Discover the Vibrant Brtnice Ice Falls in Bohemian Switzerland
One of the most captivating winter attractions in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park is the ice falls, which appear each year close to Brtníky, Kyjov, and Vlčí Hora. These stunning ice structures were already well-known during the First Republic era, when affluent Germans would come by sled to take in the view. Unlike traditional frozen waterfalls, these ice falls are formed by water resulting from melting snow.
As a result, ice falls may not develop every year—for them to form, the cold weather must arrive gradually rather than suddenly, allowing some of the snow to melt and create the water needed for the ice fall. As the water trickles down the rocks, it carries away soil, iron, and silica sands, giving the ice falls beautiful colors that range from yellow to green and even brown and black. But make sure to see them soon—meteorologists warn they won’t last long because of expected rising temperatures.
The Great Ice Column, the Curtain, or the Stables
Brtnice Ice Falls isn’t just a single formation—as you explore the area around Brtnice and the Vlčí potok valley, you can find more than ten uniquely named ice cascades. The journey begins at the Brtníky railway station. Follow the red tourist path that leads down to Brtníky, and after that, continue on the green Horní cesta path. Along the green trail, short side paths marked with signs indicating the names of different ice falls, set up by the Czechia-Saxony Switzerland Protected Landscape Area Administration, branch off.
After around 2 kilometers of walking through the forest, you will see the first ice falls known as Velká and Malá kaskáda. Further along the pathway, you will encounter Oponě, a stunning ice formation rising 8 meters high and colored in shades of orange. Another side path off the green tourist route takes you to the Great Prussian Camp or the ruins of Brtnický hrad. Additionally, there are other ice falls called Konírna, where you can find the most vividly colored brown and orange icicles in the region.
Warning: The sightseeing route with clear turnoffs to reach these various ice falls is currently closed due to the risk of falling trees caused by a bark beetle infestation. However, the Opona, Malá Kaskáda, and Konírna ice falls remain accessible via the green tourist trail, which ends at Brtnický hrádek. Other ice falls can be reached by trekking through the Vlčí potok valley.
Below Brtnický hrádek, take a detour into the Údolí Vlčího potoka, where you can view more enchanting ice falls such as Betlém, Varhany, and Vlčí stěnka, which measures 2 meters in height and 30 meters in width, freezing completely every year. However, the true highlight of the Brtnice ice falls is the Great Ice Column, where people appear quite small in comparison. The ice here showcases a variety of colors, ranging from white to yellow to brown.
In addition to the stunning ice falls on the rocks, there’s also the marvelous Fairy Cave, located about 2 kilometers from Kyjov, which you can access by following the red trail through the Kyjov Valley.
The questions and answers here have been generated by a machine and have not been reviewed for accuracy.
