Tonight was a weird one. I slept with the window open, then promptly closed it to avoid catching a chill. The lumpy mattress and shapeless pillow weren’t exactly conducive to deep sleep. I found myself waking up multiple times for bathroom breaks, each time appreciating the sheer luxury of it. If I’d been in a tent, I’d have been hauling myself out of a warm sleeping bag into the cold, only to crawl back in. And what about Brixie? Would she have destroyed my tent? I covered her up a few times during the night too, as she kept getting up for a drink.
Morning Rituals and Breakfast Bliss
I’m up around six. Charging electronics, finishing up a blog post, and editing photos. Sending them off to the family. I take Brixie for her walk, then feed her so she can eat and digest in peace. Then, it’s back to waiting in bed until eight, when breakfast kicks off. I get that I’ve got my own food, but when breakfast is already paid for, why wouldn’t you take advantage? No yoga today, my room’s not exactly spacious.
At 7:59, I head out for breakfast, and it looks like I’m the first one there. Breakfast is a real treat! I go for fried eggs, bacon, a slice of cheese, bell pepper, tomatoes, a Kaiser roll, butter, coffee, water, yogurt, and toast with Nutella – that’s my little guilty pleasure, right? I settle at a table, eating, and soon Petra and Petr join me. We decide to head out together. So, we pack up our room and at 9:15, we’re finally hitting the next kilometers of the Stezka Českem.
On the Trail of Waterfalls and a Dam Encounter
We start off nice and warm. The sun is shining beautifully as we walk past the picturesque pond belonging to the guesthouse. Gradually, we ascend alongside the stunning waterfalls on Černý Štolpich.
They’re truly amazing, but the climb is taking its toll. The backpack is great, fits perfectly, everything. It’s just the amount of food I’m carrying. So, I pull out my trekking poles, which I’ll be using for the rest of the day.
We join the yellow trail and then back onto the Stezka Českem. Following that, we gradually make our way towards the Čihadlo lookout tower.
Soon after, we switch to the blue trail, and at the next turn, I assume Petra and Petr are still behind us. When I look back, I still don’t see them. I figured maybe they’d had a change of heart and decided to head for their booked accommodation in the Jizerka settlement via the Smědava route. Oh well, I press on. At the junction below Uhlířská skála, I switch to green and continue towards Mariánskohorské boudy. There, I change colors again, this time to yellow, heading for the Protržená přehrada (Broken Dam). I keep looking back, hoping to spot my friends. No luck.
Brixie and I arrive at the Broken Dam and head for the kiosk. Or whatever you call it? A self-service bar? Maybe. Anyway, I air out my feet, dry my boots, and down a Kofola. I’m trying to get Brixie to rest and lie down.
She’s not having much luck with that. I have a snack and decide it’s time to gather myself so we can get moving. Suddenly, Brixie bolts and greets Petra and Petr! So, we linger a bit longer, they’re grabbing refreshments too. I’m happy they made it and that they’re enjoying it here. Coming here was my idea, so I’m glad they’re not disappointed.
A bit of disappointment set in when Petr wanted a beer. Instead of beer, he was told some “leftover” and the tap sputtered. He then wrote, as per the instructions inside the kiosk, that they were out of beer. He got a reply: “Thanks, I’m on my way.” He was surprised by that and wondered where on earth someone was coming from to tap a new keg. Long story short, he got his beer! The lady arrived about 15 minutes later and tapped a fresh keg.
We then continued to the Jizerka settlement. I, with Brixie, took off again a bit. I wait up top, smiling, because I was photographing the fluffy cows I love so much here. After a while, Petr and Petra caught up. I looked at the accommodation options and, after considering, decided to push on further.
Farewell and Evening Miles to Harrachov
So, at 4:30 PM in the Jizerka settlement, we say goodbye. It was good. We’ll see if we cross paths again on this Stezka Českem. Brixie and I continue on the red trail towards Harrachov, the sign says 10 km. We should be able to manage that. Dusk was approaching, and the path took on a special magic. I listened to an interesting podcast, and it was nice. We arrive in Harrachov and our booked accommodation around 7:20 PM, and today’s tally is my 40.22 km. I’m pretty wiped out! I can’t wait to take this backpack off. It was a nice touch that when paying for Brixie’s stay, the lady brought her a gift – 3 energy bars as a treat. That was cool.
The first thing I do upon entering the room is feed and water Brixie. In the meantime, I get my sleeping bag ready. Brixie is done. I’m off for a shower, the toilet, to finish up some things, grab a bite for dinner, and write this journal. It’s supposed to rain a lot tomorrow, and I’d prefer something shorter, especially for Brixie. So, I’ll probably be planning tomorrow’s route.
Daily Summary on Stezka Českem:
- Distance Today: 40.22 km
- Total Distance on Stezka Českem (Stage IV): 66.52 km (26.3 km + 40.22 km)
- Highlight of the Day: The reunion with Petra and Petr at the Broken Dam, shared moments, and the “beer drama” at the kiosk.
- Total Ascent: 1162 m
- Total Descent: 842 m
- Average Temperature: 21 °C (Min: 17 °C, Max: 38 °C)
- Total Time: 10:03:24
- Weather: Beautiful sunny morning, cloudy later, no rain.
Day two on the Stezka Českem brought a ton of experiences – from stunning waterfalls to unexpected encounters with friends. What are your favorite travel memories when you’ve bumped into unexpected companions? Are you looking forward to tomorrow’s challenges, even with the rain forecast?
