Ralsko in the Clouds

A 39.1 km autumn weekend of two castle hills. Ralsko in the clouds, a night in Mimoň, the Hradčany airbase hangars, and Bezděz to finish.

The weekend starts and ends at a train. You get in at the Pertoltice pod Ralskem halt and out below Bezděz, with a night in Mimoň between the two days. The route crosses the strange landscape of the former Ralsko military area. Expect empty forest, straight concrete roads and Cold War hardware slowly disappearing into the pines.

Day 1: Pertoltice over Ralsko to Mimoň

The climb up Ralsko starts almost from the station and goes quickly to the 696 m summit ruin. In our weather there was no view at all, but I liked the ruin in the bad weather, with the broken towers standing in blowing cloud. The descent through Vranov leads into Mimoň for dinner and a bed.

Day 2: through Hradčany to Bezděz

South of Mimoň the route enters the old military training area at Hradčany. The concrete aircraft shelters of the former airbase still stand there, huge green domes right by the path. Then long flat forest kilometres bring you under Bezděz. The steep cobbled climb comes at the end of the day, and from the castle tower you see the whole Mácha country. Stop at the Vyhlídka pub in Bezděz village before the short walk to the station. We took the train one stop and slept in Doksy.