Kocelovice - Paračov - Dobšice - Skaličany
0.0 km
You set off at the square J. P. Koubka, go straight on to the health centre, where we turn left. You arrive at the crossroad, on the right there is a road to Bělčice and Prague, on the left back to the centre of Blatná, go straight on across the railway crossing towards Hajany. On the left go past the area of the former arms factory. Behind Blatná, after a while turn right from the bus depot along an unpaved road, slightly uphill. You will pass several cabins. Below the wooded hill, right on the edge of the forest, on the right side of the road there is a stone monolith called Suterek.
2.4 km
From there continue through a small forest, after a while you leave it and get out onto the unpaved road. The landscape opens in front of you and you will have a nice view of the village of Chlum.
Chlum
The village belonged to the archbishop's estate Rožmitál, since the 15th century it belonged to the Lnáře manor. At the
beginning of this century there were 45 houses with 309 inhabitants. On the village square there is a 19th century chapel
and farmhouse no. 6 with stylish gables over the residential building, entrance and granary from around the middle of the
last century.
4.2 km
Go through Chlum with a relatively sharp climb. At the upper end of the village square turn left to the unpaved road. On the right on the hill called Hora there is a burial mound from the Bronze Age. Then go through the open countryside towards Hajany. On a clear day, nice views open in front of you and it is possible to see distant peaks of Šumava. When you reach the edge of a wooded hill called Zbiroh you will see an ancient stone conciliation cross, erected here as a reminder of a crime committed long ago. Descend along a gentle slope and along the stream you will reach the village of Hajany.
5.3 km
In Hajany keep near the stream and do not rach the main road. There is an asphalt road through the village, but at the end of the village there is a very poor field road. Enter the forest on a steep hill. Behind the hill the forest ends and follows a bad road but surrounded by meadows and fields. The road is called Umrlčí (Dead man road), because in the past, the dead were taken from Hajany to Kocelovice for funeral.
On the right side of the road there is a full-grown forest. Cross the stone bridge over the stream and you will get to a crossroad. The road on the left would lead you to the Kocelovický pond but go uphill through the forest. You can go up the whole part, which is difficult because of a bad road. When you leave the forest you will stay on a relatively large tableland. After a while you arrive at Kocelovice.
7.9 km
Do not reach the centre of the village but continue on the stone wall along the edge of the village. On the right side of the rocky hill there is a burial mound of Slavonic period (7th century AD).
Kocelovice
The first mention in written sources dates to 1352. The church of St. Bartholomew dates back to the early 14th century and
it is a fortified church with preserved remains in the cemetery wall. The village was the seat of the rulers of Kocelovice,
the last of them were brothers Beneš and Zdeněk, who in 1372, together with other Yeomans, established a new priest to the
local church. In 1419 the Kocelovice fortress was held by Jan Mládenec of Újezd, who in 1433 sold it for 1300 threescores
of groschen to Peter Zmrzlík of Svojšín to the Lnáře manor. The local fortress disappeared after the farm was attached
to the Lnáře manor in the second half of the 15th century. According to some reports, the whole village burned down in 1625,
but already in 1654 there were 8 farms and 6 cottages. Currently there are 87 houses and 298 inhabitants. The side road you
are cycling on will get close to the main road but do not follow it but turn sharply right uphill on a stony unpaved road.
Go up an alley of fully-grown chestnuts and lime trees. You will cycle through a large tableland you crosse already on your
way from Hajany. Go past the secluded place Nový Dvůr and arrive in a small village of Paračov.
Paračov
In 1774 there was a manor and two other cottages.
9.3 km
At the edge of the settlement stands a group of tall trees with a cross and a bench next to them. The view over the countryside is really breath-taking. Then continue down the hill and be careful to go slowly because after a while you need to turn off the stone forest road to the left onto the grassy road. It is a steep downhill and will lead you to a small pond called Staňkovský. It is located in a very nice place and you can swim in it. Cross the dam and continue straight uphill into the forest. On the right there is a group of cabins. On the hill behind the pond the path is divided into a shape of a fork. Go right and in a moment you will get to the main road.
10.4 km
On the main road turn right to Blatná. Go through the forest and watch carefully at the place where you approach its edge, so you do not miss the left turn to the Bílý Most (White Bridge). In the vicinity of the White Bridge there are mounds created by the accumulation of gravel and sand during gold panning from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. Cross the bridge, which is a nice stone historical monument and climb steeply uphill along a narrow road. It leads through high dense forest. After a few kilometers you will reach the ridge junction.
13.3 km
At the crossroads turn right towards Dobšice, which is half a kilometre away.
Dobšice
The village belonged to the Blatná estate. Older literature mentions a document of Břeněk from Strakonice from the 14th
century, which mentiones Dobšice and at the same time it is presumed that the village would disappear sometime in the 15th
century. Newer literature (Profous, Local Names in Bohemia) dates the settlement of Dobšice to the 17th century. In 1719,
there were allegedly 8 houses, a free farm and a manor pub. Around 1914 there were 28 houses and 150 inhabitants. Between
Dobšice and Chlum used to be a village near the forest Byčín (on the Austrian military map Bejčin les), which belonged
to the Lnáře manor and was already desolate in the mid-16th century.
Go through Dobšice and at the slight descent you will see the picturesque country houses. Keep going down, behind the village, on the right side, where are less picturesque objects of the agricultural cooperative. Then turn left at the crossroads above Bezdědovice and you will be getting closer to Paštiky. You will have a beautiful view of the baroque church from K. I. Dienzenhofer. You will arrive at the crossroads above Paštiky.
15.7 km
Skip the village of Paštiky along this route and go in the opposite direction - to the left. After a while you arrive at the crossroads, where you turn right towards the village of Chobot. The road will take you to the memorable tree Ženatý dub (Married Oak).
Married Oak
The probable age of the oak is about 400 years, the name "married" is explained by the fact that near it stood several sturdy,
30 m tall spruce trees with which the oak was married.
17.4 km
At the Married Oak turn right down the road to Újezd. There is a blue touristic sign. But in Újezd, turn sharply right uphill and follow the unpaved road.
19.3 km
After about one kilometre downhill on a unpaved road you will get to the asphalt road, where you turn right to Blatná.
Skaličany
The village belonged to Blatná for a long time, in 1608 there was a courtyard. On the square there is a chapel from 1866
and a farm no. 4 from the middle of the 19th century. Cycle through the village of Skaličany, continue along a road with
a slightly undulating landscape until you reach your starting point.
23.6 km
Blatná – tower
Natural points of interest of the 1st trail
In addition to the views of the colourful landscape of the Blatná basin, especially from the road from Dobšice, it is worth mentioning that if you pass this relatively short route in the dark, you can hear all five species of owls nesting in the Blatná region.
In the alley near Hajany, in small forests and at the edge of the woods you can hear long-eared owl; from the cowshed in Kocelovice can be heard today a very rare little owl; all larger forests are home to tawny owl; the tiny pygmy owl is heard in a large forest complex near Dobšice especially at dusk and when you imitate his voice, he will fly fearlessly over your head; and from the quarries at Paštiky and Vahlovice, is heard eagle owl in the dark. The white stork is nesting in Hajany and at the former brewery in Blatná. The picturesque Staňkovský pond among the forests is, like some other mostly smaller ponds, important for breeding frogs. In the Blatná region there is a high number edible frog, the brown frog, which can be spotted in the woods rather than near the water, the common toad and the green toad, tree frog, discreet green fire belly toad and a rare pelobates fuscus.