Nordic walking and running

Nordic walking originated in Finland and has been growing in popularity. This dynamic style of walking with walking sticks engages up to 90% of your body’s muscles.

There are several Nordic walking trails on the wooded slope of Pastyrska Stena (shepherd’s bluff). They are marked and color coded. The area offers great views of the town, river, and castle.

You’ll find information about the trails on bulletin boards by the main train station, the zoo parking lot, and in the park itself.

Red trail

Length: 5 km

The starting point for all Nordic walking trails is the viaduct at ulice Csl. Mladeze. A stone trail leads up Pastyrska Stena, winding along to a crossroad. Here the trail bears right and leads to the restaurant at the top of the cliff. The spot offers wonderful views of Decin Castle and the Elbe River. Continue along the red trail through the woods above the zoo. About halfway you’ll get a view of the Czech Republic’s highest flat-topped mountain, Decinsky Sneznik. An easy path will lead you down to a meadow with a playground and then on to the zoo and then back to the cliff-top restaurant. The final segment retraces the path back to the beginning.

Green trail

Length: 4 km

From ulice Csl. mladeze follow the stone trail up to Jahnova vyhlidka viewing terrace, the first panoramic spot on your hike. From here take the trail through the woods to a paved road that leads to the zoo and then another trail to a meadow with a playground. Follow a rocky trail to Belska vyhlidka viewpoint and then along the ridge to the crossroads at the old waterworks. Then you’ll walk through the woods above the zoo to the clifftop restaurant on Pastyrska Stena. You can climb the tower here and then walk along the edge of the cliff back to the viewing terrace at the beginning of the walk and then retrace your steps to the starting point at the viaduct.

Blue trail

Length: 4 km

The trail starts at the viaduct at ulice Csl. mladeze with a climb up a stone path to Jahnova vyhlidka viewing terrace. From here it continues through the woods to a paved road and then up to the clifftop restaurant on Pastyrska Stena. It’s worth stopping here for a moment to take in the wonderful views of the castle, the river, and the canyon to the north. The trail continues through the woods above the zoo all the way to Belska vyhlidka viewpoint. This is roughly the halfway point and there’s a good view of the country’s highest table mountain, Decinsky Sneznik (723 m). The path continues along the ridge until it returns to the clifftop restaurant. Follow the path along the cliff, passing the turnoff for the viewing terrace and returning to the starting point.

Yellow trail

Length: 4 km

The yellow trail starts at the viaduct at ulice Csl mladeze and winds up the stone path on Pastyrska Stena to Jahnova vyhlidka viewing terrace and then continues left on a paved road to the zoo. From the zoo parking lot the trail continues through the woods, makes a sharp right to go up above the zoo to a rest area. The trail winds along to the old waterworks and then follows the clifftop for a short time. It winds back by the zoo, and then to the road, on to the clifftop restaurant with its wonderful view of the castle and the river running through the center of town. The trail returns along the cliff and then meanders down to the starting point.