Varianta A - start in Křižany:

You will start your cycling tour at the railway station in Křižany, where you can easily get there by train and your bike from Liberec, Česká Lípa, Mimona or even from Děčín - train timetable available here. The first stage leads to the main source of the Ploučnice River near the town of Osečná. Then the route continues through the picturesque landscape of Podještědí, partly on minor roads with low traffic and mostly on paved (mostly asphalt) forest roads (without car traffic). The destination of the first stage is the town of Hamr na Jezeře.

For the first stage of the journey along the Ploučnice River it is possible to choose other starting points (variants). Variant A with the start in Křižany is recommended due to good accessibility by train and favourable relief (climbing only in the beginning of the stage on the way from Křižany). Map of the first stage available here. Other options for the start of the stage are listed below.

Variation B - start in Liberec:

The route of variant B starts at the main railway station in Liberec and leads through the picturesque Kryštofovo Údolí (see map), then continues through Křižany to Osečná and to the source of Ploučnice. After that, the stage is identical to variant A. A map of the whole variant B is available here.

Option C - start in Světlá pod Ještědem or Osečná:

In Liberec, you can use the cyclobus No. 270 (timetable available here) and take it to the stop Světlá pod Ještědem - Semerink, where you can connect to the cycling route No. 15 - Ploučnice cycle path and continue cycling through Druzcov to Osečná and to the source of Ploučnice. The cyclobus with a capacity of up to 30 bicycles runs only on weekends and holidays and can be used for transport to Osečná, from where it is only a short walk to the source of the Ploučnice. From then on, the stage is identical to variant A. A map of variant C is available here.

Option D - route via Ještěd:

The more demanding variant with a hike up to the top of Ještěd. The stage starts in Liberec and goes to the top of Ještěd. After climbing this landmark of the region, the cycle route continues through Druzcov and Osečná and to the source of Ploučnice. From then on, the stage is identical to variant A. A map of variant D is available here.

Option E - via the Skalka cable car over Černý hill

Another variant starts in Liberec, from where a chairlift to Černý hill runs from the Horní Hanychov district (transport of bicycles is free with the purchased ticket). From there, the route leads to the crossroads Pláně and then along cycle route No. 15 to Druzcov, to the source of Ploučnice and to Osečná, from where the route is identical to variant A. A map of variant E is available here. For up-to-date information on the operation of the cable car, see here.