15 Beech Labyrinth Jasenice

Nice gorge right in Vsetín. Its beginning is in the former strategic arms factory Zbrojovka hidden in the deep valleys behind the town. Zbrojovka as a company no longer exists, the area was sold off to several companies, so today it is partly open as an industrial zone. This makes it possible to get to the start of the route, which starts right in the factory.

On the way to the start of the route you will meet interesting buildings of halls designed against the threat of aerial bombs with steep reinforced concrete roofs. Even after the start in the first part of the route on the forest path, you will find at two places an interesting “aerial” view from the road of a part of the American Austin Detonator factory, which is still sealed for the production of detonators. Note the special buildings that are enclosed by massive bunds for this production for safety reasons and access to them is by tunnels.

Only after 2.5 km at the end of the factory is it possible to start discovering the stream and the gorge of Jasenice, which until then runs through the middle of the factory. The gorge runs through a beautiful beech forest and is initially rocky, later rocks are also found in the surrounding woods. In the gorge, obstacles in the form of old fallen beech trees gradually appear, which in some places form a literal labyrinth. The gorge ends below the ridge to Vsacký Cáb mountain.

When you reach the ridge, turn right along the red hiking trail onto an asphalt forest path and after 800m turn right at the fork in the road “Under the Vsacký Cáb Mountain” to the yellow hiking trail and the Baťa nature trail. The nature trail splits after 350m, one branch continues with the yellow hiking trail, but you choose the second branch, turn right for the third time and follow the nature trail back above the factory. There you leave the nature trail by turning right again and after 1km you will be back at the starting point.

Total length of the trail is 10km. The gorge is red (=medium difficulty) but after rain it can be more demanding. Also it is unlikely that you will finish the trip with dry feet.