It was already getting dark when I finally reached Steinigtwolmsdorf. If you haven’t heard of this German town, that is fine. I mention it only to give a sense of my location. Today had taken me to Czechia twice before, both visits very brief. Now I was back for the third time with a clear goal of reaching the northernmost point of the country. I had started the day at the westernmost point, continued to the lowest point, and now this final challenge awaited. At this time of year, darkness comes early, and the thick gray clouds offered little help.
I approached Steinigtwolmsdorf from the west. The drive from the lowest point of Czechia had not been long, but it felt a bit stressful because I wanted to reach this place before heading deeper into the country. The German roads felt more certain than navigating unknown Czech routes. This was not just a race against the clock. It was a test of whether reaching this remote corner was even possible.
After a long straight stretch, the road curved to the right. On the left stood a guest house, and on the right was a building of some kind. Turning around seemed inevitable. I had been looking for a good place to park, and just before the guest house a small clearing felt right. Jacket on, I left the car and stepped into the quiet adventure.
Snow dusted the ground, enough to make every step cautious. I resisted the urge to run and took it slow. Even in the fading light, this little detour felt like another extreme point achieved. Soon the trail opened into a clear-cut area. Paths stretched in every direction, but mine led slightly downhill toward a forest. There a familiar name appeared on a small sign. Nordkap. This was not Norway’s famous North Cape, nor the northernmost tip of the Netherlands. This was Czechia’s own northern edge.
The forest was still and calm, and oddly, slightly brighter than before, which I guessed was a trick of the mind. Thoughts raced as I walked a few hundred meters. A small stream, Zahlwasser, meaning Payment Water, cut through the woods. Beyond it, my destination appeared with a tiny bridge and white border markers lining the boundary. The terrain was easy, aside from slippery patches. From Germany, this point seemed almost effortless to reach. From the Czech side, I would never know.
At the northern tip, a stone monument displayed the coordinates. I lingered, taking in the quiet accomplishment. What caught my eye even more was a splash of color in the muted forest. A small Christmas tree decorated with red bows. With daylight waning, I snapped my final photos and returned the same way I had come, pausing briefly when the clear-cut area branched into multiple trails.
Back at the car, relief and satisfaction mixed. Another extreme point reached. The trail had not been dramatic, and the weather had not done it justice. That was never the point. There were still countless places to explore. The day was not over. Ahead lay a two-and-a-half-hour drive through the dark toward Sněžka, Czechia’s highest point