Overland to visit Stalag Luft III.
A trip to the Beskydy Mountain Range and a Special Chapel on top!….
Yesterday evening having seen a picture on a noticeboard in the campsite the lady on reception told us that the scenery to get to this place was very nice, so we decided to give it a go! .....
We set off this morning for the very short trip in ‘Flamenco Red’ with the bikes loaded on top to a Ski Chair Lift at Ráztoka that is just South of a town called Trojanovice….
Having then bought our ‘Pensioner’ tickets and also the ‘Transport’ tickets for the bikes, we watched as they were loaded up, hoping that the nuts were tight enough on the front wheels for the trip up the mountain!....
Sitting in the next ‘Lift Chair’ having bought ‘One Way Tickets’ we got to see some what we incorrectly thought was part of the cycle route back down….
While keeping an eye on the bikes as we moved on up….
Looking back it was a bit misty across the landscape….
Then it was down into a dip before you start going up the other side while the lift occasionally went slowly and then speeded up again….
As we then got over the rise we could just make out the top station, where the lift was slowed right down so the attendant could lift both bikes off the hooks as the chairs went around…
After then putting some bits back together and getting sorted out we set off for a look around at the top, while the first thing we spot are these carvings….
Then we see this picture of a rather impressive building….
Sadly it caught fire around 2 years ago due to an electrical fault when some wiring was replaced. Being made completely of wood, on top of the mountain and miles away from the Fire Brigade the fire was burning fiercely when they arrived and not a lot could be done, however as the building was unique and full of history the local people have started a restoration fund while also having the metal cover made to try and protect what is left so that it can be rebuilt….
While next door is an equally impressive all wood building….
As we then move down the road, across the mountain range we see the Pilgrimage Chapel of Saints Cyril & Methodius at a height of 1129 meters above sea level, which we are going to cycle over to along the Mountain Ridge!….
When I zoom out the lens of the camera it looks a long way off and a small ‘lump’ in the middle of the picture….
This is the Ridge Track we are going over….
As we then set off we pass this other little chapel by the Ski Lift….
Off we go and the first section is a climb which leaves you short of breath even before you get to the top of this first bit!....
As we then come to this area which is at the side of the track with little piles of stones that have been mounted on top of each other….
While the view at this point is rather nice…..
Along a flat section and then we start to go downhill and come to this statue which tells us we are still on the correct path!....
The track then goes down and then rises to this ‘T Bar’ Drag lift again with stone piles around the top of the lift….
With this view down the ski run….
Then after a couple more ‘up and down’ sections we arrive at the rear of the chapel….
Which has had a number of the wooden tiles replaced with new ones….
Moving around to the entrance at the front….
While moving inside we see that the construction is brick with a facing while the chapel on the outside is covered in wood….
Time to head off back….
As I then spot through the trees the building that was badly burnt and just how big it was…
We then after a few more ‘up and downs’ along the track get back to the chair lift….
Then head off on the 6km road back to the bottom of the chair lift, only to find that it seems the road is closed as they are Tree Felling, but as there was no sound of any buzz saws and no one around we went under the plastic tape and continued!....
Finally we get back to ‘Flamenco Red’ struggle to load back up the bikes then head off back to the campsite for a very late lunch, and maybe a short energy replacing nap!
Bookmarks