A trip to the flooded quarries near Lipnice nad Sázavou

A trip from Lipnice nad Sázavou Castle to the local quarries

Starting point

Parking lot on the square in Lipnice nad Sázavou. Parking here costs 100 CZK per day. You can try to find parking in the surrounding streets, but they’re usually full.
 

Description of the hike

The first part of our trip was spent at Lipnice nad Sázavou Castle. Since the tour is self-guided, we thoroughly explored the entire castle. The towers offer beautiful views of the castle’s distant surroundings. After the tour, we set off on our hike. On the outskirts of Lipnice nad Sázavou, we stopped at a snack bar.

We continued along a forest path. First, we came to a quarry where a mouth is carved. Then we descended steeply to another quarry, above which an ear is carved. We then made our way down through the forest to the road. We crossed it and continued along a dirt path past ponds to more flooded quarries. These are also in the forest and create a stunning natural setting. The last quarry we visited had eyes carved into it. Then we followed the green hiking trail back to Lipnice. The path runs mostly through a field. Finally, we had to climb up to the town square, where we had parked our car.
 

Difficulty

A short and easy hike. In some places, the trail through the forest is quite rocky. There is also one steep descent between the quarries. Otherwise, it’s an ideal hike for families with children or dogs.
 

Water availability

There are several pubs in Lipnice nad Sázavou. We stopped at the Panská Vobora snack bar, which is located on the edge of the forest at the end of the village.
 

Mountain peaks

The route doesn't pass through any peaks, but Lipnice nad Sázavou Castle offers great views.
 

Danger

You need to be careful around the individual quarries. Some are quite deep, and the sheer cliffs drop straight down into the water. There are no guardrails here. These are the quarries located across the road from the green hiking trail.
 

Food

There are pubs in Lipnice nad Sázavou. Right along the route is the Panská Vobora snack bar, where they serve hot dogs and other snacks.
 

Attractions

An interesting attraction along this route are the flooded granite quarries. At the beginning of this century, artists carved three sculptures into their walls: Bretschneider’s Ear, Golden Eyes, and The Mouth of Truth. Together, they form the National Monument to Eavesdropping, which serves as a reminder of the surveillance of citizens under past regimes.