Czech Paradise with kids (Malá Skála and surroundings) – part 1

You don’t have to die to get to paradise. There’s one in Czechia, and you can enjoy it while you’re still alive 😊. We decided to celebrate International Workers’ Day by not working. We took our kids, a car, a tent, and a bunch of friends (with kids 😊) and spent 4 days in the area around Malá Skála.

Malá Skála is a charming little village nestled on the bank of the Jizera River, and it’s a perfect starting point for outdoor adventures. The kids could skip one day at school, so they didn’t even complain when we told them that we would be camping at the beginning of May. If you don’t like camping, don’t worry, there are hotels and rental apartments too.

We set up our base in the “Autocamp Ostrov” – the camping area in the middle of the village. As its name suggests (“ostrov” means “island”) it is surrounded by the Jizera River. That guarantees two things:

-> kids have fun exploring the riverbanks, digging various waterworks, and watching the wildlife

-> you can be sure that they will get wet sooner or later, even though it is not exactly the swimming season 🙂

The camp’s location allowed us to reach shop, restaurants, trails, bus or train station on foot in just 5-10 minutes, so we didn’t really have to drive anywhere once we got there. There was everything we needed in the village – a little vietnamese grocery shop , a little delicatessen with great ice-cream, cakes & coffee and salty treats. There are several restaurants and pubs.

This was our itinerary for 4 days (we were lucky to have great weather and visited all we had planned) :

DAY 1 – Trip to Vranov Rock Castle (Pantheon) and Frýdštejn

DAY 2 – Suché Skály (Dry Rocks) and Besedické Skály (Besedice Rocks)

DAY 3 – Canoeing on Jizera River

DAY 4 – Rieger’s Trail along Jizera River

Trip to Vranov Rock Castle (Pantheon) and Frýdštejn

A well-marked red tourist path (you can start next to the local pizzeria in Malá Skála) leads to Vranov Rock Castle, known as Vranov Pantheon. This castle towers on a steep cliff just above the river. It is the warm up at the beginning of the trip. The path goes straight up for about 500m, there are stairs here and there.

The original castle was built in the 15th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, the local entrepreneur František Zachariáš Römisch bought what was left of it and added tombstones, monuments, inscriptions, stone urns, and dates commemorating mythical and historical figures. The old castle became the Pantheon, and some parts of it are still there today.

For kids, it is like a giant playground with a maze of ruins to explore. They loved wandering through old corridors, climbing narrow rock staircases, and hiding in dark corners.

The highest viewpoint is the Tower of the Cross. A narrow staircase leads up, and for me it was a little bit scary, but there was always something to hold onto.

The castle gallery, which looks like a chapel, often hosts exhibitions. When we were there, we saw an exhibition by a local artist whose paintings were related to the area of Czech Paradise.

When the kids were done with the narrow paths and labyrinths, we followed the red trail for another 2 km through the forest and reached Frýdštejn Castle. This one is more preserved, and it’s possible to climb to the top of the tower, which stands on the highest stone promontory, offering panoramic views of the Bohemian Paradise.

For Czech kids, this place is linked to the famous fairy tale “Princess Jasněnka and the Flying Cobbler.” It was funny for them to see the place where witches lived and where Jasněnka was imprisoned. They enjoyed running around and trying to find film spots.

Once we finished exploring Frýdštejn, we took the same path back to Malá Skála. The trip took us nearly the whole day, as we didn’t hurry. It’s best to plan it in dry weather, as the rock staircases might get slippery when it rains. The trail is generally well-marked and not too strenuous, with some sections of uneven terrain and slight inclines. It’s not suitable for pushchairs.

There are no restaurants or refreshments along the way, so water and some snacks are really needed. Entry to both castles is paid (it costs around 60-70 CZK / approx. 3 EUR for an adult, children get a reduced price, and there is a family ticket available in Vranov). Take some cash – you cannot pay by card in Frýdštejn.

There is the option to extend the trip from Frystejn to the Kopanina lookout tower – the blue marked path to the north to the lookout tower and then green back to the Mala Skala. Or going south on the red trail to the Jizerska vyhlidka ( viewpoint) and then back to Mala Skala. Both trails are about 5 km long.

Suché Skály and Besedické Skály

If you look to the west from Malá Skála, you can see the rocks peeping out of the forest. It was our destination for the second day. It is possible to walk from the village but we wanted to save some “altitude meters,” so we parked at the parking spot at Suché Skály (Dry Rocks) (GPS 50.6353928N, 15.2106397E).

From the car park, it is about 300 meters to get to the rocks. The path from the road to the rocks goes through the forest. It is well visible but not marked. It is used mainly by climbers as there are some climbing routes on the rocks. There are wide wooden ladders for “ordinary people” to climb up, or there is a little path leading around the rocks. For the kids, the biggest surprise was the yellow color of the rocks from the northern side. It is probably caused by some kind of lichen.

The area is accessible via an unmarked path at your own risk. I would not take kids who are too little or not used to moving in outdoor rocky terrain.

When we were done with Suché Skály, we got back to the car park and found the green-marked trail Naučná stezka Vyhlídkový okruh pod Sokolem (“Educational Trail: Scenic Loop under Sokol”). After about 1 km, we reached the red path going up the hill, and after another 400 meters, there is the “NS Besedickými skalami” (Educational Trail through Besedice Rocks). It is about 3 km long and well-marked.

This itinerary might seem too complicated for you, or there might be resistance to uphill walking (our kids did try to resist, but they made it in the end… the idea of a big ice cream waiting for them in Malá Skála as a reward probably helped a little 😊). You can drive from the car park to the village of Besedice and start the trail there (you will get a small playground as a bonus at the start of the trail where kids can play before or after the hike).

The path itself is OK for kids. It goes through several viewpoints of the Jizera River, Suché Skály, and even Krkonose (Czech highest mountains) in the distance. If you are not comfortable on the “airy” viewpoints, you can always skip them 😊.

There are two rock labyrinths – Chléviště and Kalich. They are like natural playgrounds. Kids loved squeezing through narrow passages, climbing over rocks, and discovering hidden corners. It was a great way for them to burn off energy and enjoy some hands-on exploration. There is even a secret cave where members of the Unity of the Brethren secretly prayed after the Battle of White Mountain (after 1621).

The trail is rich in natural beauty, with plenty of opportunities to spot local wildlife and learn about the native plants. Informational panels along the trail provide interesting facts (they are partially in English).

There is no entry fee and no restaurants along the way. It is advisable to take the trip in dry weather as the rocks might get slippery when it rains. The trail is generally safe, but some sections can be uneven, so keep an eye on younger children.

If you you want to know the rest , you can read it in a separate post describing our canoeing on Jizera river and Rieger’s trail.