The Lipno Treetop Walkway

The treetop walkway above Lipno is a wooden ramp that climbs through spruce canopy to a lookout tower some forty metres tall, ending above the trees with the Lipno reservoir laid out below and the Sumava ridges beyond it. The whole climb runs on a gentle gradient with no steps anywhere, so prams and wheelchairs can reach the top, which is rare for a viewpoint of this height. Inside the tower a dry tube slide drops from near the top to the bottom for anyone who would rather not walk down. Along the way, platforms carry rope bridges, wobbling planks and balance obstacles aimed squarely at children.

What you actually see

• The canopy ramp - the long wooden walkway rising through spruce crowns on a step-free gradient.
• The lookout top - the open platform above the trees, with the reservoir and the Sumava ridges in view.
• The tube slide - the dry slide running down the inside of the tower as an alternative descent.
• The obstacle platforms - rope bridges and balance sections built into the walkway on the way up.

When to go

May to October for the clearest views and the full range of activities on the hill. Autumn gives colour over the reservoir. It opens in winter too, and snow on the ridges is worth the cold. Go early or late in the day in July and August, when the ramp is at its busiest and the slide queue is long.

Honest expectations

It is expensive for what it is, and the chairlift and parking add to the bill. In high summer the ramp is a slow procession of families and the slide queues badly. The structure moves noticeably in wind and closes in storms. The slide has height and age limits. The view is pleasant rather than dramatic, since the surroundings are low and rolling.

Nearby

The Lipno reservoir shore paths and cycle route run below, and the Sumava park begins just north.