Čertova rokle

Lots cut down and difficult journey

A good many trees across the road and need to climb.

After descending from Dřevčice to the foot of the valley, a board awaits you, on which the Forests of the Czech Republic inform you about how the picturesque path through the valley was reconstructed at the beginning of the 21st century. Unfortunately, nature was not inclined to change and probably some big water took away most (perhaps dozens) of beautiful wooden bridges and jammed them downstream in all sorts of possible places. Even a series of shore pillars, built of stones inserted into wire cages, were able to carry the current away from its original places. A number of improvised overcoming streams await the tourist. To complete the tragedy, a windstorm came in the autumn of 2017, which covered part of the valley with uprooted tree trunks. During a visit in March 2018, we weaved a very adventurous route. In the part of the valley downstream, this calamity is being removed. The once overgrown valley is now sunless with trees, but the surface is furrowed with tractor tires, muddy and very difficult to reach. The reward for overcoming these obstacles is a climb to the picturesque Chudý hrádek, bravely towering on the rocks above the valley.

The flooded Dolský potok and the November storm made sure that the March trip to the Devil's Gorge, now a little more faithful to its name, did not take place according to the trailers of Lesy ČR, s.p. and according to tourist guide information. Fallen trees, muddy terrain and destroyed bridges and footbridges have increased the experience of the journey through unspoiled nature, but in this state the road (mainly in the direction from Dřevčice) is not suitable for families with small children. Only when we returned to the village did we see the information of the Czech Tourists Club about the impassability of the road (green sign), pasted on the tourist signpost in Dřevčice near the pub. However, tourists may not notice this warning (like us), unless they are looking for a way and, according to the map, set off straight along the green mark to the lower village square to the memorable plane tree and further from the village. However, there is no clear warning before entering the breakwater area at the beginning of the gorge. On the contrary, the information board of Lesy ČR, s.p. welcomes you to the gorge and invites you there. with the assurance that the gorge path is well renovated. In the opposite direction from the north upstream of the stream to Dolský mlýn, the road is passable with less difficulty and is not marked as impassable. This is where you can come to Chudý hrádek. However, climbing to it on a muddy and now also frozen slope (and especially the way back) requires increased caution.

Nice walk, we used the bus. We left the car in Holany, took a bus to Dřevčice and then walked along the gorge and along the stream in the direction of Holany. In the summer heat, a pleasant walk through the cool valley along the water.