Tisa Rocks

Tiske steny, the Tisa walls, are a rock city on the Czech side of the Elbe sandstone highlands: blocks and towers up to about thirty metres separated by joints that have widened into a network of narrow passages, so the marked route does not go over the rocks but between them, through gaps some of which are barely shoulder-width, in permanent shade with moss and ferns on the walls. There are two sections, Velke and Male steny, linked as a loop of a couple of kilometres with steps and ladders. Individual formations carry names - the Turtle, the Sphinx, the Bell - given in the nineteenth century when the area was first opened for walking. Climbing has a long tradition here on the towers. Parts of the first Chronicles of Narnia film and several other productions were shot in the passages, which the village mentions.

The landscape

• Passages between towers - some barely shoulder-width, in permanent shade.
• Named formations - the Turtle, the Sphinx and others from the 1800s.
• Two linked sections - Velke and Male steny as a loop of a couple of kilometres.
• A film location - passages used for the first Narnia film.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Before you go

Passages are narrow and the route involves ladders and steps - awkward with large bags or for anyone claustrophobic. Rock is slippery when wet and the route closes in ice. Facilities in the village are limited.

Nearby

Decin and the Elbe canyon are east; Bohemian Switzerland begins beyond.

Key facts