Ridge Trail: tips for mastering a long-distance route

Ridge Trail is for beginners and advanced skiers

The Ridge Trail long-distance route through Bohemian Switzerland is not only for beginners. But if you are one of those who have never hiked a long-distance route before, it can be a useful training for you, a pleasant and undemanding entry into a new dimension of long-distance hiking. It is a long-distance route in the center of Europe, so it is safe, there is a dense transport and service infrastructure available, and the markings on the route are generous and reliable even by European standards.

So, for example, if you want to completely disconnect from the digital world while traveling, it's possible here, even if you can't find north by looking at the lichen on the trees, can't read the stars, and are better able to orient yourself by your favorite coffee. And if you still manage to get lost, there's nothing to worry about. You're moving in a civilized landscape with many landmarks and lots of good people who are happy to advise and help you.

Be clear about what you expect from Ridge Trail

Before you set off, it is most important to clarify what you want to experience. Solitude , peace and relaxation on the road? Is Ridge Trail a challenge for you that will test your skills and endurance? Or, on the contrary, do you want to have it as a dessert after much more demanding treks? Will you go there in summer or winter ? Alone or with friends? With children? With a dog? Will you improvise along the way and sleep peacefully under an overhang or will you always look forward to resting in the comfort of pre-arranged accommodation and treating yourself to a quality meal in the evening?

A comb over can be exactly what you want, and maybe even more, especially if you prepare well for it.

What will you need to bring with you?

Map . Whether in digital or paper form, the Ridge Trail map is useful in any case. That's why we have prepared it for you on the Hřebenovka website for download or printing, including a detailed description of the individual stages, so that you can plan your efforts and time in proportion to your needs and possibilities. You will find brief and clear information about the length, elevation, transport, and practical QR codes for downloading the map to your mobile phone. In the Ridge Trail brochure you will find even more detailed information, tips on what not to miss on the way and recommendations for friendly businesses whose services you can rely on.

Train and distribute your energy well

Whether you plan your route in advance or as you go, it's a good idea not to try to cover as many kilometers as possible at the beginning and to realize that when walking, we engage the muscles of the entire body. Furthermore, when walking for a longer period of time, the body's weight distribution will be different than what we are used to during our sedentary lifestyle.

Training before a long-distance march will not only help you get stronger, but also reveal how your strength is, which muscle systems and which joints will start to respond first and therefore need to be strengthened, taped or otherwise temporarily strengthened and protected, so that you don't find out halfway through the track that you can't continue. Visiting a physiotherapy practice before a track may seem like an exaggeration, but we would all do better if, in addition to regular walking, we gave our bodies regular preventive care, which physiotherapy and other manual therapy definitely belong to. So we definitely recommend it, especially if you ask for advice on special exercises, positions or strategies suitable for long-distance marches.

But you can also train on Ridge Trail, try one stage just on the weekend and another stage the next weekend. After all, you can also walk the entire Ridge Trail, if you don't have the opportunity to take a week's vacation. You start with shorter stages, for example with the stage around Hřensko , which is only 11 km long or with the Krásná Lípa stage with a length of 13.5 km, and only then do you dare to go on longer parts of Hřebenovka (the right and left banks of the Elbe and the Back Bohemian Switzerland ) and on higher elevations (Jetřichovicko).

Give your body rest and care

Don't forget to rest. Both before, during and after the trek. The goal is not to conquer Hřebenovka in as few days as possible, but to enjoy it and not miss out on any of the experiences it has to offer. Along the way, you can sleep in a tent or under a canopy (see the nine "Ridge Trail Mans"), but you can also look for more comfortable places where, like "the Ridge Trail Man", they will provide you with accommodation, even if only for one night . And basically, in each stage, you can visit several places offering wellness services. In the beginning, it could be Hotel Ostrov , in the second stage Kocanda in Děčín, in the third stage Resort Mezná nad Hřenskem, in the fourth Wellness Hotel Zámeček nad Jetřichovicemi, in the fifth Lípa resort in Krásná Lípa and in the sixth, Bohemian Homes in Horní Podluží.

Choose your clothes well.

Good clothing is also part of body care. The offer is varied, for inspiration you can visit the website of the Czech company Hudy or simply follow common sense, do not forget a functional bottom layer, a middle layer for warming up (note, we do not mean a bottle of liquor here, but a light sweater made of merino wool, for example) and an outer, ideally water and wind resistant layer that protects you from moisture from above and below, but at the same time does not lock you in an airtight bubble of your own sweat.

No experimenting with shoes!

Shoes are essential, but since everyone is different, it's hard to give advice. The main thing is to know that whether I'm comfortable walking in sneakers or hiking boots, a long-distance trek requires a proven and previously broken-in shoe that won't cause blisters after the first half-day. So definitely don't set out in newly purchased shoes. And then also think a little bit about whether my feet won't sweat unnecessarily in the chosen shoe and it won't be too heavy or wet through and through if I accidentally step into a stream...

Pack the lightest equipment possible.

Depending on how wildly or comfortably you decide to travel, also think about food and how to cook it , about light in the dark wherever the light of an immaculate mind is not enough, about comfortable sleeping that will not weigh you down , about good tools or at least a knife , and last but not least , about what you will carry everything in.

It should be noted that you don't have to stress too much about equipment in Hřebenovce, it's not about life here, the climate is mild and the environment is completely friendly, but if you don't lack motivation or finances, explore other Czech companies that offer the lightest travel equipment for luggage, which, as is known, should not weigh more than 7 kg for long-distance treks.

Walking is medicine, but sometimes it hurts, don't underestimate it!

What next? For example, a first aid kit. If you regularly take any medication, don't forget to pack it, and if you suffer from allergies, it's good to be ready in case of need. Otherwise, the first aid kit should mainly include plasters, both classic ones for blisters and fixation sutures for securing lacerations. You can also add something antibacterial and antiseptic, whether it's chemicals or essential oil . It's useful to have a compression bandage, tweezers, scissors, rubber gloves, something for diarrhea and pain, eye drops in case a speck of dust falls into your eyes from the treetops, which you'll be staring at for half the time... In the summer, don't forget sunburn protection and insect repellent . And if you want to be completely calm in any situation, get an aromatherapy set from Nobilis Tilia on your travels.

Go take a bath!

What else can I recommend? Don't forget to not only wash yourself on the way :), but especially to take a bath, you can find good public and natural swimming pools everywhere along the way, our favorite ones include Cihlářský rybník near Tisá or Ostrovský rybník in Ostrov, Aquapark Děčín , Biotope Nový Svět near Arnoltice, the swimming pool at the Bellevue Hotel in Jetřichovice or at the Jetřichovice campsite , the newly renovated dam in Kyjov near Krásná Lípa, for the hardier ones, the Křinice River in the Kyjovské údolí , Cimrák in Krásná Lípa and at the end of the road (depending on where you are going from) maybe Lesní rybník in Kytlice, which are not directly on the Hřebenovka route, but it is worth wandering here for a swim.

Walk through Ridge Trail there and back and share it with others!

And while we're on the subject of wandering, let's finally get acquainted with the results of a study that shows that walking backwards is even healthier than classic walking forwards!!! It strengthens muscles that are not normally involved, improves coordination and sensory perception, and trains various brain centers. And it sounds like a pretty cool challenge for all the Ridge Trail Man residents – walk backwards for at least 10-15 minutes at each stage, what do you say? But don't walk backwards alone, take an assistant with you, which brings us to the most important message: share Hřebenovka with others! Walk Ridge Trail forwards and backwards with friends and loved ones, and if you simply need to walk alone, at least share your photos and experiences with others.

Tag #jduhrebenovku!

The article was created as part of the project "Marketing Activities to Support Tourism in Bohemian Switzerland" implemented with the support of funds from the state budget of the Czech Republic from the program of the Ministry for Regional Development.