A trip along the Golden Trail, through the Lužnice Valley or through Czech Canada

Since the Middle Ages, the historical Golden Trail which was named after the riches it brought. The first certain mention of the existence of this trade route comes from a royal donation of the Bohemian customs (theloneum Bohemorum in 1010). The system of routes became established in the form of three main branches: the Prachatická, Vimperk and Kasperské hory routes. We invite you to take a trip along the Vimperk branch of the Golden Trail from Vimperk to Strážný, which is not as busy as the other two trails. The Vimperk branch of the Golden Trail originated as a trade route connecting the German Passau and South Bohemia. The trip was intended only for horses with cargo, as the cars were not passable. It was used mainly for transporting salt, which was in short supply in Bohemia. Other raw materials that were transported on the route included southern fruits, wine, overseas spices or expensive substances.

The footsteps of the ancient soumars and their masters will lead you step by step thirty-kilometre route. Between Vimperk, Strážný and Philippsreut you will find 12 stops equipped with information panels. You will be guided through yellow and black sign with a silhouette of a heathen soumarian leading a packhorse and crossed keys (symbol of the Visegrad Chapter). From Vimperk the trail will lead you to Korkusova Hut’, Kubova hut and from there to the Hornovltavické pastviny nature trail, where the Golden Trail aka Goldsteig passes. In Horní Vltavice you will already have 14.5 km and 409 m of elevation gain in your legs. Along pastures and forests you approach the former village Žlíbky and eventually you will arrive in the village of Guard. Here your route will be 21 km long and from Horní Vltavice you will climb 200 metres more. Who wants to to walk the entire route, can spend the night there (you can find an emergency overnight camping behind the village) and in the morning continue across the Častá stream, through the Řasnice valley and along the Upper Road to Kunžvartské sedlo. Then the road descends through the forest to the state border. The first German village where the signs take you is Vorderfirmiansreut, followed by Philippsreut. From here the trail is marked on the map with a large G and leads through Hinterschmiding, Wotzmannsreut and Fürsteneck k Ilz River, which then guides pilgrims to the Passau. This part of the route is another 55.5 km long.

Breathtaking hike through the Lužnice valley

The Lužnice Valley from Plana nad Lužnicí to Týn nad Vltavou Best of Europe trail. A total of 55 km of the route is on the list Europe’s best trails Leading Quality Trails Best of Europe. This is the first such trail in the Czech Republic and the Czech Republic is only the 10th European country to have such a trail. And what is so unique about it?
It leads through beautiful nature, through the deep valley of the Lužnice River, past the old mills and ruins and historic towns Tabor and Bechyně. It passes many monuments such as the ruins of Příběnice and Dobroncie, the Stádlecký Chain Bridge or the Koloděje nad Lužnicí Castle. The most beautiful section is especially the deep valley of the Lužnice. The trail winds around rock walls i through a tunnel in the rock, along the old paths that KČT built with the support of Count Harrach in 1899 and around the mills and rapids.

Most of the route goes off tarmac natural paths, where the tourist will not meet a car, along its entire length offers natural and other attractions, one can find information about where to to eat and drinkwhere to sleep, and also has the option to have transport his luggage to the place where he’s going to spend the night. The trail follows the existing KČT markings. The entire route is also accompanied by infopanels about the attractions around the river, which include a knowledge quizso that tourists can compete with each other during the trip.

Tours of Czech Canada

Vast mysterious forests, rocks and boulders of varied and interesting shapes, characteristic ponds and villages and towns full of life. Such is the landscape of the nature park named Czech Canada, which lies on the border of southern Bohemia and western Moravia. You can now explore Czech Canada in another way – from a new trail designed especially for long-distance hiking. Trail through Czech Canada measured 120 kilometres and is divided into eight stages due to the nature of the landscape. It starts in Jindřichův Hradec and takes you to Dačice via Nová Bystřice, Staré Město pod Landštejnem and Slavonice. Each of the eight daily stages is specific and there is definitely something to discover.

The trail route is the result of many hours and days of work spent mainly in the Czech-Canadian countryside – and is designed to allow you to experience as much of beautiful Czech Canada as possible. At the beginning of the trail, you will find a distinctive path around the meanders of Hamer Creek a Jindřiška valley. From there you will go around the highest point of the Jindřichohradecko region to Nová Bystřice and further, along the paths around the majestic ruins of Landštejn Castle. From Old Town under Landštejn, it will take you past the buffalo farm in Rožnov to the Zvůle pond and further, to the U Jakuba lookout tower and the Devil’s Ass boulder. On the way from the repaired chateau in Český Rudolc you will see the places where the famous robber Grasel worked, as well as archaeological excavations at Pfaffenschlag near Slavonic. From there, the last stretch awaits you, leading along the nature trail Vydří trail to Dačice.