Malý Čapský důl is one of the two branches of a scenic valley in the northern part of the Kokořínsko region, tucked among the wooded hills of the Dokeská pahorkatina. It's a place for those who love quiet forest trails, sandstone rock walls and views that feel far more remote than they actually are.

The valley winds through dense woodland, running alongside sandstone ridges covered mostly with pine trees. In places the rock face rises in up to three sandstone tiers, shaped by weathering into grooves, niches and overhangs. Towering above the valley is the rock formation of Čap (387 m above sea level), once home to a castle of the same name, of which only small remnants survive today. The forest feels alive in spring and summer, while autumn brings striking color contrasts between the sandstone and the foliage, and winter blankets the valley in a quiet, almost fairy-tale stillness.

How to get there

• From the village of Pavličky (3 km west of Dubé) - yellow trail, about 1 km to the signpost marking the start of Čapský důl, easy to moderate walk
• From the signpost, the right-hand yellow trail continues through Malý Čapský důl toward Zámecký vrch and the Pod Čírem junction

Practical information

• The valley lies within the Kokořínsko - Máchův kraj Protected Landscape Area
• About 1.5 km away is the protected natural monument Kostelecké bory

Since the 14th century, the surrounding land, including the Čap rock, belonged to the Berka of Dubá family - a reminder that this quiet valley carries far more history than its modest trails might suggest.