Turnov to Hrubá Skala

Day two of our walking/hiking! Today we did around 13 km and over 23,000 steps but most important is that more than 4700 were steps up hill! It was an amazing walk!!

We started leaving Turnov by going under an overpass. Shockingly there is a Jewish cemetery right there! Not sure when the overpass was done but a terrible way to treat their resting place. Some of the headstones go back to the early 19th century.

So up we climbed but great views looking back. 

And more steps

It was all worth it because the rock formations we found were mind blowing! 

This was just the beginning with views below

It’s an area of Czechia which is studded with stone formations and castles and towers — some as early as the 1400s — sitting on top.

For this walk we followed the red flashes

First castle was the Valdštejn, 13th century

And a chapel for St John Nepomuk! We saw a statue of him earlier but ignored it. Little did we realize that he was drowned for refusing to divulge secrets of the confessional of the Queen of Bohemia. He is now known as a protector of floods and drowning! The things you learn when travelling! 

Next we left the trail to see a farm house built in 1787.
Interesting but what was more exciting to see was how someone carved scenes into the sandstone! It was referred to as Reliefy. 

And of course Norman with his lion

We can be forgiven for occasionally getting a bit lost. Thank goodness for gps! 

The highlight of our hike was the sandstone giants. Hard to show the magnitude but they are majestic. 

Norm the climber??

And more stairs

At the top we had lunch and this is the view.

We couldn’t stop taking photos 

Can you see him?

People come here to climb but because it is sandstone, the climbing is regulated. This how they used to do it. The sign and photos explained that German climbers started coming here in the 1920s but by the 1960s, Czech climbers were active in climbing the hundreds of sandstone towers.

You can see behind us where we will spend the night. 

And if you look carefully you see where we are hiking tomorrow to those two little towers, Trosky.

Here we are at the Hruba Skala Hotel, very classy. 

And we found a queen bed in the adjoining room! 

See me waving? 

The hotel is on the site of the original Hrubá Skála Chateau, 14th century. It has spiral stairs (no elevator)

After the hike up the hills today, a beer was in order! 

And we found a church next door, just incase we need spiritual guidance.

Now off to dinner (part of the package). We settled for  potato soup and salad for Norman and pasta with sun dried tomatoes, garlic, arugula, Parmesan and more. Really good.

Yes toasted plain bread….

Tomorrow is a biggie, 18 kms. I guess we’re in shape and ready for it….