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Exploring by bicycle
The
house is not on a road, but is on "cycle track 8100".
(But do not worry, cars and
taxis can drive up to the house!)
By request, we will be
pleased to provide you with bicycles.
Following a stream flowing down into the Vltava river, cycle
track 8100 runs
through a delightful forested National Park
called "Tyche Udoli" which
means "Silent Valley". Inclines are
gentle and the track has a
reasonable surface, making cycling
easy and pleasurable. Click
here for photos.
On reaching the main Vltava river, cycle tracks continue along both banks of
the river.
Particularly to be recommended is the chain ferry, which for
15kc will carry you and your
bicycle across the river to explore further cycle
tracks on the far river bank.
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Exploring on foot
The cycle tracks, paths, forests and lakes of the National Park are as
popular with
ramblers as with cyclists. The tranquil valley and
enticing paths lead to intriguing
wild life discoveries. Click here for photos
Cerny Vul translates as "Black
Bullock". A sign on the cycle
path
states "Cerny Vul is a site of rich
archaeological finds. A
Neolithic
ceramic bull's head found here gave
the village its name."
Únětice culture is the name given
to an early
Bronze Age
culture.
Walking from the Cottage. The Cottage is on "Cycle Route
8100" which is
clearly
marked. It is also marked as the
"blue route" with
white/blue/white trail
markers.
As you
leave the Cottage you can turn left or right. On foot, we
generally turn
left.
If you turn right you will eventually reach
Okor castle
- (click here) for
www.zamky-hrady.cz/6/okor.htm.
Turning left will follow the stream down
through
"Tiche Udoly"
(silent valley national park) to the main river.
One small
complication
- as you leave the Cottage and turn left onto Cycle Track 8100,
you will walk
past
two lakes on your right. Then suddenly the cycle track is signposted
up a very
steep
track to the left. You can follow that if you like - but we generally
walk
straight on
into "Unetice Village" and
Unetice Village Shop. If you keep heading
in
the same
direction with the stream on your right, you will rejoin "Cycle Track 8100"
soon
enough.
When eventually the stream you have been following
meets the main river, turn
left and follow the main river downstream. (Cycle Track 8100 takes a detour
around
the streets, but we recommend that you stay with the path by the stream,
it is a more pleasant walk.) After about
a mile, you will reach the "rope ferry"
across the main river. It is great fun
to cross
the river on the "rope ferry" - and
Cycle Track 8100 continues for miles the
other
side. Alternatively, having crossed
the river you can turn right
and continue up
river until eventually you will arrive
at Prague Zoo. That is a long cycle ride,
so
it would be
an extremely long walk!
Another alternative is not to cross the river, but to carry
on on the same
side of
the main river, following the
river down stream. After about a mile the railway
is
on
your left, and a steep hill rises on your left. At the top
of that hill is an extremely
ancient Church, still in use,
claimed to be "the first Church in Bohemia" and situated
in the fascinating village of "Levý Hradec". Click
on the following
links for more pictures and information
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Do have a look at the IdyllicPrague photos to get some
idea of where
you can walk. We love it!
Exploring by Car
Maybe 10 minutes drive from the cottage is the ruin of
Okor castle, set in a delightful village
www.zamky-hrady.cz/6/okor.htm
For more details of the Prague 6 area
www.praha6.cz/eng/
"Silver Mountain" was once the source of European silver currency
and is the origin of the word "dollar"
www.kutnahora.cz/index.php?lns=2
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/732/
A chapel built of human bones can be found at
www.ludd.luth.se/users/silver_p/kutna-1.html
Cesky Raj (Czech Paradise) is a delightful area to explore,
maybe only 1 hour from the cottage
www.ceskyraj.cz/english/start.htm
Prague is fantastic for theatre, opera, concerts etc
www.opera-rkm.cz/operagala/
There are many fascinating castles in Czech Republic
www.zamky-hrady.cz/2/hrady.htm
Karlstejn is the most famous castle near to Prague.
www.zamky-hrady.cz/2/karlstejn.htm
There are several spa towns in Czech Republic
www.karlovyvary.cz/static/soucasnost_5_2.asp?LangId=2&Kol=2
Cesky Krumlov is a favourite historic Czech town
http://new.ckrumlov.cz/php/webcam/index.php?lang=en
Telc gives a wonderful feeling of history and calm
www.telc-etc.cz/telc/?target=webcam
The Krkonose mountains form a natural northern border with Poland
www.ergis.cz/krkonose/index.php?lang=en&menu=2&search_filter=2&typ=menu