A circular hike from Benecko via Rovinka and Janský vrch

An Easy Hike with Kids from Benecko to Janský vrch in the Krkonoše Mountains

Starting point

We’ll start our trip from our lodging, the Hříbek mountain cabin in Benecko. You can easily reach Benecko by bus from Vrchlabí or Jilemnice.
 

Description of the hike

Difficulty

This is an easy route that even younger children (tested with children ages 6 and up) or seniors can easily manage. In some places, we walk along a paved road, but mostly along forest and rocky trails. Seniors can easily handle this hike, too :).
 

Water availability

During the summer season, you don’t need to worry about water, since this is a short hike, and you can replenish your fluids at restaurants both in Benecko (e.g., the Hančova bouda restaurant) and at the snack bar in Rovinka. There are no springs along the route anyway.
 

Mountain peaks

The only peak we’ll climb is Janský vrch (952 m above sea level)—though there are no views from it. Another easily accessible peak on this route is Přední Žalý (1,019 m above sea level), which features a lookout tower and a snack bar.
 

Danger

Thanks to the route’s easy accessibility from Benecko, there is a higher concentration of people here. The route is completely safe; there are no difficult sections or dangerous spots. It follows forest trails, which are often very wide—no narrow paths that can only accommodate one person.
 

Food

You don’t need to bring any food with you on this summer hike, because there are plenty of places where you can eat and drink. Still, I recommend bringing 0.5 liters of water per person, just to be safe. We had a very good meal in Benecko at Hančeho bouda. You can also grab a bite to eat at the snack bar in Rovinka.
 

Attractions

The entire Benecko region is known for Hanče and Vrbata, who tragically lost their lives in a ski race in 1913. A memorial has been erected for both of them on Zlaté návrší, accessible from Horní Mísečky. We’ve also described the route from Mísečky past the Hanče and Vrbata Memorial on our website natreku.cz here.

If you’re interested in learning more about this event, I recommend watching the Czech film *The Last Race*, which tells the story of the aforementioned ski race that took place on March 24, 1913.