Spring is slowly returning to the Giant Mountains, too. Although there is still snow in the mountains, signs of spring can certainly be seen in the foothills. Let’s head off on some spring trips with views of the still white peaks of the mountains and the green fields and blossoming countryside below them. We’ll leave the upper reaches of the Giant Mountains to rest for a while longer, so let’s go and discover the magic of the foothills.
Where else should be go in spring than in search of spring flowers. A walk amongst the spring snowflakes, which thrive very well here, is the first of our tips. Just be sure to step carefully when walking by these carpets of white blossoms. And where can we find them? The place is probably Sklenářovické údolí valley, which you can get to along the yellow route from Mladé Buky. Let’s take a walk through the forest to the old stone bridge over Zlatý potok stream. However, snowflakes are not the only spring flowers we can see in the Giant Mountains region. The arrival of spring also brings the daphnes out, a splash of pink close to the ground. We can also find buttercups, and blue and white liverwort.
If you’ve had enough of the snow during the winter, don’t head for the mountain peaks just yet. Instead, let’s take the foothill paths and see some of Giant Mountains towns where the snow has now melted.
Jilemnice – a picturesque town, where you can visit the local chateau with exhibitions of the Giant Mountains Museum. If the weather is fine you can also take stroll down Zvědavá ulička (Curious Street), with its typical timbered cottages, or the Kaván Gallery, which has 90 pictures by this Czech landscape artist. The educational trail Jilemnice Familiar and Unfamiliar takes you through Jilemnice to discover some of the town’s most interesting places and offers a chance to revel in the views of the Giant Mountains and its foothills.
Another good place for a trip is Harrachov, a beautiful little mountain town with a glassworks and a brewery. On a visit to the glassworks you can take a look behind the scenes of this beautiful craft and see for yourself what it is like to be a glassmaker. Finally, you can quench your thirst with a tipple of the local beer, or relax at the beer spa.
We also invite you to Rokytnice nad Jizerou for an easy tour, which you can do on foot or by bike. It has twelve stops, telling you about the history, nature and culture of the town. It is also worth visiting Janatův mlýn mill, which is a unique example of folk architecture. And in nearby Františkov we recommend the Starý Kravín museum and gallery, with exhibitions portraying the hard life of the mountain people in bygone times. And finally you can take the Woodcarving trail, with its wooden sculptures.
If craft is what you’re after, take a look at Poniklá, where Rautis has managed to preserve the unique art of blowing hollow beads from glass tubes. This is a traditional craft so unique that it was included on the prestigious UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2020. You can see the process of how the beads are made, silver-plated, painted, cut and threaded. You can also try your hand at this yourself, and buy yourself a souvenir to take home.
These are just a few of the tips for spending spring days in the Giant Mountains. If you want to find out much more, follow our social media profiles, where you can find us under REGION LIBEREC, and also the Giant Mountains social network and website - www.krkonose.eu.
