Kouty nad Desnou. New balance park and news in the bike park

Upon arrival to the corner area, we were already attracted by the giant net tower and the connected balance park, where the obstacles are set up on an almost English lawn. The balance park is a balancing trail where you try several balance obstacles within one circuit, such as walking on two ropes, walking on tipping wooden "tiles", on suspended swings and other tricky things. I write the word tricky on purpose because many things looked easy to the eye, but in truth I found quite a few obstacles difficult - but obviously the smaller children had no such problem and did much better than I did.

Entrance to the balance park is charged, so a half-day entry costs 50 CZK and a full-day 100 CZK, but there is an attendant present all the time, who basically acts as an unofficial supervisor. However, in addition to the balancing trail, you can also try walking on the slack line, workout, i.e. weight training on the trapeze or handstands, and also the large trampolines, which were perhaps the most popular with children.

But the biggest attraction of the balance park is definitely the giant net tower, where kids can swing in giant net spider webs, walk through a mesh tunnel or ride a slide - the tower was still closed when we visited, but it was due to open any day now, so it should be fully operational by the time this report is published.

As for other family activities, you can take the oldest six-seater chairlift in the country up to Bear Mountain and run up to the lookout tower there to enjoy the views of Jeseník. Entrance to the tower is free.

Right next to the lookout tower, you can just sit on the terrace in the U Medvěda bar - you can refresh yourself with a hot dog, for example, or on a warm summer day you can enjoy a popsicle and an ice cream scoop. A new feature compared to last year is the new indoor seating and the improved patio.

You will have an even better view than from the lookout tower from the nearby Rysí skála (Lynx Rock), which is connected to the nature trail with the story of the lynx Rená. It starts at the lower cable car station in the fairy-tale forest, continues past the lookout tower on Bear Mountain and then the hiking trail takes you along a forest path to the aforementioned Lynx Rock. Along the way, children can try out, for example, the game of forest triangle or binoculars on the lynx rock and enjoy the view not only of Praděd as a reward.

An obligatory, but still very impressive excursion destination in the surroundings is the Dlouhé Stráně reservoir, which can be reached from Medvědí Hora either by a comfortable shuttle bus that runs every half an hour/hour, you can of course also go there by bike, because the cable car transports bikes, or you can walk to the reservoir on foot along the red trail via Tetřeví chata (2.7 km). From Dlouhy Strání you can then go down to the area by a 17-kilometre downhill on a scooter, which is the longest downhill on a scooter in the country.

The bikepark, which is already a popular fixture in the Czech Republic, is also full of novelties. The red track Hřebenovka has received the biggest redesign, which in its upper part under the cable car now offers more variability of the track, so you can keep the right line, the left line, or cross at small junctions from one to the other. The entire upper section is also planted with different jumps, such as shorter and longer benches or double jumps.

A lot of work has also been done in the next section below the lift, which for years was known for its somewhat monotonous lacing of knobby corners, now the track here takes you into the woods here and there to scramble on a few roots and then you ride high knobby corners that are stacked with flat rocks in places, making the section just interestingly varied rather than the rocks increasing the difficulty in any way.

Even from the chairlift on this track, the flights that come at the end of the section below the chairlift will definitely impress, there's even a 12m one for the fancier ones! Of course, all the jumps can also be comfortably circumnavigated. Then there's another new section full of wide, smoothed out switchbacks, so the creators have really played with them here, and riding them is a biker's balm! The lower half of the Ridge is in a similar vein, plus again there's a newly built jump line from last year that you may or may not be able to jump.

The easiest route, the Coal Miner's Trail, has also been given a new passage in the upper part, which is also "equipped" with logbook-style switchbacks. Any level of biker can take the Coal Trail, we met both downhillers and "tourists" on fixed wheels.

Another corner red is the Old Bear, which is a great choice for an initial warm-up or a final "ride". It's a hell of a long ride, but it's not particularly challenging, on the contrary it's pleasantly playful and certainly appeals to a wide range of riders. The main building blocks of Bear Bear are nicely sculpted banked turns, terrain waves and smaller jumps. In mid-August, we report a nearly roll-free Medvědice!

The most challenging line here remains the black line Koutík's Dream, which starts with a section of bigger jumps, continues with forest technique mostly in the roots, then connects to a "highway feeder" full of small steps, rockgardens and is finished with a beautifully elaborate flap. Then it's "just" steep forest roots, which we definitely recommend only for experienced riders whose bike suspension has sufficient travel.

The Kouty area has modern facilities with ticket offices, bike, scooter and in-line skate rental, a sports shop and also a restaurant with seating, where I like to have strawberry lemonade and apple strudel with delicious vanilla sauce.

It is also possible to stay directly in the Kouty guesthouse or in the Kouty apartments and breakfast is included in the price of each stay. The guesthouse also offers facilities for larger groups or school courses, while the apartments with kitchenette are especially welcomed by families with children.