Mladoboleslavsko

A long trip at the end of summer

We can drive or cycle to interesting places in the area, preparing ourselves for a route of approximately 45 km. From Dubá, we head to Korce, where we can see a settlement climbing up to the foot of a hill, from the top of which there is an impressive view and where there used to be a Calvary sculpture – a cross with Jesus, the Virgin Mary, St. John the Evangelist and Mary Magdalene. From Korce, we continue past the chapel of St. Prokop to Tachov, where we turn right onto a narrow road towards Ždírec. After less than a kilometre, we do not turn right towards Ždírec at the crossroads, but continue straight on to Oken, where we turn right onto the road opposite the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. We arrive at a crossroads, where we turn left and continue through beautiful forest areas along the former Poštovní cesta (Post Road) to the hamlet of Pankrác.

If travelling by car, park at the crossroads and set off on foot along the unmarked Grenadýrská cesta (Grenadier Road), which branches off between the yellow-marked road. By bike, we take Grenadýrská cesta, which after two kilometres is guarded by a pair of grenadiers, polychrome sandstone statues with wooden accessories. The statues date from around 1740.

We find ourselves in the Valdštejnsko – or Valdštýnska – area, where the original buildings have been preserved, especially the so-called forest lodge, a Baroque hunting lodge built around 1725 by František Arnošt of Vajdštejn. It was originally part of a modified game reserve with sculptural decorations and a group of pavilions. If we climb the small hill behind the forest lodge, we will see a star-shaped avenue of ancient lime trees, complemented by new trees.

If you are on foot, return to your car along the blue tourist trail, which will take you to the U Maršů hamlet. From there, follow the yellow trail back to the car park at the Pankrác hamlet, which is approximately 4 km away. For the next part of the trip, we will turn left onto the road, after 1 km we will turn right and at the next crossroads again right and then right again towards Doksy.

By bike, from Valdštejnsko we will go around the forest lodge along the green trail and cycle route no. 0060. We will ride along a nice straight forest road to the V Lázku crossroads and from there continue along the cycle route to the first houses of the village of Březinka. In the village, we will turn right onto the road. Březinka is a village conservation area, where we can see interesting examples of folk architecture. Follow cycle route no. 0061 to Březovice. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead. Turning left would take you to Víska, while turning right, where the cycle route turns, would take you back to the hamlet of Pankrác.

At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead. The road to the left leads to Bezdědice, and to the right again to the hamlet of Pankrác. We arrive at a crossroads, where we turn right towards Doksy, with the road to Lobeč and Mšeno to the left. After approximately two kilometres, we arrive in Žďár. The village conservation area of Žďár is worth a visit. From the village square, we leave the road and follow the red trail down a steep descent into a rocky gorge, where houses stand on sandstone bedrock and cellars and farm buildings have been dug into the rocks. We arrive at a crossroads, where we continue straight ahead through the newer buildings of Žďár and between fields to Luk. The path leads to a road, where we turn left.

If travelling by car, stop at the village green and follow the red trail downhill. At the crossroads, keep following the trail to the right until you reach the road, where you turn right and return to Žďár. This walk is 2 km long. From Žďár, head towards Kruh, but after less than 800 metres, turn right and then left at the next crossroads.

By bike or car, you will pass the ancient site of Týn with its former fortress, the turn-off to Ždírec and the left turn to Bořejov, and then descend along a forest road to the Ždírecký mine and on to Nedamov and from there back to Dubá.