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csTips for trips
Refresh yourself with homemade cuisine from Giant Mountains and set out on a trip. Our restaurant is a great starting point to visit these eight attractions that you should not miss when visiting Harrachov.
Mumlavský vodopád (Mumlava Waterfall)
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The 10-metre-high waterfall on the River Mumlava is one of the most beautiful and most sought-after waterfalls in the Czech Republic. It rightly boasts several Czech “bests”. Are you asking why it has earned these superlatives? Its uniqueness lies in its many granite depressions with a diameter of up to six metres in the direction of the flow, which are aptly nicknamed “giant pots” or “Devil’s eyes”. Ready for an icy challenge? You can try bathing in the pot yourself. To overcome yourself, clench your teeth and dive into the cool water is definitely worth the unique experience. But be careful, the depressions are perfectly smooth and the strong current can be treacherous. If you go to the waterfall in winter, you can, with a little luck (and frost), be amazed by the spectacular icefall.
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Pramen Labe (The Source of the River Labe)
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What does the very beginning of one of Europe’s largest rivers look like? Set out to see how a clear spring emerges from the depths of the Giant Mountains peat bog, reaching its destination, the Baltic Sea, after long 1,154 km. The source of the River Labe flows through a symbolic stone well, but in fact it rises about 300 metres further away in a nature reserve inaccessible to tourists. There are also commemorative plaques around the ring dedicated to the pioneer of Czech hiking Jan Buchar and a wall with coats of arms of 26 important Czech towns through which the river flows.
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Labský důl (Labský důl valley)
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The Labský důl valley forms the heart of the Giant Mountains set in the strictly protected first zone of the National Park. Its centre is defined by the River Labe, still in the form of a wild mountain stream, along which you will be guided by a blue hiking trail. The lower part of the trail follows the historical Harrach’s trail built at the end of the 19th century as the first attempt to make the wildest part of the Giant Mountains accessible. A relatively challenging trek through the Labský důl valley will give you an idea how the landscape was shaped by a massive ancient glacier. On the diverse eight-kilometre route, you will walk through a rocky moraine, sharp winding path with stunning views of the ravine, and gather your breath while relaxing at the largest waterfall of the River Pančava.
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Labský vodopád (Labský Waterfall)
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The Labský Waterfall measures an impressive 35 metres and is followed by another 200 metres of wild rocky rapids. A blue hiking trail from the Labský důl valley to Labská chalet leads there. The unforgettable view of its cascades opens up above the Labský Waterfall, where a floodgate remains as a memory of the time when the former owners of Labská chalet could use a retention basin to intensify the waterfall. Nowadays, the entire zone is strictly protected, but the wild beauty of the waterfall will surely captivate you even without artificial regulation. Like the Mumlava Waterfall, it freezes in winter and turns into a magical scenery, but do not enter the ice surface – only a thin layer on the surface is frozen.
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Pančavský vodopád (Pančavský Waterfall)
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The Pančavský Waterfall, with a record height of 148 metres, is the king of Czech waterfalls. It comes down in several cascades from Pančavská louka meadow near Labská louka meadow and falls in violent impacts to the bottom of the Labský důl valley. Like the Labský Waterfall, the Pančavský Waterfall used to be regulated using a retention basin, but along with its inclusion in the highest protection zone, it is currently left only to the power of nature. If you want to plan a truly monumental sight, visit it at the time of snow melting in late April to early May. You can combine the trip with several other tourist destinations in the area, such as the nearby Labský Waterfall, the memorial of Bohumil Hanč or a vantage point called Ambrožova.
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Růženčina zahrádka
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A bit of the Giant Mountains mystique: Růženčina zahrádka is formed by an irregular stone circle in a shape reminiscent of a rose flower with a diameter of about 20 to 25 metres, with no known convincing reference to the origin or purpose of its construction. According to one theory, it is a cult place of people of the Urnfield culture dated to the 7th century BC. Other sources say that the stone line was built in honour of the visit of the owners of the Jilemnice demesne, Count Harrach and his wife, who rested there. Fans of traditional herbalism see the circle as a convenient place for the cultivation of mountain medicinal plants (it is the site of a rare lichen species of Iceland moss). And if you prefer old legends, you can, while on the trip, remember the unfortunate love of Countess Růžena and a gamekeeper who allegedly met at this place before his tragic death
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Ozubnicová trať – zubačka ( Rack railway (called zubačka) )
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The adrenaline ride of the steepest railway line in the Czech Republic is offered by the Tanvald – Kořenov – Harrachov rack railway. The former engine overcame this mountain section with a cog wheel. Today’s trains no longer need it, but you can indulge in a nostalgic experience during one of the frequent historical rides of the original train. Twelve kilometres of tracks run through five tunnels and offer such a unique experience that its part of Tanvald – Kořenov has been declared a cultural monument. In this section of just seven kilometres, you will exceed 235 altitude metres and maybe fight light dizziness as you cross the 26 metres high bridge over the River Jizera. And when speaking of records, you can extend the trip to the Polish mountain resort Szklarska Poreba. You will then experience another “best”, the highest situated Polish railway station Jakuszyce.
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Černý rybník (also called Huťský)
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Do you prefer to enjoy the beauty of nature alone without the hordes of tourists? Then you might be interested in a tip for a “secret” place, which you will rather learn about from locals than tourist guides. Intriguingly beautiful Černý rybník (Black pond) is not very attractive for swimming – and it’s not just the dark colour of its surface. It is still used for the preparation of glass moulds by the traditional method. When the pond is drained of water, oak blocks are attached to the bottom, which, after filling the pond again, ripen for several months in water. When ready, glassblowers cut them into moulds. These can withstand the high temperatures of glass melting due to the acquired moisture. After a walk, you can see the delicate beauty of products made from oak moulds in the Museum of Glass in Harrachov.
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