Frýdlantskem do Polska a zpět

Set off on the Mlýnská cycling path, which measures 18 km, to discover the beauties of Frydlant and its surroundings. The route is not particularly demanding and can really be managed by anyone. Your journey begins in the metropolis of the Frydlant region. Frydlant has a nice surrounding area and is the gateway to the Jizera Mountains, offering activities for hikers, cyclists, and climbers.

From the square, you will head towards one of the landmarks, the Frydlant Castle (50°54'53" N, 15°5'1" E), where you can make your first stop. The Frydlant monument ensemble can be characterized as a combination of a medieval castle and a Renaissance castle. The castle was founded in the mid-13th century, and its embellishment began with the Bibrštejn family and later the noble family of Redern, who had the Renaissance castle and chapel built. From 1622 to 1634, Frydlant belonged to Albrecht von Wallenstein, who made it an agricultural estate of the local region. After his death, it belonged to the Clam-Gallas family until 1945 and subsequently passed under state ownership. It is currently a two-story building around a small irregular courtyard, dominated by a large cylindrical tower, the bergfried. The Frydlant castle and palace are typically open to the public from April to October, from Tuesday to Sunday. You can choose from six circuits.

From the castle, you will turn off and ride through the valley via Krásný Les and Řasnice (50°56'45" N, 15°10'8" E). During your easy journey, you can admire the beautiful scenery. A visit to the former smithy of Ondřej Stelzig, who led the resistance against the Frydlant nobility from 1679 to 1687, is worthwhile. You can see an exhibition on blacksmithing and admire the folk architecture. From Řasnice, you will continue to Jindřichovice pod Smrkem, alongside the educational trail “Around Jindřichovice, in search of ideals and into the valley of the soul”. In the area of the Living Open-Air Museum (50.961400N, 15.233100E), you will find a museum of rural life before the industrial revolution, buildings of folk architecture, a windmill, and a library of ecological, spiritual, and beautiful literature. The museum has an exhibition showcasing life in the countryside, especially in the 18th to 19th centuries. It includes various agricultural machines, workshop equipment, kitchen utensils, and a weaving loom.

In the center of the village, you will head towards the Kukačka border crossing and after six kilometers along the Polish cycling path, you will reach the Czarcimy mill in Cziernawe Zdrój. This is a functioning, originally water-powered mill. Here you can taste freshly baked bread. From here, you can return to the Czech Republic via the Krakonoš cycling path through Nové Město or continue further to Swieradów Zdrój. And you may ask, why is the cycling path called Mlýnská? Because it is marked in both directions at the main crossroads with signs featuring the logo of a windmill and the name Mlýnská.