Sports in the Liberec region
The
Liberec region is in the north of Bohemia and encompasses the eastern part
of the Lužice Mountains, the Jizera Mountains and the western part of the
Giant Mountains. It has an area of only 3,163 square kilometres, making
it the second smallest region in the Czech Republic after Prague.
The region consists of four districts: Česká Lípa, Jablonec nad Nisou, Liberec and Semily. The biggest town in the region is Liberec itself, which is the fourth largest regional town in the country excluding Prague and Central Bohemia. The smallest village in the region is Blatce in the Česká Lípa district. The village has only 41 inhabitants.
Liberec
district
The Jizera and Lužice Mountains are ideal for hiking, skiing and cycling.
The Ještěd ridge is very popular with downhill skiers and well as hang-gliders.
The district also has lakes and streams for water sports. You will also
find no shortage of sports grounds, tennis courts, football pitches, lakes
for swimming as well as swimming and skating rinks.
The Jizera Mountains constitute the most attractive and best known
part of the region. In the last few years, the mountains have become a
favourite spot for mountain bikers. The Jizera Mountains are particularly
attractive in winter. The Jizera ski route with its 70 kilometres of well-maintained
ski tracks is a favourite with cross-country skiers. Downhill skiers can
make use of the ski resorts at Bedřichov, Špičák and Severák
where there are more than ten ski lifts and maintained slopes. Ještěd offers
particularly good conditions for downhill skiing. The northern slopes are
suitable for more experienced skiers, while the southern slopes are not
quite as steep.
For passive sports fans Liberec can offer league championship matches
in football, ice hockey and volleyball.
There are all sorts of ways of spending an active holiday in the Liberec
district. The Smědá river has good conditions for fishing. However,
especially in spring, it is used along with the rivers Nisa and
Jizera
for water sports, including rafting.
Mountain- and rock-climbers will also find plenty of interest here.
There are sandstone rock faces for training near Hrádek nad Nisou as
well as granite rock faces. There is also a number of artificial training
walls for rock-climbers. The biggest is at the Technical University in
Liberec. One of the great attractions in Liberec is the 107-metre water
slide in the swimming pool in the town. Golf has become very popular in
the district in recent years. Golf courses can be found at Stráž nad
Nisou and Rozstání.
Jablonec nad Nisou district
In
winter, the northern part of the district becomes one great paradise for
skiers with dozens of kilometres of cross-country tracks and maintained
slopes for downhill skiing. The Jablonec district is all ups and downs
and you will hardly find any flat land anywhere.
Sports areas are to be found at Střelnice and Břízky ve Mšené.
Those who like swimming can visit the Nová Ves pool as well as three
dam reservoirs all situated less than a kilometre from the centre of the
town. There are outdoor and indoor tennis courts at Nad Prosečí
and an indoor pool at Břízky, where there is an indoor skating rink open
from October till April. The latter also has an illuminated downhill skiing
slope. There is a slope for the slalom at Dobrá Voda and nearby
you can go horse riding at Rýnovice. It is only a 20-minute journey
to Horní Maxov or Bedřichov, which constitute good starting
points for hiking in the Jizera Mountains.
Summer is particularly pleasant in the Jablonec district for sports
and recreation. There are many hiking and cycling routes in the area of
Malá
Skála and particularly in the Jizera Mountains. You can jump on your
bike in Jablonec if you want, but if you want to save yourself negotiating
a ten-kilometre uphill stretch, it is better to go to Bedřichov by car
or bus. Hikers can follow well-marked paths across the Jizera Mountains,
crossing five peaks and on to the glass museum in Kristiánov and the hunting
lodge at Nová Louka. On the way, they can enjoy the most beautiful views
from a whole number of outlook towers. Especially at the beginning of summer,
boating and rafting are very popular on some stretches of the Jizera or
Kamenice rivers. The Suché skály sandstone rocks at Malá Skála as well
as a number of granite formations in the Jizera Mountains are a veritable
paradise for rock-climbers.
Winter in the Jablonec district attracts skiers of all standards as
well as nature-lovers that like to see the more unconventional and bizarre
face of the countryside. It takes 20 minutes by public transport to reach
Bedřichov. From there to Horní Polubný and Kořenov there
are dozens of kilometres of interwoven cross-country skiing tracks leading
through easy as well as demanding terrain. Maintained and illuminated cross-country
tracks can be found in Jablonec itself, in the Břízky resort beyond the
dam. Downhill skiers have plenty to choose from and there are maintained
slopes and many ski lifts at Severák in Horní Maxov, Jablonec
na Dobré Vodě, Josefův Důl, Jiřetín, Špičák u Tanvaldu, Zásada, Desná,
Rejdice, Zlatá Olešnice, Plavy, Nová Ves and Rychnov nad Nisou.
Česká Lípa district
The Česká Lípa district has good transport connections with Central
Bohemia. Hiking paths cross the border zone in the Lužice Mountains. Particularly
attractive is the route along the ridge of the mountains with beautiful
views across the plains below. This area is ideal for skiing tours.
Mácha Lake has been a popular tourist destination for
many years. The lake is used for swimming, yachting and windsurfing. You
can also have a trip of the local steam pleasure cruiser. There is a wide
range of tourist services (restaurants, tennis, minigolf) on the shores
of the lake.
Life is being restored at the reservoirs at Hamr and Stráž
pod Ralskem. With the decline of uranium mining, this very interesting
area is again being opened to the public. The unspoilt nature around Dubá
is particularly suitable for hiking.
The whole of the district is criss-crossed with cycle paths linked
up to the surrounding regions. The terrain is suitable for recreation and
sports in both the winter and summer seasons. Motocross and international
orientation races are held at Nový Bor. At Polevsko there are two
ski lifts, a slalom track and surrounding cross-country skiing tracks.
Prácheň
has an artificial ski slope and ski lift.
Semily district
This district has the most wonderful hilly landscapes with the valleys
along the river Jizera and its tributaries. It is overlooked by the western
part of the Giant Mountains with its highest peak of Kotel (1,435
metres). The district includes part of the Czech Paradise landscape conservation
area dominated by the ruins of Trosky Castle.
The Giant Mountains have ideal conditions for winter sports and you
can find skiing slopes, cross-country tracks and ski-jumps in the area.
The town of Harrachov is the best-known skiing resort in the Czech
Republic and you will find the best possible conditions for all categories
of skiers. Rokytnice nad Jizerou has two compact and well-equipped
skiing resorts at Horní Domky and Studenov. Artificial snow
is used to maintain the skiing slopes here. Studenov is probably more suitable
for less talented skiers and for family outings. Then there is the skiing
resort at Horní Mísečky, which is one of the highest situated resorts in
the Czech Republic.
The Giant Mountains also attract many people in the summer. The beautiful
countryside and unspoilt landscape makes the mountains ideal for hiking,
cycling and horse riding. Rock-climbers can test their skills in the sandstone
rocks at Skalák in the area of the Czech Paradise. The Bozkov dolomite
caves in the area are quite unique.
The staff of the information centres in the region will be pleased to provide Information about board and lodging and other services provided.
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