Walks & Wanderings ~ Prokopské údolí

Whenever we have decent weather on the weekend, we try to get out of the city for a hike/walk/meander.

The Czech Republic has an extensive and well maintained system of trails throughout the country, from highly developed urban areas to the rural countryside. The trail marking system, developed by the Czech Hiking Club starting back in 1889, is recognized as an exemplar for its simple and effective ease of use and has been implemented internationally. Often by Czechs.

Karl plans an outing using one of the hiking maps that shows the local network of trails in an area. Trails are color coded on the map and in blazes along the route. Red indicates a long distance and/or summit trail. Blue is a significant trail. Green trails are local. And yellow trails are short connecting trails or short cuts. (At least that's what I learned in this article touting the merits of the Czech trail marking system.)

In addition to the hiking trails and motorways, maps are peppered with numerous icons indicating everything from religious sites (monasteries and synagogues) to historical locations (archeological sites, fortresses, bunkers, castles, and ruins) to recreational locales (horseback riding, thermal resorts, golf courses) to resources and accommodations (hospital, hotels/lodging/camping sites, and petrol stations). And, of course, pubs.

(photo credit www.expats.com)

We often end up at a pub.

So back in September, on a day that was intermittently clear-cloudy and drizzly-cloudy, we got ready for our outing. It was Sunday, and Sunday is "special breakfast" day in the Seeley household. Usually this means pancakes with an accompanying plate of meat, cheese, and fruit (though at home French toast or waffles will occasionally slip into the rotation).

Karl prepared the pancakes to fortify us.

Slipper-shod pancake flipper and offspring

Garrett helped with clean up.

And then we set out: metro ride to Nadraží Praha-Smíchov/Prague-Smíchov railway station where we caught a train out to the Prokopské údolí/Prokop valley nature reserve.

Playgrounds have not lost their sway for our youngster.

Karl got a geocaching app for his phone so that we could do a little treasure hunting. Geocaching played a major role in our outdoor excursions during 2010-11 (old blog link!), and we thought it would be fun to revive the tradition. It's a charming diversion. I'm not sure whether to be sad or grateful that the boys have outgrown interest in collecting swag. (Okay, Ben is not interested in the swag. Garrett can be talked out of grabbing plastic toys. So, I guess I'm grateful?)

Here are the boys looking for a cache said to be near the cave that Ben is exiting. We ultimately found it off in the direction that Garrett is assessing in this picture.

Undulating rock formations

Climbing to find the second cache, "Tatínkova vyhlídka" or Daddy's Lookout.

Tatínek and his boys after finding the cache.

I can't decide which is more maddening:
that Ben runs from the camera at every turn or that Garrett mugs for the camera with faces like this.
Thoughts?

We trekked up and out of the valley and emerged in the New Barrandov neighborhood where we caught a tram from Chaplinovo námestí, or Chaplin Square. This residential area is near Barrandov film studios, and many streets and sites bear the names of beloved film stars.

The Little Tramp is honored and remembered with his own tram stop, square, and various artistic renderings.

Sculpture by Vladimír Preclík
(photo credit pragueart.info web site)

The silhouette concept of Preclík's sculpture is played out in other depictions around Chaplin Square.

(photo credit www.urbanadventures.com)

We boarded our tram and headed home. No pub on this outing.

Na schledanou! Goodbye!