Forbidden quarries attract swimmers in Czechia – which nature spots are off-limits?

It's not hard to see why the gleaming waters of a scenic quarry would tempt swimmers on a blistering summer day. But despite these rocky natural attractions’ aquatic appeal, they remain off-limits to the public.

Still, quarries are increasingly attracting visitors who come to swim, especially during the summer months. The lime quarries near Beroun in Central Bohemia are a prime example of people swimming despite being prohibited from entering.

While the quarries may appear abandoned, most are still active and prepared for mining operations, reports Czech Television. Emergency rescuers say they regularly respond to drownings and visitors who fall from rocks or are injured by falling stones. Not only do visitors risk injury but fines of up to CZK 15,000.

The Homolák quarry, for instance, remains in use, but has become a popular destination for people looking to cool off. “They [visitors] cut the fence, and make a place around the gate and pass through," says Igor Novák, the director of Velkolom Čertovy schody who inspects the premises monthly and must occasionally call the police.

Just a few kilometers away, the Kosovo quarry lake also sees a steady influx of unauthorized visitors. Speaking to Czech Television, the visitors said: “We didn’t have any suspicions that they weren’t allowed here; there are a lot of people here, so we thought we’d be [allowed] here too,” said a visitor from Prague.

Unfortunately, several people die in the quarries around Beroun every year. The difficult-to-access terrain often requires air rescues. “For us, summer is definitely the most exposed, and Little America and Big America are usually the worst,” said Vojtěch Štěpánek, an air rescuer and head of the climbing group of the Central Bohemian Region’s Fire Rescue Service.

The air rescue services are crucial in providing quick assistance to trespassers in challenging natural terrains across the country such as the rock towns and the Krkonoše Mountains in Eastern Bohemia.

Difficult interventions regularly occur in the rocks of Broumovské and Jičínské, as well as on Sněžka and its surroundings, spanning both the Czech and Polish sides.

There is a safer, legal way to explore Little Amerika’s tunnel system: the Hagen company offers an organized tour by reservation.