Krušné Hory - Klínovec and Jáchymov - mountain hiking

Date of visit: 22nd June 2013

At least two days and a car recommended! However we made one day trip, over 30 km circle from and to Boží Dar.

 Transport: Altough there are some buses from Prague, it takes a lot of time and it gets even more complicated in the evening to go back. Therefore I really recommend to take a car and stay overnight - there are so many places to visit in this area! 

The area combines glorious old and sad modern history and beautiful nature despite the damages on environment caused during communist era.

There is a very good article at Wikipedia about Krušné Hory - I'd highlight the history part. The region never recovered after the German population was expelled after WWII; also the famous mining history is pretty much gone (Jáchymov used to be the second richest city in Bohemia). I'll get back to the history below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ore_Mountains

Here you can find a gallery of old and new photographs of the same places ("before and after") http://www.antikomplex.cz/fotogalerie/album/22-krusne-hory/

They even recently tore down one of the main symbols of Jáchymov, "Hornický dům" (Miner's house) that was built in 50's and was used for gatherings of all locals, there was a cinema, restaurant, wine bar... What was left just before the demolition can be seen here http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4512375 

Back to hiking... We started in Boží Dar, the advantage is that it lies already over 1000 metres high so you don't really have to go up much to reach Klínovec, the highest mountain of Krušné hory (1244 m). Follow the red mark (goes along a church and under a big road) - map: http://mapy.cz/s/7NRL - and you are there soon. Sadly, the old restaurant and lookout tower is almost destructed; however they are now working on renovation and therefore the whole top of the mountain is a big construction site...

Klínovec - past. Source:  http://www.bozidarsko.eu/zarizeni-infrastruktura/

Klínovec - today

Klínovec - future

We then continued on yellow (later green) trail to Jáchymov. Looking back I'd probably be lazier, go the same way back to the car and drove to Jáchymov (and make extra walking kilometres around). Why? Because it is pretty boring way down the hill. By "down" I mean from 1244 m to 560 m above sea level on 6,5 km trail.

Jáchymov is still famous for its radon spa and the lower part of town is pretty nice. More about Jáchymov and its history at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A1chymov 

After a walk and some geocaching, we went to the upper part of town to "Hornické muzeum Jáchymov" - Mining museum (map: http://mapy.cz/s/9pIL ) - reminding us of the most famous and infamous of this region at the same time. From the medieval silver mining to uranium mining after WWII till 1964, by prisoners, often political, who were held and forced to work here in terrible conditions. Entrance fee is 50 CZK per person, opening times May - October: Wednesday to Sunday, with tours at 10:00 ; 11:00 ; 13:00; 14:00; 15:00, 16:00. 

We then followed yellow trail up the hill, it is an educational trail "Jáchymov hell" ("NS Jáchymovská peklo") reminding of mines and prisoner's camps used mainly in 50's. The first camp was pretty close to the present times miner's museum, you won't miss it, and it was one of the "smaller" camps: there were 450 - 750 prisoners.  

We continued on yellow trail, changed to red, yellow again and red again - see map http://mapy.cz/s/9pJ8 , we passed along mountain called Božídarský Špičák (highest hill of volcano origin in middle Europe, 1115 m) until we reached the crossroads at "Božídarské rašeliniště" - peatbog. You can choose either 1,2 km trail or 2 km trail back to Boží Dar - you may be tired but take the longer one, it's an icing on the cake! And then you'll be also rewarded by a nice and cheap lunch and beer at any place you choose back in Boží Dar (we ended up in the very first restaurant and it was great:) 

Easy hiking ( / running / cycling) around Stará Boleslav

 

If you don't like hills like my friend who joined me today, this is paradise for you - there are NO HILLS at all! Which makes the forest to the east (and north) from Stará Boleslav perfect for jogging and cycling, too. We did 14 km but it's easy to make it shorter or longer; it would be very difficult to get lost. Check the map! http://mapy.cz/s/6UL6

There are frequent buses from Prague to station "Brandýs n.L.-St.Bol.,aut.st." from Českomoravská, Vysočanská or Černý most - check in advance. 

I recommend to start (or finish) with visit to amazing local pastry shop Terezčiny domácí dobroty right next to the station (opened Mon-Fri 7-18, Sat-Sun 9-18 (May-September is Sat-Sun 9-19).

 
OK, hiking... :) We followed green up until "Podbrahy" crossroad where we changed to yellow to get back - total distance about 14 km. There are other possibilities where to go - you can also continue and finish at Čelákovice or Lysá nad Labem with frequent train to Prague. The area is forest and don't expect anything special - it's all like you can see on photos. But that still means pleasant stroll! 

 

Btw. the town itself and even more the Brandýs part across the river is very much worth visiting - but I'll leave details for another post.

Northwest from Brno and Brněnská přehrada (dam)

Brno is the second largest city in the Czech Republic and writing about it or what to do there would just take too much time, space and after all, everybody is interested in something else. Besides, it wouldn't be much about hiking. Anyway it's definitely worth visiting, and there are great places to go hiking around!

Wiki provides a lot of information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brno

Official website in English: http://www2.brno.cz/index.php?lan=en&nav01=20608&nav02=20617

In an extremely hot June day 2012, I decided to walk to Brněnská přehrada instead of taking public transport as everyone else. Only one brave friend accompanied me! (Thanks, Tusi:). We started at the bus+tram station Pisárky (but looking at the map now it would been better and more interesting to start already in the southwest from the centre (bus+tram station Nemocnice Milosrdných bratří) where the green trail starts). Even like that, my GPS claims we did 19 km total. Check map at http://mapy.cz/s/6KOW

From Pisárky, take the blue trail up. It's a pleasant walk, opening some nice views. The trail leads you to game park (preserve) Holedná so if you're lucky, you can see some mouflons and fallow deers. There is a whole circle educational trail going around the parc (NS Holedná). At Vrbovec crossroads, turn right, taking first green trail and soon after yellow leading to Bystrc. There you can visit a ZOO. Besides you can visit "Pivo & Beer", beershop with many specials (Vondrákova 2a, Mo-Fr 11-18, Sat 9-13). Eventually the yellow takes you to huge Brněnská přehrada (dam) which is a perfect place to spend a summer day! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brno_Reservoir

Tip for something I didn't make but I plan for this year - a boat trip! There are supposed to be full information in English but most of it was missing when I visited the page http://www.dpmb.cz/Default.aspx?seo=water-reservoir. Anyway, the boats are going 13. 4. - 13. 10. You can check time of departures here http://www.dpmb.cz/Default.aspx?seo=odjezdy-lodi (left column, first boat is 10.45) as well as list of stations (right column) - you can go to a beautiful castle Veveří (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veve%C5%99%C3%AD_Castle) or to the final station Veverská Bitýška (70 min, 150 Kč adult one-way, 240 Kč return) and hike back (about 12 km taking the red trail - see map at http://mapy.cz/s/6KON). 

To get back to the centre, take bus or tram from station Přístaviště.

Walk from Lipany to Kouřim and its open air museum

From Prague, take a bus to station "Vitice,Lipany,mohyla" - check for direct buses but you'll probably have to go to Český Brod first. There is a memorial of famous Lipany battle (1434) - read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lipany 

Follow red trail all the way up to Kouřim - it's an easy walk, less than 7 km, through village called Království (= Kingdom) - no idea of whom. There are lot of geocaches around (TFTC serie + some very popular caches in Kouřim). Ideal for winter / early spring (we did it in Dec. 2011). 

http://cernokostelecko.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/kourim-img.jpg

In Kouřim, you can spend quite some time sightseeing (historical square, fortification (walls), Jewish cemetary...). There is also astronomical middle of Europe! 

If you have time take yellow trail to educational trail (2,5 km) "NS (naučná stezka) Stará Kouřim" - southeast. Map http://mapy.cz/s/6KeK. First interesting stop is "Lechův kámen" (stone) connected with some legends and beautiful panaroma of the town. Second main point of interest is a former hillfort dating back to years around 4800 B.C. with several settlements during the history. I missed this trail unfortunately but some say the yellow mark dissapers at some parts and goes around the sights. Hope you can find it.

But the main attraction is open air museum (skanzen / muzeum lidových staveb) - collection of old buildings fully equipped to show how people used to live in 17th-19th century. Official website is in Czech only http://www.skanzenkourim.cz.To get there, take green trail from Kouřim square (Komenského and Ruská street, it's less than 1 km).

Opening times: Jan, Feb, March, Nov closed

April, Oct: Fri-Sun, 10:00 - 16:00

May, Jun, Sept: Tue-Sun, 10:00 - 17:00

July, Aug: Tue-Sun, 10:00 - 18:00

Dec (except of 24., 25., 31.): Fri-Sun, 10:00 - 16:00, also opened 26. and 27. 12.

Entrance fee adult - basic 60 Kč, when there is some special programme - 90 Kč

There are some "special days" during the year connected to traditional feasts and handcrafts days during summer - expect special programme, actors in costumes, performance of handcrafts and opened restaurant in the area (tiny but fantastic!). Listed here: http://www.skanzenkourim.cz/pro-navstevniky/narodopisne-porady. 

To get back to Prague, take train to Pečky and change to another train to Praha, Masarykovo nádraží. Train station is 1 km west from the centre. Or there are some buses going to Český Brod (there you change to a train). 

Nové Město nad Metují + nature trail Peklo

"Peklo" actually means "hell" but that's something you would never think of when visiting these places.

We did this hike the opposite way, starting already in village Borová but that part is not so interesting so I'll just skip that.

Recommended start is in Nové Město nad Metují which is beautiful town worth spending some time at. English website http://english.novemestonm.cz provides good information about history, sights, historical square, accommodation and restaurants as well as some hiking and cycling trails recommendations ("For tourists" chapter)! From Prague, you can get here by bus (2,5 h). We ate at "U Paďourů" at the squary - nothing fancy, classic Czech pub, but the food was great! (and cheap).

The main sight there (besides the historical centre, square and fortification) is a chateau - with a web in English http://www.zameknm.cz/en. Check the opening hours. Entrance fee - 100 Kč adult. Gardens free of charge (very nice! Plus unique collections of caricature dwarfs statues from year 1713). 

You can find a map here: http://mapy.cz/s/6K8Z - so you can see you can easily spend a day there with a short walk for example to a viewpoint and castle ruins (red trail to south-east; Juránkova vyhl. + zříc. hradu Výrov - photogallery at http://www.turistik.cz/cz/kraje/kralovehradecky-kraj/okres-nachod/nove-mesto-nad-metuji/zricenina-vyrov/galerie)

Geocaching - there is a power trail close by - first cache at http://coord.info/GC3NG2E - contact me if you need help with translation

So now the PEKLO TRAIL - THE HELL! I couldn't find out why it has such name:( From the town centre and/or bus station, follow red trail. Most of the time you'll go through a beautiful river Metuje valley; it is a nature reserve. You can even go canoeing on the river! Details here http://rivers.raft.cz/metuje/jaro.aspx?ID=3. After about 6 km you reach crossroads of 8 trails with a confluence of rivers Metuje and Olešenka and restaurant called Bartoňova útulna in a unique old building by architect Jurkovič. Our experience was unfortunately rather bad there (the food). 

Now you have to decide where would you like to continue - check map at http://mapy.cz/s/6Ka2. To go back to NMNM, take yellow (very steep at the beginning) or blue (later green) trail with a stop at Sendraž lookout tower (photos at http://rozhledny.webzdarma.cz/sendraz.htm). OR you can continue to Dobrošov (see another post here about it) and/or to Náchod. From there you can take a bus back to NMNM (15 min) or just stay there, take bus/train to Prague etc. Take blue trail if you want directly to Náchod (7 km) or red if you want to stop at Dobrošov first (5 km).

http://turistika.arkotechnik.cz/Reports/R_023_Peklo/R_023_Peklo_08.jpg