passageways. Nature has had such an influence on this landscape that it had created a variety of sandstone rocks in the most bizarre shapes over the passage of time. The River Metuje flows through the reserve and the water from here forms the small Adršpach Lake amidst the rocky areas. This is popular among visitors, who come here to admire the waterfalls. The mysterious ruins of Adršpach Castle majestically guard over the area surrounding the rocks, all shrouded by deep, dark, but cleanforests and interwoven with a web of small streams.

The area of the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks was home to a huge forest in ancient times. Yet even in ancient times, the old path leading from the area beside the River Elbe to the coast of the Baltic Sea passed through this frontier forest. This land was ruled by the Slavníkovec family before it came into the hands of the Přemyslid state. The first mentions of a permanent settlement stretch back to the 13th century. Indeed two castles were built here towards the end of the 13th century: Střemen Castle and Adršpach Castle, only the ruins of which remain to this day. However, the ruins of Adršpach Castle offer a wonderful view of the rock town. This castle was hugely important under the rule of King Jan Lucemburský and his son Charles IV, in that it is referred to in historical sources as royal property. After the Hussite Wars, this castle and those in the surrounding areas were bought by an association of Silesian towns. The castles were demolished or became dilapidated and so declined in importance over the centuries. The first rock climbers who tested out the “hardness” of the local rocks and conquered their peaks were member of a Saxon club who undertook the task in 1912. Local enthusiasts from Teplice nad Metují also began to admire the beauty of the rocks and climb them before the War. Nowadays, this sport is so well-known and commonplace that it is practised by ever-more enthusiasts.

Sport - Adrspach and Broumov area

Thanks to the very nature of the area, it goes without saying that one of the most widespread sports is rock-climbing. The landscape and surrounding area offer ideal conditions for this sport. However, there is also a wealth of options open to hikers and cyclists. The outstanding countryside here means that a wander through the area is really worth your while, and it was precisely for this purpose that a network of nature trails was created.

Zajímavosti - Adrspach and Broumov area

If you do pay a visit to the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, don’t forget the nearby towns of Police nad Metují, Hronov, and Malé Svatoňovice. That is not to say that the other places here don’t have something to offer, places such as the Jirásek Rocks, Broumovské Walls, and Křížový Hill. Only organised rock climbers are allowed to climb within the National Nature Reserve, and only then in specially defined areas. In the Teplice Region, 11 of a total of 16 rock areas can be used for climbing. A total of 521 rock towers have been scaled in the Teplice Rocks and another 1252 in the Adršpach Rocks.