Kokořín castle and surroundings
In January, my husband came up with an idea to make a trip to Kokořín castle. He found a nice circuit path, and when the forecast was promising nice weather one Saturday, we set off.
We parked in a small lot near the castle and began our hike through the forest. I can imagine that in summer the area is visited by quite a lot of tourists but at this time of the year we did not come across many people. Just a few pairs and families and one bigger group, which actually was not bad at all.
Kokořín castle is situated in a protected landscape area with sandstone rocks and remarkable rock formations all around. The sandstone is often eroded and creates unusual structures covered in colorful minerals and lichens.
Yet not all was perfect. The terrain was a bit muddy, the sun was mostly hiding among gray clouds and the wind was mild but cold enough to make me wish I was wearing a cap… But it was a great trip nevertheless, nice occasion to get out and make some effort. I found out that these winter outings are a great way to support one’s immunity!
On our way back to the castle, we stopped at a small local restaurant to warm up and have some nice late lunch. Then we ascended the road and stairs to the castle, explored the path behind it with the surrounding impressive rocks, and returned through a short tunnel back to our car.
The castle is closed during winter, which was not unexpected, at least we could appreciate its architecture from the outside.
The castle itself stands on sandstone foundation. It is a very old building with let’s say a modern coat. The history of the castle reaches far back to the 14th century when it was built. After falling into ruin for ages, at the beginning of 20th century it was significantly remodeled and restored to its today’s look.
Frankly, I expected just some healthy walking in an interesting enough area but the trip gave me much more. Surprising scenery, peaceful atmosphere and nice time spent with my husband while exploring new places together.
Happy to have been there.
