...on the trail of natural, technical, historical and cultural places of interest

The vast round ridges, wide mountain saddles with curving roads and, in the case of the Ramzovské saddle, also a railway track, the sharply cut valley with icy brooks and waterfalls, seemingly endless forests, peat bogs, distinct rocks and caves, the iceberg- shaped Great Basin (Velká kotlina) with slowly melting spots of snow even by the beginning of summer – all of this is what the Jeseníky Mts. offer. The landscape is picturesque and impressive, with abundant fauna and fl ora. In 1969 the territory of 740 km2 was declared the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area. It comprises four national nature reserves Praděd, Šerák- Keprník, Rejvíz and the peatbog Rašeliniště Skřítek, nineteen nature reserves and six nature monuments. Most of the protected territory is covered with woods, mainly spruce groves and beech woods to a smaller extent. The reserves are accessible to the public, but you must follow marked trails - at Rejvíz you should use the wooden walkway. It is forbidden to break branches, pick fl owers, berries and mushrooms. Noisy activities and all-terrain vehicles are also forbidden.

… to relax and recover

Water. People have worshipped water since the beginning of time. It means life. Thus, settlements were fi rst founded at places where water was near and in a suffi - cient amount to feed people, cattle as well as machines. Water has a memory - just ask the natives about the fl oods in the valleys. The water with its enormous strength overfl owed its banks and the returned to the riverbed, damaging the landscape people had modifi ed to their taste and needs for many centuries before. Water is wild, destructive - yet creative. And as its power fades away, it grows as meek as a lamb and, murmuring and bubbling, attracting bathers and fi shermen alike. Its calmness contributes to the psychical well-being of everyone nearby. And it has yet another power - healing. Water is hidden deep underground, from where it rises from a well or spring. Some people come to such places for refreshment, others with a humble plea for help. The healing powers of water were discovered by Vincenz Priessnitz, a boy from a local village, perhaps while he was tending grazing goats. The legend tells the story of how he saw a doe dipping her injured foot into a spring; when she took it out, the limb was healed. These mountains are renowned for their healing springs. You will fi nd about eighty of them only in the surroundings of the town of Jeseník!

…walking, cycling, swimming, fun and new experiences

The best views are from the sky. It's incredible to see the Hrubý Jeseník from the seat of a plane. Aeroklub Krnov offers sightseeing fl ights in motor planes, motor gliders and sailplanes from April to September, at weekends and on state holidays. I fl ew with an experienced pilot, Leopold Sedláček, and I could see the Jeseníky in a way you know from postcards and Internet photographs. I watched the sailboats on Slezská Harta and we circled around the tower on Praděd. I was amazed at the view of the "Eye of the Jeseníky," defi - nitely the best nickname for the Dlouhé Stráně pumped-storage hydro plant. It is wonderful up there in the air. The fl ight took one hour and I felt like I was in heaven. Now I understand why Vlasta Diblíková became the fi rst woman in the Czech Republic to fl y for Czech Airlines. She is from Krnov. It must also have been the views of the beautiful landscape from the air that made her begin fl ying. Sightseeing trips must be booked in advance by phone or e-mail. While a pilot on a motor glider or a sailplane can take one passenger, a motor plane can hold three passengers.

…eco-tourism and regional products

When I go to Heřmanovice, I take a dry roll with me - for the the donkey family. Donkey parents Ivanka and Vašek have two sons, Albi and Matýsek. They are so cute. And they have a sweet tooth, too. Albi is an extremely beautiful animal. He has light beige fur and great blue eyes. He is a true rarity!