Адршпах

Late spring to early autumn is the best time for hiking. Summer is warm but rarely hot, and afternoon showers are common. Winters are cold and snowy, and the trails can be icy.

The rocks are busiest in July and August and on sunny weekends. In this season you must book an entry time and parking online in advance, and popular slots sell out. September is a good compromise, with fewer people and stable weather. In winter the Great Waterfall often freezes into an icefall, which makes a quiet and unusual visit.

Adršpach-Teplice Rocks is the main reason to come. The Adršpach part has a 3.5 km marked circuit with nearly 2,000 steps. Allow about two and a half hours, plus extra time for photos and the boat ride.

Gothic Gate was built in 1839 and once marked the entrance to the rock park. It is one of the most photographed spots on the circuit, so expect a short queue in summer.

Great Waterfall drops about 16 m into a narrow rock gorge. Steps next to it lead up to the small Rock Lake above, where boats take visitors on a short trip between the cliffs in summer.

Sugar Loaf is a rock tower that seems to stand on its tip. It is near the entrance, so you see it at the start or end of the walk.

Pískovna Lake is a small lake in a flooded former sand quarry right next to the rock-city entrance. Its clear turquoise water with rocks behind it is a favourite photo stop.

Adršpach Chateau in the village was rebuilt in its present form in 1886 by the Nádherný family. The village restored it and opened it to the public in 2014, and it now hosts a café, exhibitions and events.

Adršpach Castle Ruins sits on Starozámecký vrch, a hill above the village. Only fragments of walls and rock-cut cellars remain. The climb has dozens of steps, and the top gives a view over the rock city.

Teplice Rocks are the quieter southern half of the rock city, reached from Teplice nad Metují. The highlight is Střmen Castle, the remains of a medieval rock castle at the top of more than 300 steep steps.

A visit here is about being outdoors among the rocks. These are the things that make it special.

• Take the boat on the Rock Lake: a short summer boat trip between steep sandstone walls above Great Waterfall. This tradition goes back more than 150 years. Tickets are sold only at the lake and only for cash in Czech crowns.
• Walk from one rock city to the other: follow the marked trail from Adršpach through the Wolf Gorge into the Teplice Rocks. The full loop is about 15 km and takes most of a day.
• Squeeze through the Mouse Hole: this passage on the Adršpach circuit is only about 50 cm wide.
• See the frozen waterfall: on cold winter days the rocks are quiet and the Great Waterfall turns into ice.
• Watch the climbers: Adršpach is a historic centre of sandstone climbing, and on dry days you can see climbers on the tall towers. Climbing here is only allowed under strict local rules.

Adršpach is a good base for exploring the wider border region. These trips are listed from closest to farthest.

• Teplice nad Metují — about 10 min by train, or a 5 km hike through the Wolf Gorge. This is the gateway to the Teplice Rocks, which feel wilder and less crowded than Adršpach.
• Broumov — about 30 min by car. The town has a large Baroque Benedictine monastery and a group of Baroque village churches nearby. The Broumov Walls ridge offers more rock scenery and viewpoints.
• Trutnov — about 40 min by train. A town with a pleasant main square and good connections to the mountains.
• Náchod — about 40 min by car. A large chateau stands on a hill above the town.
• Szczeliniec Wielki in Poland — about 1 hour by car via Kudowa-Zdrój. This flat-topped mountain in the Table Mountains National Park has its own rock labyrinth and wide views.
• Krkonoše — about 1 hour by car. The highest mountains in the Czech Republic, with Sněžka peak and many marked trails.

Adršpach belongs to the Broumovsko area in the far north-east of Bohemia.

• Next door: Teplice nad Metují shares the rock city and has the second main entrance.
• Towns in the area: Broumov and Nové Město nad Metují are historic towns worth a stop.
• Mountains and gateways: Trutnov is the nearest larger town and the rail gateway to Krkonoše.

• By air: The nearest large airports are Prague Václav Havel Airport, about 190 km away by road, and Wrocław Airport in Poland, about 140 km away by road. From either, the drive takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours. Public transport from Prague takes longer and needs several changes.
• By train: Adršpach station is right in front of the rock-city entrance. It is on the regional line between Trutnov and Teplice nad Metují. From Prague the trip takes about 3.5 to 4 hours, and some connections need a change. In summer, Polish regional trains run on weekends directly from Wrocław. Check times on České dráhy.
• By bus: Regional buses stop about 250 m from the entrance and link Adršpach with Broumov and Police nad Metují.
• By car: In the summer season, parking must be booked online in advance on the official Adršpach Rocks website.

• On foot: The rock-city entrance, train station, Pískovna Lake and several restaurants are all within a few minutes of each other. The chateau and the castle ruins are a 20–30 minute walk away.
• Train: Short regional trains link Adršpach with Teplice nad Metují, which is handy for a one-way hike through both rock cities. Buy tickets from the conductor on board or in advance in the ČD app. Regional fares are part of the IREDO network.
• Cycling: Several marked cycle routes cross the area, and there is a bike storage room near the rock-city entrance. The terrain is hilly.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the rocks themselves, since the train stops at the entrance. A car helps if you want to explore the wider Broumovsko area in a short time.
• Parking: The large car parks near the entrance cost about 180–200 CZK per day in the main season. In summer, book a space online in advance, because capacity is limited and not guaranteed without a booking. The Teplice Rocks have their own car park in Teplice nad Metují.
• Roads: Local roads are narrow and busy on summer weekends. Arrive early in the morning to avoid queues.

Food here is simple Czech country cooking. Expect dishes like roast pork with dumplings, goulash, fried cheese and trout, with local beer. Portions are large and prices are moderate.

The main cluster of restaurants, snack bars and ice-cream stands is around the rock-city entrance and the train station. They are convenient but crowded at lunchtime in summer. For more choice and a quieter meal, go to Teplice nad Metují or to Broumov.

Adršpach is very safe, and crime against visitors is rare. The main risks come from the terrain.

• Stay on marked trails: the rocks are a national nature reserve, and leaving the trails is forbidden. Steps and wooden walkways can be slippery when wet or icy.
• Wear proper shoes: the circuit has many steep steps and ladders. Prams can go only on the flat first part of the trail.
• Ticks: they are common in the forests from spring to autumn, so check yourself after a hike.
• Crowds: in peak season, narrow passages can get congested. Go early in the day for a calmer walk.

People have lived near the rocks since the Middle Ages. Adršpach Castle Ruins is what remains of a Gothic castle built to guard the border and destroyed in the 15th century. Later the lords of the estate moved down to a manor house in the village, which became Adršpach Chateau.

For centuries the rocks were covered by dense forest. The German poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe visited in 1790, and a memorial plaque recalls his trip. In 1824 a large fire cleared much of the forest and made the rock towers visible. Soon after, in 1828, Ludvík Karel Nádherný bought the estate and began building paths, bridges and Gothic Gate for visitors.

Tourism grew quickly in the 19th century, and boat trips on the rock lake began in this period. The rocks became a protected nature reserve in 1933. Since 1991 they have been part of the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area.

Quick practical facts for the Czech Republic at a glance: