400 km certification Pramen Labe

05/14/2022 08:00 a.m. Velodrome Heidenau

Length 413.4 km

Altitude difference: 6402 m

Time limit: 27 hours

Checkpoints:

• 93.6 km: Hrad Grabštejn
• 146.7 km: Vodní nádrž Souš dam
• 195.1 km: Labska Bouda
• Km 260: Zamek Hruba Skala
• Km 322: Zamek Zakupy
• km 384: Bielatal border
• 414 km: Heidenau cycle track

We take it easy on the 400 brevet in the Giant Mountains. We take the shortest route to the Elbe Cycle Path and follow it "uphill". Of course not to the source. If we were to follow the river directly, we would have almost exactly 400km alone to the source. So we turn right in Obervogelgesang and drive up to Struppen. This shortens the curve of the Elbe near Rathen and allows us to enjoy the view of Königstein Fortress before we descend to the town of the same name. Below we continue on the Elbe Cycle Path, framed on both sides by sandstone rocks. In Bad Schandau we change from the left to the right side of the Elbe. At the foot of the Schrammsteine we ride to Schmilka and here we cross the border to Hřensko.

In Hřensko, turn left into the heart of Bohemian Switzerland. Not visible from the road, we pass the Pravčická Brána (Prebischtor). The largest natural sandstone rock bridge in Europe. It goes seamlessly into the Lusatian Mountains back to Germany. We are back in Saxony for 20 km before heading back to Bohemia to our first checkpoint at km 93.6 at Hrad Grabštejn. A castle from the 13th century. Either right after the border in Hrádek nad Nisou or afterwards in Chrastava would be a good opportunity to stock up. In the now following section through the Jizera Mountains it becomes a little quieter and more remote again.

In Raspenava we enter the Smědá Valley. It's easy going uphill through Bohemian villages. Then follows a serpentine road through the forest. Once at the top, continue on a high plateau. The second checkpoint awaits us at the end of the reservoir at km 146.7. If we now continue to the east, we can already see the Krkonoše Mountains in front of us and have reached them in Rokytnice nad Jizerou. To the left we see the mighty southern flank. But here we would only get to the top on foot. In order to get to the source of the Elbe, however, we still have to overcome an increase of almost 400 meters in altitude to get to the Jizera valley.

There is still a little traffic up to the Horní Mísečky ski resort, after that the road is only open for a few buses. The serpentines are not too steep. The higher we get, the better the view. In the distance, to Ještěd. At the roundabout at Vrbatova Bouda we did the worst. Around 12km with 750hm and we are here at the highest point at 1400m. A few more kilometers on a small, bumpy road. To Labská Bouda. A concrete block from the old days that cannot be overlooked. Our official turning point and control point 3 at km 195. It may be in the wrong place, but the food there is great (blueberry dumplings). If you want to see the Elbe as a small trickle, it flows past right behind it. But it is also not far to the Pramen Labe (source of the Elbe). A nicely landscaped, small area. It is about 900m, which are well signposted, to get there. From here it is strictly forbidden to cycle in the national park. The penalty is said to be around €400 if you are caught driving (and it is really checked). So please, for the love of nature and the wallet, only on foot.

The same way we came, we now go back down into the valley. A descent over 1000hm awaits us. Then it's a bit bumpy to our next checkpoint, the Zámek Hrubá Skála. The castle was built in the 14th century and is now a hotel. If you have the time, you can go into the castle courtyard for free and have a wonderful view from there.

The further path will now become increasingly flat. There aren't many areas in the Czech Republic that are flat, but there are a few. Here is one of them. Only, a few cone mountains peek out here and there on our way to Zámek Zákupy, our 5th checkpoint at km 322, which only serves to stop briefly on our way home. Then we pass Česká Lípa, another good opportunity to replenish supplies. Kaufland is open until 10 p.m. and there is a 24-hour gas station.

As far as Mistrovice, you continue on a disused railway embankment in the direction of Bohemian Switzerland. But only to the edge, in order to return immediately afterwards to the Elbe valley near Děčín. The Benzina gas station on the right hand side, shortly after entering the town, is the last aid station on the way back. We will cross Děčín on the familiar route, but today we will take a different ascent to Schneeberg and turn back towards Saxony sooner. On a small road closed to cars, we drive to Rosenthal - Bielatal. However, we will only be able to guess the rocks of Saxon Switzerland in the moonlight. It's almost all downhill to Pirna before we can enjoy the last few kilometers back on the Elbe Cycle Path.