The Devil's Wall

As I am in the UK at the moment I have decided to write a few posts about some of my favourite walks and other sights around Cesky Krumlov.

At a place on the road from Lipno to Vyssi Brod, a little way after you pass Loucovice, you can pull into a carparking area called The Devil's Wall. This remarkable piece of geology sits at the top of an oxbow in the young River Vltava as it makes its way down from Lake Lipno. It is a large cliff of granite slabs left there during the Ice Age by a glacier and nothing is going to move it, not even modern engineering.

Having an afternoon free I decided to make a walk around the area. I parked at the car park but resisted the temptation to stand on the top of the cliffs, that could come as a climax to the walk, instead I followed a path indicated by red lines on the trees down through the forest to where Lake Lipno II (the smaller sister of the larger Lipno to the west) sat in the valley. I followed the path (now a small road) into Vyssi Brod and then took the circle route which runs back first along the northern edge of the lake and then along the northern bank of the River Vltava. The route enters a steep canyon where the giant slabs of granite lie in the riverbed and line the sides of the path.

I crossed the single-track railway line and left the cycle route to enter a nature reserve. The walk had been lovely up then but here it was stunning. Here the path runs right alongside the river which rushes and gushes its way, forcing its path through large granite boulders. This part of the river is called Certovy Proudy, the Devil's Torrents, and with some cause. The river is utterly impassable by canoe here and a sad tribute can be seen to one canoeist who presumably tried and failed. The woodland floor was covered with lily of the valley and other woodland flowers.

Having walked back along the road from Loucovice (a rather sad dull place dominated by its paper mill) towards my car, I took the short track to the top of the Devil's Wall. It was already dusk, but the views along the valley and of the trees clinging to rock were still impressive. I walked back to the car park, delighted to have another lovely walk to add to my collection.

Mixed Blessings

I start with the riverworks. No photos this time, I can hardly bear to bring myself to watch, but then I don't have to - I can hear them from my desk. Huge diggers are ripping up the riverbed and banks, in their scoops are mixture of historic evidence and young fish and eels - heritage and ecology destroyed. The island had almost disappeared when last I looked, the safe haven for local wildlife destroyed in a few gulps by the monster diggers. The haven gone, the young birds will have fallen prey to the local cats.

The good news is that there is an archaeological symposium in town, let's hope they are able to say something and even be listened to. After that UNESCO arrives, but I fear it will all be too late. By the way I sent a letter to the Mayor of Cesky Krumlov, I shall be interested to see if he replies. It was a very nice letter - offering my assistance. If there is a development I will let you know.

On a brighter note I saw my first stork yesterday, carrying a branch (yes a branch not a stick) in its beak and flying towards Kajov. Let us hope it brings good fortune, we need it.

Update Flood Measures

Above is a photo of the map put up to notify the public of the extent of the works planned on Cesky Krumlov's river. As you can see they extend through most of the historic centre.

A local resident has raised a very worrying issue about the works. As the former Chief Conservationist for the town (now retired) he brings the professional insight of not only a trained architect/engineer but also of one who knows the historic fabric of the town intimately.

He writes: "In my professional opinion (I am an architect and a conservationist) the planned deepening of the river bed – the project calculates 70cms – will cause a gradual lowering of the seepage-water level of the river. But this water, together with the deposited sand and gravel silt, in fact constitutes the foundation base for most of the inner town's houses. A permanent lowering of the seepage water level will result in drying out of the foundation material, causing damage to the historic houses due to structural stress. Directly threatened are many of the houses in the streets Dlouha and Siroka. The current presence of the seepage water can be seen for example in a forgotten mediaeval well abutting the town square. It is clear that the project that concerns itself solely with a problem of a 'hundred year water' is taking into consideration neither the aesthetic nor the structural problems of the fabric of the town that is under UNESCO patronage."

Does UNESCO know?

The big question is does UNESCO know about what is happening in Cesky Krumlov.

For those of you who have not been following my posts about the destruction which is happening in the name of flood reduction. Here is a brief summary of what has happened so far:

• 21 mature trees have been cut down from the banks of the River Vltava and the island just downstream of the Lazebnicky Bridge.
• The island itself (a natural feature which can be seen in historic pictures of Krumlov) is under threat of removal.
• The natural banks will be replaced with concrete ones under the proposed "flood prevention" measures.
• The river weir at the foot of the castle will be replaced by a modern metal one.

All the above will have a major impact on the historic aesthetic of the town, particularly as the river falls considerably in the summer from its winter levels which will mean that the concrete will be particularly visible at the time when the town is most full of visitors.

The local community has reacted with horror.

• A recent open letter to the Town Council collected over 800 signatures in a matter of a fortnight and the number continues to rise.
• All the residents in Parkan Street, the street the Town Council claims to be protecting have all expressed their unhappiness.
• Proper consultation clearly has not taken place - no one knew about the proposals until the bulldozers arrived.
  

So where does UNESCO stand on this? Were they consulted? They should have been and it seems impossible to believe that they agreed the changes. The townsfolk could do with their help.

For my previous posts on the subject visit:

Ducks Fight Back 17th March
Flood Control and Willows 30th March

On a previous campaign:

UNESCO or No 22nd May 2007
The Alchemist's House 24th May 2007
News from UNESCO 7th September 2007

Snow Melt

The Vltava River on its way through Cesky Krumlov is high with meltwater from the mountains. The river is a mass of brown gushing water lapping right up to the doorsteps of the riverside houses and restaurants. The owners hold their breath fearing more snow in the Sumava or a sudden thaw. The grass where the Two Marys and Laibon restaurants put out their tables is covered and the islands opposite submerged.

How different the scene is to that in the summer when the river is full of canoes and rafts, as I described in my previous post More on Water and the Czechs, when the water is so shallow that people walk right out to the middle. No one would venture out on to the river now for a leisurely trip downstream.

More on water and the Czechs

In a previous post I talked about Czecho not having a sea - Wot No Sea. Anyone visiting Cesky Krumlov during the summer will have noticed that the Czechs enjoy messing about on the river.

The river on a sunny day will be full of Czech holiday makers in canoes, rubber rafts and even rubber tubes making their way down the Vltava. It is something of an institution for young people to have a holiday travelling down river by boat from the river's beginnings at Lake Lipno, sometimes all the way to Prague. Their goods are stored in plastic barrels, bottles of beer are trailed in the water to keep them cool and everyone has a wonderful time. There are campsites for the travellers along the river banks. There is a clear appeal to young couples - beer, freedom, and scantily clad females, but you will also see whole families in rafts making their way north.

Part of the fun is taking the various rapids along the way and falling in. The capsizing Czechs make for great free entertainment for the people lining the banks and bridges at Krumlov. People who make it through the rapids successfully get cheered and those who fall in in style are also applauded. If you fancy a go yourself there are shops which will hire you the equipment and even take you upriver to your starting point or collect you from your chosen destination. You don't even need to go far, the ox-bow bends in the river at Cesky Krumlov mean that you can just go round and round easily. Perhaps by the end of the day you too can take the traitorous rapids and stay afloat.