Větruše – Vrkoč

A path, formerly called Julius, has a long history. It was established nearly 100 years ago by the Ústí n. L. Mountain Tourist Club with the assistance of soldiers, who were preparing here within their military training  for WWI combat. This event is commemorated by a memorial stone with a carved inscription dated 19. 3. 1916, built into the abutment wall of the turnoff from the waterfall leading to the lookout tower on Vrkoč. The path is about 4 km long and takes us from Větruše along a cairn with a memorial plaque dedicated to the co-founder  of the Ústí n. L.  Mountain Tourist Club, Karel  Eichler, who also initiated the construction of Větruše. It takes us further on, along the shoulder of the River Elbe  hills  to the Vaňovský Waterfall and a European rarity – a rock formation with a basalt column partition called “Vrkoč” (“Roll of Hair”) because of its similarity to combed  woman’s hair. The path offers beautiful views  of the Vysoký Ostrý massif, Střekov Castle, sluices and the large surface  of the dam. It is mostly forested with deciduous trees with  bushy undergrowth. We will also pass „rock seas“, which are large areas of basalt boulders  almost free of any vegetation. The path has boards with information on botany, zoology, ecology, geology and history.