A circular hike past the Blansko ruins and the viewpoints along the Elbe River

A Trip to Kozí vrch and Blansko with Practice Via Ferratas

Starting point

The village of Povrly, free parking in the village, easily accessible by train from Ústí nad Labem.
 

Description of the hike

From the village of Povrly, a green hiking trail leads to nearby Kozí Vrch. It’s only 380 meters high, but from the Elbe River, it’s a steep climb of 200 meters. At the summit, you’ll be treated to one of the most beautiful views of the Elbe. Here, the river curves into an S-shape; to the left are forested hills with the Buková hora transmitter, below them Povrly, and across the river, Velké Březno with its castle and brewery. Upstream along the Elbe lie Ústí and the surrounding villages.

The green trail continues through pastures and forests toward Mírov and Blansko. The dark peaks of the Středohoří Mountains rise above the meadows. A short distance from the road to Mírov lies a point of interest—the remains of a hermitage and the rock chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built in the mid-19th century and visited by believers from the surrounding area, but today only the vault carved into the sandstone remains. On the vertical sandstone slope, enthusiasts have set up several short, secured routes. The practice via ferratas have a difficulty rating of A–C. A note from the organizer: you enter the via ferrata at your own risk and should wear a helmet and have appropriate via ferrata equipment. You can contribute to the maintenance of the routes by placing a donation in the collection box.

The dirt road winds around Obecní Hill and Šibeniční Hill and rejoins the green and yellow trails leading to the Blansko ruins. Not much remains of the castle—just the outer walls, a tower, and a vaulted corridor. However, the ramparts offer a beautiful panoramic view of the České Středohoří and Krušné Mountains. Above the castle are four more via ferratas—difficulty level B. The via ferratas lead straight up for about 10 meters; below the castle wall, there is a traverse to the right spanning several meters. I try the “Wandering Knight” route; the basalt warms in the sun, and heat-loving plants bloom beside the rope. A pleasant diversion on the journey. Next to the half-timbered cottage below the castle stand wooden carved beehives, the “Bee Garden.”

From the cross at the fork in the road, I take a shortcut across the pastures to the Lužecký Stream. I then follow it to Lužec and Petrův Mlýn. From the small road, I look for a path leading up to Český Bukov. The path along the stream is quite overgrown; a sow with her piglets runs across the ravine ahead of me. At the edge of Český Bukov, I come across crumbling walls; behind them, I can see tilted gravestones—an old Sudeten cemetery. I hesitate for a moment, but then I enter. Opposite the entrance stands the remnant of a pedestal bearing the inscription Es ist vollbracht! – It is finished! (Jesus’s last words on the cross, meaning “My work here is done”). I look around—this is truly the end of the German history of Böhmisch-Pokau—toppled gravestones, clumps of nettles and weeds, scattered rafters. Among them, a few upright gravestones, some still bearing visible inscriptions, or black engraved glass. The lives of the locals summed up in a few letters and numbers: “Unsere innigegeliebte Tochter Anna gestorben in 20 Lebensjahre” (Our dearly beloved daughter Anna, died at the age of 20), Dachdeckermeister aus Leissen (Master roofer from Lužec), memorial stones with round portraits of young men in uniform – Unser Sohn gest. 1915, in Irkutsk, Siberien. May the foreign soil be light upon him (Our son, who fell in Irkutsk, Siberia. May the foreign soil be light upon him). A moving place.

A dirt road leads from Bukov to Maškovice and Bradlo Hill. At the summit of Bradlo is the Věruščina Lookout bench; Buková hora is just across the water. A short detour from the route takes me to a lookout point above the Kolem Jalovce via ferrata (approx. 10 m, difficulty B)—short but scenic. Then it’s just a descent to Povrly with views of the Elbe. In Povrly, the last via ferratas are located near the Via ferrata Kovářská pastry shop (several routes with difficulty levels A–C). A relaxing Saturday afternoon—the kids are playing on the rocks and the moms are drinking lattes; a nice trip.
 

Difficulty

A loop trail near Ústí nad Labem, following marked trails, dirt roads, and forest paths, with several short via ferratas (optional). The steepest climb is right at the start of the route, up to Kozí vrch.
 

Water availability

Povrly – there’s a store, and the restaurant might be open sometimes; the locals are drinking bottled beer at the grocery store :-)
 

Sleeping options

It was just a day trip; I wasn't looking for anything in particular. But Ústí and Bohemian Switzerland are right around the corner.
 

Mountain peaks

The route offers views of the České Středohoří and Krušné hory mountains. The Kozí vrch and Bradlo Hill lookouts are ideal.
 

Danger

Optional via ferratas with difficulty levels A–B; proceed at your own risk. Safety equipment is required/recommended on the via ferratas. Otherwise, the route is safe along forest trails, dirt roads, or paved roads.
 

Food

The pub is in the village of Povrly; you should definitely bring a snack with you.