A stone door with a pointed arch is completely wedged between two cliffs of weathered rocks of whimsical shapes. It looks like a movie set, but it is one of the most spectacular entrances to the Adrspach-Teplice nature reserve in the Czech Republic.
In a modest area of ??17 square kilometers, there is a chaos of rocks filed by water and wind that take on such peculiar shapes that practically all the places have been named since ancient times: the Mayor, the Mayoress, the Tooth, the Caterpillar, the Elephant Square, the Axe, the Watchtower, the Camel, the Sugar Loaf, the Krakonos Armchair… And you really only have to stop in front of them to determine that the names are very accurate.
Very unknown internationally, the Adrspach rocks are one of the favorite landscapes of Czechs, who enter the many marked trails – and often well equipped with a cement surface, railings and steps to progress without too much suffering – for many purposes. week throughout the year. In the middle of summer, when this area that borders Poland registers a decrease in abundant rains, it is when it receives the most geology enthusiasts. Some years there have been 250,000 visitors.
The thick and ancient forest that dares to grow between the cracks left by the formidable rocks speaks clearly of this rainfall regime. Advancing along some trails is a challenge of mud and humidity, and you must be well equipped, even when the trails – in general – do not present great risks.
One of the most popular routes, with which foreign visitors usually start, is the Wolf Gorge, as it allows you to climb to the remains of the Strmen fortress, passing precisely through the stone gate that reinforces the feeling of being in a landscape. of a fantastic story instead of a real one.
Rock climbers – scrupulously complying with rock fauna protection regulations – have in these limestone towers a true mecca for their sporting activity. They are closely watched by the peregrine falcon, which uses these watchtowers to nest and display one of the healthiest populations in Central Europe.
Part of the Wolf Gorge route runs along wooden walkways that cross natural ponds, inhabited by a very specific flora. Reaching some of the waterfalls is another challenge for hikers who, if they come after heavy rains – which is not unusual in this area of ??the Czech Republic – can contemplate the waterfalls in all their splendor. However, falls are regular, even in the driest months of the year.
The easiest way to enter the Adrspach Rock Park is from the town of Teplice nad Metují, which has sufficient hotel and restaurant services for those who wish to spend more than one day in the area. By road, it is only six kilometers away, which can be traveled in ten minutes. This town in the Table Mountains is about two and a half hours by road from Prague, following the E67 toll motorway and, in the last section, the D33 road.
