Adršpach Rocks

Adršpach Rock Town is the smaller part of the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, formed from block sandstones. Together with the Teplice Rocks, they create the largest continuous rock town in the Czech Republic. Both of these rock towns are also famous throughout Europe.

The rock town is accessible via a marked sightseeing circuit, which can be walked individually or with a local guide who provides commentary. An entrance fee is required for the circuit. Guided tours can be booked at the Adršpach Information Centre or directly at the ticket office at the entrance to the Adršpach Rocks. On the upper lake above the Great Waterfall, visitors can enjoy a boat ride. The Adršpach Rocks also offer many climbing terrains of various difficulty levels. Climbing is permitted only in designated areas and under specific rules. The Administration of the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area strongly appeals to climbers to follow the conditions of the granted exceptions, especially the prohibition of entering areas not allowed for climbing. Among the famous formations of the rock town are Milenci, Starosta and Starostová, Džbán, Homole cukru, Sloní náměstí, and many more.

For centuries, people knew little about the rock towns near Adršpach and Teplice nad Metují. Locals ventured there only when they felt threatened at home, finding shelter and protection in the rocks during times of war. It was not until around 1700 that the first pioneers of tourism began to arrive from neighbouring Silesia. The oldest depiction of the Adršpach Rocks dates back to 1739. Many important historical figures had the chance to admire the rock town – among them the Prussian queen Luise, Count Antonín Špork of Kuks, Emperor Joseph II, Polish king and Saxon elector Friedrich August, Austrian emperor Charles, and others.

In 1824, a major fire broke out in the rocks, lasting several weeks and destroying almost all forest growth. Only then did the rock labyrinth become more passable. In the first decades of the 19th century, the estate owners began building the first network of tourist trails.

Adršpach Rocks – Sightseeing Circuit

The tourist route through the rock town is 3.5 km long, marked by the green trail. You should allow about three hours to complete it. In the following description of the circuit, most of the named rock formations are omitted, as they are already marked on site with orientation signs. Some names have been preserved since the times of the very first tourists (Milenci, Homole cukru, Eliščina věž, and others), while others are newer. Most of the names try to capture shapes or scenes seen in the rock formations. With a bit of imagination, you may even come up with your own names for the rocks and stones. The entrance ticket office is located near the Information Centre, close to the railway stop. From there, you will walk to the lake in the former sandstone quarry (which has its own separate circuit), then turn right, where the green tourist trail leads you into the centre of the rock town. Along the way, you will encounter many fascinating spots and natural features.

Highlights of the Circuit

Džbán – a massive tower to the left of the path, first climbed in May 1935 by Josef Janeba, Miroslav Jedlička and climbing pioneer Rudolf Otto Bauš. The first ascent leads through a crack in the left part of the front wall into a large window and then to the summit. The unique six-metre rock window forms the “ear” of the jug.

Homole cukru – one of the strangest Adršpach formations, described in Jindřich Kindl’s 1903 book A Reliable Guide on Travels through Adršpach. The 52-metre-high rock resembles an inverted bowling pin or club, balancing on a narrow base. Crossing the bridge at Homole cukru, you will pass over the Metuje River, which flows through the rock town. Metuje is 71 km long, originating near Adršpach and flowing into the Elbe at Josefov. At the confluence with the Řeřich stream, you can observe interesting aquatic vegetation, including the rare Fontinalis antipyretica moss, which attaches itself to large stones on the stream bed.

Continuing on, you reach the Gothic Gate, built in 1839 by Ludvík Karel Nádherný, originally serving as the main entrance to the rocks. From here, narrow gorges lead you further into the rock town. Sloní náměstí (Elephant Square) features flora of cold, shaded gorges, while the elegant tower Zub bears a plaque marking the floodwaters of 1844. Nearby stands Čertův most (Devil’s Bridge) with its 21-metre arch, and further along rises Eliščina věž, first climbed in 1947. You will also pass Hromový kámen (Thunder Stone), tied to a dramatic 1772 story of English travellers caught in a violent storm. Next, a short detour leads to the Great Waterfall and the Lake, where boat rides have been a tourist attraction since 1857.

Returning to the main circuit, you continue through the Nová partie (New Part), opened to tourists in 1890, with spectacular views of Milenci, the most famous formation of the Adršpach Rocks. Other highlights include the Velké panorama viewpoint, the Starosta and Starostová formations, the narrow Myší díra passage, and the echo spot Ozvěna, where hunters once entertained tourists by playing horns and firing mortars. Finally, the trail brings you back towards the starting point near the Homole cukru and to the entrance gate.

Quarry Lake

Near the entrance ticket office and Information Centre, you can also enjoy a separate 1.5 km tourist circuit around the picturesque lake in the former sandstone quarry, with several resting places along the route.