CZ, Jizerské Mountains - Trips Around Desná

The road from Desná to the village of Příchovice leads approximately 4 kilometers uphill. Here is the U Čápa Ski Resort, which today is mainly used to entertain children on bobsleighs and sledges, but in normal times it is full of skiers and snowboarders. Above it is a relatively new and definitely interesting Jára Cimrman Museum together with the original lookout tower (lighthouse), which is beautifully lit at night.

Just 2 kilometers from the ski resort is the Štěpánka lookout tower, located on the top of Hvězda 959 m above sea level (already the Giant Mountains). Here and in the nearby restaurant Hvězda, it is possible to have a snack, but currently only from the dispensing window. The Štěpánka lookout tower is also open to the public and there are wonderful views of the surroundings. Less than two kilometers away there is another lookout point called Bílá skála, where you can get along the green marked route. There is a large cross on the lookout.

A shorter walk can be taken, for example, to Hutní hora, whose peak at an altitude of 762 meters above sea level is located 3.5 kilometers from Desná. The route leads along the blue, the so-called Tanvald circuit, and then turns left in Pustiny. There is no need to walk the exact same way back, the walk can be easily planned as a sightseeing tour.

On the opposite side from Desná you can go, for example, to the famous Tanvaldský Špičák. There is also a lookout tower and a rock lookout. In winter, the area around Špičák is used for skiers, in the summer season there is a bike park. A nice ten-kilometer circuit can be made from the center of Desná both through Tanvaldský Špičák and through the nearby Malý Špičák, on which there is an interesting viewing platform - Špička Lookout. It resembles a spoon or a cosmic body. She climbs a metal ladder, only four people can be upstairs at a time, but she still swings a little. However, the view of the surroundings is wonderful here.

Towards the famous Souš dam, along the red road from Desná, a beautiful route leads along the Černá Desná river, where there are several waterfalls - Plotnový, Dlouhý, Bukový and Hrncový. In winter, however, there are perhaps more interesting icicle plates on the rocks on the other side of the road. You can continue, for example, to the famous Ruptured Dam, which is associated with the catastrophe of 1916, when it ruptured, followed by a devastating flood wave. Today, there are the remains of a dam, which is definitely worth a visit.

GPS: 50°46'33.3"N 15°19'14.9"E

Text and photos: Veronika Schubertová