⛰️ School in Nature 2026 - ŠPINDL

Špindlerův Mlýn | 18–22 May 2026

Our pupils spent five fantastic days in the Krkonoše Mountains in Špindlerův Mlýn. The older pupils from Years 3–5 conquered one peak after another during their hiking course – from Výrovka via the Treetop Walk, Stachelberg Fortress and the Harrachov glassworks all the way to Sněžka itself. Meanwhile, the first and second graders completed their mandatory swimming lessons and tried out the basics of first aid. Everyone returned home tired and full of memories.

🥾 Hiking Course: Step by Step to the Top of Czechia

On Monday, the older group set off on their first hike to Výrovka. Along the way, pupils passed several waterfalls and had the chance to see the Krkonoše landscape in all its glory. When everyone wrote down their best moment of the day that evening, most of the pupils named exactly this one.

Tuesday was dedicated to a visit to the Treetop Walk. The walk high up in the canopy was, according to the pupils, one of the highlights of the course – because they met bears here. Siblings Michal and Alica, who recently moved here from Košice Zoo, mark the return of these animals to the Krkonoše Mountains after nearly 300 years. From Janské Lázně we then headed to Stachelberg Fortress, where a tour of the underground tunnels awaited us – up to 50 metres below ground. History from textbooks suddenly became a tangible experience.

On Wednesday we set off for Harrachov. Our first stop was a playground, where the pupils burned off some energy, and then we toured the Novosad & syn glassworks – the oldest functioning glassworks in the Czech Republic. We stood just a few metres from the glassmakers and watched glasses being born right in front of our eyes. We ended the day with a trip to the Mumlava Waterfalls and the ski jumps.

Thursday's climb to Sněžka was the highlight of the whole course. Conquering the highest mountain in the Czech Republic was no walk in the park – for the pupils it was a physically and mentally demanding challenge. But they made it 🥳🫶. Every single one of them. And when they stood at the summit, that feeling is something no one can ever take away from them.

🏊 Swimming Course: First Strokes and First Aid

While the older group was exploring the Krkonoše Mountains on foot, the first and second graders were completing their mandatory swimming lessons at the pool. They practised the basic swimming strokes and learned how to feel comfortable in the water. As a bonus, they also took part in a first aid course – pupils tried out basic techniques that might one day genuinely help someone.

For some of the third graders, this week in the mountains was their first real experience of multi-day hiking, and for the first graders it was even their first school trip away from home. And it's in moments like these that you really see what they're made of – they passed with flying colours. This is where mental resilience is built – the kind that will serve them long after they've forgotten how many kilometres it was to Sněžka.

A Word of Thanks

A big thank you goes to our director, Lukáš, for planning the trips – the routes, the connections and a programme that all came together beautifully. For the organisational backbone, accommodation and everything else behind the scenes, our thanks go to Karolína and the team who handled the logistics of the entire course.

We'd also like to thank our whole team of amazing teachers, who were with the pupils for five days straight – morning, evening, day and night. Our teachers go above and beyond in caring for the children, and this week it showed in every little detail.