Peklo (literally 'Hell') is a dramatic sandstone canyon carved by the Robečský stream near Česká Lípa, and despite its name it's one of the most enchanting spots in Northern Bohemia. In early spring the valley floor turns white with carpets of blooming spring snowflakes, drawing nature lovers from across the region.

The scenery here is genuinely striking - steep sandstone walls, caves, overhangs and honeycomb rock textures line a narrow gorge that once sheltered local villagers from marauding soldiers during the Thirty Years' War and the Austro-Prussian War. The slopes are cloaked in relict pine forest, sycamore and lime trees, and if you look closely at the rock faces you'll spot carved portraits - including a face of Richard Wagner chiseled by a local sculptor in the 1930s. Summers are cool and shaded down in the gorge, autumn brings rich colors to the canopy, and winter can coat the rock walls in ice.

• Zahrádky train stop - red trail, approx. 2-3 hours to Česká Lípa, moderate difficulty (boardwalks and footbridges along the stream)
• Dubice (southwestern edge of Česká Lípa) - Peklo nature trail, about 4 km, joins the red trail inside the gorge

• Cycling and motor vehicles are prohibited in the reserve
• The trail is occasionally closed after floods or rockfalls - check current conditions before visiting
• Best visited in early spring for the blooming spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum)
• The route includes a tunnel cut through solid rock and passes beneath a tall historic railway viaduct

Fun fact: the valley was already protected as a private reserve back in 1895, and the steel viaduct spanning the gorge only exists because a local heritage society fought to save Peklo from a more intrusive railway route in the 1890s.