for your eyes in seeing both the detail in the shade as well as that whitened with sunlight.

Although the path touched the edge of Nové Město, the snck bar was closed so there was nothing to detain me.

The route wandered on in an indirect way towards the Fláje reservoir, but first it diverted to a wooden cross. The cross was to remember the village of Fláje, drowned by the reservoir. I wondered if the junk at the base, rusted metal and broken china, was stuff washed up from the remains.

From its dam the large reservoir looked attractive, surrounded by trees, the sun reflecting off its surface, although the water level seemed low. It supplies drinking water and reduces the risk of flooding downstream. Hydroelectric power is also generated by flow out of the reservoir.

Near the dam was a bistro where I enjoyed a very late lunch. As the attentive waitress was waiting, and my phone was not switched on for use of Google Translate, I picked two items from the menu which looked familiar among the Czech words; Ceasar Salad and Iced Tea. A healthy choice although I also chose a slice of cake from their display for my dessert. Not so healthy but very nice, light and creamy.

Another hour and I was in Cesky Jiretin. A mixed collection of houses, many with steeply pitched Swiss chalet type roofs, others a modern version of a log cabin as wells as a run down shop or two selling cigarettes, alcohol, and garden ornaments to passing German tourists (I was again close to the border). A few ski tows suggested a modest amount of winter activity. 

I walked a few kilometres more before diving into the forest to locate a hidden place to camp. Not that easy to find a flat spot as the trail was running along the side of a mountain. My choice is slightly sloping so I will probably end up in a pile at the bottom.

My boots are starting to fail. A lug holding the laces has broken although I can still manage to loop the lace over the remaining post. The fabric is also starting to come away from the rand. I bought them as they were recommended by some magazine and were lighter weight than my normal boots, which I thought would help my knee. However I think it unlikely they will be flying home with me.

Petrovice to Cínovec: Day 176

A misty morning and a cloudy afternoon as I walked over grassland, a change from days of forested mountains. 

There were long sections of grassland on my walk today with intermittent mixed woodland. Many trees were showing warm russet colours. There were hills but with gentler gradients than on earlier days. A few horse riders were out for a hack, and being Sunday there were a fair number of people out for a walk or bike ride. Their cars were parked on any field or patch of earth that could be easily reached from the road. Groups of motorbikes weaved they way along country roads making a lot of noise. Quad bikes raced passed me in fields, their headlights bright in the grey day, later returning at a similar speed.

In the morning the visibility was poor due to a dense mist. I could here distant voices but not see anyone in the general whiteness. Missing a turning I followed a road for a kilometre and on rejoining the correct route (marked here with red waymarks) I met a couple walking the same way. They reminded me that we had exchanged greetings yesterday, at the chateau above Děčin. They were spending the weekend walking and had also spent the night at Petrovice. 

I left them in search of a coffee at a restaurant in Adolfov. Although successful in my quest they sadly had no cake. I met the couple again at Komáří vížka where they were finishing their trip. Komáří vížka consists principally of a restaurant and bufet at the top of a chairlift linking it to the towns below. On another day there might have been a good view but today, although the mist had cleared, visibility was still limited with low, grey clouds. As one might expect I bought a coffee and cake at the bufet, however the paprika wurst smelt so tempting I ate one of these big sausages as well, dipping it in the mustard and horseradish(?) sauce provided. Well it was lunch time.

There were signs on the trail afterwards describing the area's mining heritage. Tin and tungsten were once dug up here. There was a small chapel where they prayed.

Cinovec had some similarities to Petrovice. As the German border is so close there were several "Free" shops. Cars were queuing to buy petrol, which is around 15% cheaper than in Germany according to the Internet. Petrol prices were posted in Euros rather than Czech Koruna to assist those crossing the border. Everything is very accommodating to German tourists, Euros are accepted without question and signs and menus are in Czech and German. People generally assume I am German as few British people come to this area. From what I saw the village is not a place of beauty and history like some of the Czech villages on my trip. Consequently I stayed in my hotel for the remainder of the day and planned future stops.

Děčín to Petrovice: Day 175

Although a few climbs today, I was rewarded by beautiful views (and apple strudel).

Damp mist filled the air as left my tent this morning and carried the breakfast I had bought yesterday over to a seating area. I supplemented my purchases with an excellent coffee from the campsite's vending machine. Unfortunately I then had difficulty accessing the toilets. The cleaning lady had arrived just as people needed to use the facilities on waking up. I had to wait outside the disabled toilets to conduct my morning's ablutions.

I retraced my steps along the riverside path passing a curious "funnel" which if you turned the crank handle 10 times and pressed a button it would play music. There as a chateau high on a hill on the other side of the river. Inevitably this was the first target of my walk after a steep climb. I noticed today that at the top of the valley sides there was usually a ragged cliff of sandstone outcrops in this area. This was where the path was steepest, zig-zagging up (or down) with steps in places. The advantage of this were the views from the top.

After looking down from the mock medieval castle on a misty Děčin the route continued on the wooded ridge for a while before dropping down through sandstone cliffs to an urban valley. After which it climbed up the other side.

There was a long climb up to an escarpment, high above the surrounding countryside, which the trail then followed for a couple of kilometres. The mist had now cleared, replaced by a hazy sunshine and blue skies. From the top of the cliffs I could see over many miles of wooded mountain ranges, with towns and villages hidding in the gaps between them. The airy viewpoints gave me a feeling of space, of freedom, unhindered by constraints. Even better I found a restaurant open where I bought a latte and slice of apple strudel while admiring the view over the cliffs from the terrace. The restaurant was the "Penzion a Restaurace pod Rozhlednou". The "Rozhlednou" refered to a nearby stone lookout tower. I regretted that I was not staying at the Penzion so that I could look down on the lights of distant towns at night.

As well as the view I admired the trees, the vertical lines of silver birch and the rowans bursting with bunches of red berries. Where the berries had fallen and been squashed underfoot they looked like drops of fresh blood.

Being Saturday lots of people, their children and dogs were out. As I climbed down from the escarpment, more curious were those walking up with what appeared to folded mattresses on their backs. I concluded they were going bouldering, the mattresses were crash pads so that if they fell off a short climb up the sandstone blocks they would not hurt themselves (too much).

There was a flatter area of tree covered plateau then a descent and more undulations plus a few small lakes until I eventually reached the top of the village of Petrovice. Here I had booked a Penzion that offered camping spots. I had a little difficulty finding the owner, whose phone was not working. A helpful couple of guests advised trying next door, where a lady hanging out the washing arranged for someone to come. Soon I had my tent up and drying. 

Petrovice was a curious place with "Free" shops selling cigarettes, alcohol and flowers. Apparently, since Czechia joined the European Union they are not sold duty free. All taxes are paid. However as the taxes are lower in Czechia, Germans have an advantage buying items like cigarettes, coffee and alcohol here. I was puzzled by all the potted plants for sale, were they a lot cheaper in Czechia? 

There was also an aircraft converted into a restaurant, apparently a TU104, it must have been very difficult to transport here. However I chose a more conventional place next door.