Vyšenský Circuit
Have you already seen almost everything in Krumlov and want to give your body a different kind of movement than walking? Rent a bicycle and take the 13-kilometer-long cycle route No. 1047, which takes you through beautiful nature in the immediate vicinity of the city.
Don’t be discouraged by the name "Vyšenské kopce" – this is an easy, relaxing route, ideal for those who just want to enjoy a ride. The entire route takes barely two hours, even with stops, but offers several points of interest that might convince you to hop off your bike.
Total length
13 km (circuit)
Duration
1–2 hours
Terrain
asphalt
Recommended period for visiting
spring – autumn
Difficulty level
easy
Marking
YES
How do you get to the start
Your starting point can be Chvalšinská Street, and we recommend riding clockwise – you'll understand why at the end of the route.
Route description
The cycle route No. 1047 follows the Polečnice stream upstream toward Kájov. Before reaching Kájov, you will turn right at Petráškův Dvůr (a campsite) onto cycle route No. 1167, which leads to Lazec. Here, you leave the marked cycle route and turn right again. The "old" Krumlov road will then take you to Vyšný and back to Český Krumlov. The circuit mostly passes through fragrant meadows and pastures in the rolling landscape of the Šumava foothills. At the very end, you will enjoy a pleasant descent through the switchbacks of a newly built section of the cycle path down to Fialková Street, from where you return to the center.
Interesting places on the route
- Graphite Mine – A former graphite mine, now open to visitors. In 70 meters deep underground, you can learn about the miners’ work. The tour includes a ride on a mine train and a display of mining machines and tools.
- Dobrkovická Cave – Right next to the busy road to Kájov, along the first section of the cycle path, there is a karst cave beneath a sheer rock wall. It was once inhabited by hunters of the Aurignacian culture. The cave’s passage system extends 65 meters.
- Polečnice – A left tributary of the Vltava River with a total length of 32.8 km. During heavy rains, the river, called "Chvalšiňák" by locals, can overflow and cause considerable material damage.
- Dobrkovický (Hamerský) Mill – A Gothic-Renaissance-Baroque complex of buildings and a protected architectural monument. The most valuable building is probably the Gothic granary. The mill contains milling equipment from 1938.
- Lazec – Another graphite mining site in the Český Krumlov region. The abandoned graphite mine (closed in the 1990s) is underground-connected to the mine in Český Krumlov.
- NPR Vyšenské kopce – A nature reserve in the southern part of the Blanský les Protected Landscape Area, established in 1951. The limestone substrate allows for a rich community of rare and protected plant, fungal, and animal species. A nature trail with 15 stops runs through the reserve.
