Outlooks in Jetřichovice

Bohemian Switzerland is a landscape of outlooks and among the most famous are just the rock outlooks in Jetřichovice with poetic names: Maria’s Rock, Vilemina’s Wall, and Rudolf’s Stone. All these three outlooks are named after members of the Kinsky’s family – former owners of domain around Česká Kamenice.

Mariina skála (Maria’s Rock, 428 m) – Former fire observation post was opened to tourists in 1856 by Ferdinand Kinsky. He named the rock after his bride Maria Anna Kinska, née Princess of Lichtenstein. View up in the rocks from a wooden gazebo was made accessible to visitors again in 2007, after the earlier gazebo had been destroyed in the fire started by incautious tourist in 2005.

Vilemínina stěna (Vilemina’s Wall, 442 m) was originally called The Black Wall. However, the former name has been nearly forgotten nowadays. The wall got its new name after Princess Vilemina Kinska, Rudolf Kinsky’s wife. It has been open to public since the half of the 19th century. There used to be a wooden gazebo in shape of a hermitage, yet it does not exist for a long time now.

Rudolfův kámen (Rudolf’s Stone, 484 m), also called The Promontory, and earlier The High Stone, has its current name since 1824 after Prince Rudolf Kinsky, who visited the rock that year and later he had a shelter built there. The top rock offer a unique round view on rocky countryside of rear Bohemian Switzerland. There is a path leading to the top, finished by a strenuous ascent on stone steps.

Recommended hiking scenic circuit:

From Jetřichovice go up the blue trail around St. John Nepomucky’s Church. Walk across the meadows with a view of Mariina skála and Vileminina stěna, heading to Kočičí kostel (Cat’s Church – a rock). Follow the blue trail through the forest to a rock niche chapel Poslední soud (Last Trial), also called chapel Kny. Here turn right to the red trail and walk on along the foot of rocky mountain Koliště to the crossing Pohovka. Follow the red trail on to Rudolfův kámen (Rudolf’s Stone, also known as The Promontory), where you can enjoy a round view. From this point descent on via crossing Purkartický les (Purkartice Forest) and head to more rock outlooks – Vileminina stěna and Mariina skála. Thence there is just a steep descent on the red trail (around the former children’s sanatorium) back to Jetřichovice.

Length: 10 km

Duration: 4-5 hours

Difficulty: high (climbing ladders to the outlooks)