*A circuit in the Jeseníky hills to Rabštejn castle ruin and gastro mountain hut: 17 km*
- Horská chata Rabštejn is arguably the most famous mountain hut in the Jeseníky hills, rightly praised for its delicious food and scenic setting. It is a great target for an easy walk in these beautiful mountains. The closest access point is via the Oskava-Bedřichov valley on the southern edge of the Jeseníky range. However, for those wanting a slightly longer round trip incorporating a visit to the hut for lunch, consider the route shown in the map below.
- The route begins and ends at the useful Skřítek parking area (which is also connected by bus with Šumperk). Skřítek is situated above 800m in altitude, so saves quite a bit of climbing compared with lower access points for walks in these hills. This trip provides easy walking on mostly gravel forest roads on a circular 17 km route, with around 300m of height to ascend-descend.
- A significant part of that height difference is created by taking the diversion trail up to the ruins of Rabštejn castle, a 1 km hike up from the hut. This is definitely worthwhile. The romantic ruins Moravia´s highest castle are mostly hidden in a craggy forest setting. The highest point of the castle is located on a rocky knoll and requires a bit of scrambling up the rocks and a climb through a crevice on a ladder (pictured below). However, the extra effort is worth it for the panoramic view from the top point. This last climb is a little exposed and requires care.
Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’ to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.cz site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.
Directions
- From the Skřítek parking, join the GREEN trail and continue for 5 km to the Hvězda trail junction, reached after 5 km
- At Hvězda, join the RED trail, which leads directly to the Rabštejn hut after 3.4 km
- From the hut, take the red marked diversion trail to reach the castle ruin after 1 km. Return back to the hut on the same path
- For the return journey, join the BLUE trail and follow this for 6.7 km all the way back to the Skřítek parking area
