Krckovice-Hrubá Skála: Nature, Trails and Village History

Krčkovice lies in the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area. Three topics are useful when choosing a place to stay here: the rocks and environmental education at Věžák, the chapel and its date on the village square, and a hiking trail that crosses the square. If you’re looking for a hotel in Krckovice-Hrubá Skála, you can weigh up whether nature, village history or the trail route should shape your stay most.

Nature at Věžák

At Věžák, rocks rise directly from the surface of the pond. The summit of the rock Vodní skála can be reached by a climbing route from the water or on foot from the opposite side. The two access options mentioned are therefore quite different: one is a climbing route from the water, while the other approaches on foot from the opposite side.

Environmental education is also part of Věžák. The information centre offers activities for visitors to the Bohemian Paradise throughout the summer, including exhibitions, photographs and informational materials. Exact seasonal dates may vary. So check the latest dates before your trip if you want to plan a particular activity.

Chapel and Village History

The Chapel of the Guardian Angels stands on the village square in Krčkovice, where there are also wayside shrines. The chapel is a detached, rectangular building with a tower. A stone plaque above the entrance bears the date 1735. Its location, design and plaque give visitors a specific connection to the history and architecture of the village square.

Another memorial stands above Věžák Pond. It commemorates the Kosin family and more than three centuries of continuous farming at the “Na Budách” farm by a farming family. While the chapel is a visible building on the village square, the memorial points to a long agricultural tradition. These are two distinct aspects of local history: religious architecture and the commemoration of a farm’s cultivation.

Hiking trail across the village square

A hiking trail passes the Čertoryje signpost and the Pohádkový domek before reaching the village square in Krčkovice. From there, a field path between the houses leads back to the green-marked trail through the Čertoryje Canyon. Along this route, the square is both the destination of the first section and the starting point for returning to the marked trail.

This trail can be viewed differently from the approach to Vodní skála: the rock route contrasts two ways of reaching a summit, while this sequence describes the route to the village square and back to the marked trail from there. If you’re planning an outing, this distinction offers a practical way to choose between a destination by the pond and a route through the village.

Information and dates

The Věžák Information Centre is located at Krčkovice 31, Hrubá Skála, 511 01. The annual Ekotage at Věžák are aimed primarily at younger visitors. Their activities combine entertainment with information about specific nature conservation topics in the Bohemian Paradise; dates and topics vary.

The Věžák Information Centre is part of the network of tourist information centres in the Bohemian Paradise. The network provides up-to-date information about excursions, events and places to visit, as well as maps, guidebooks, tips for experiences, regional products and tickets. The environmental education activities at Věžák should be distinguished from the services offered by the network as a whole: the summer programme takes place at the centre, while the information and travel services listed are described at network level. If you’re planning a specific visit, it’s worth checking the latest dates for the summer activities or Ekotage.

Discover more destinations: Bystrá Nad Jizerou, Hochstadt An Der Iser, Jesenný, Martinice V Krkonosich, Prackov, Stepanovice, Turnov, Prikry.

Back to the regional travel overview: Okres Semily.