We started this ride in the village of Štěchovice about 30 km from Prague. This area is very pretty as Vltava river cuts through the hillside taking plenty of sharp turns and we highly recommend this for hikers as well. Our trip included views of two major dams (Štěchovicka and Slapska) which are quite impressive. The Slapy reservoir is a well-known recreation area for boaters.
There are several good parking locations in Štěchovice, so you should not have any problem finding a spot. However, to follow our ride, you will have to show some dedication and trust in our instructions. At point 3 you will see the sign that biking on that path is not allowed. We understood it in a way that we should not bike, but we still can go in and walk our bikes. So, from points 3 to 6, we really recommend walking your bike to be safe as its steep and narrow and people are hiking through this area. At point 4 you can see the beginning of the first historical tourist marked path (created in 1889). For more on marking the tourist paths go to https://bit.ly/2HIVFAI
From point 4 to 7 you will be coming through the area which was very popular in the 1920s when so-called tramping movement started in Czechoslovakia. The camps (small cottage settlements or “osadas” in Czech) established at that period by people loving to live in the middle of nature are surviving till today. We love to ride slowly through the osadas looking at the different styles and beautiful gardens. Most osadas were inspired by American culture and many carry American names. At point 7 you will be in the middle of one of the oldest osada “Ztracenka” (means the lost one) where you can find the signs pointing to San Francisco, Nashville, and sheriff’s office (see picture below). Some areas use the Indian tribe names and have some totem poles in the camp’s community square.
At point 5 you will be crossing the Yukon (as tramps called this little stream) and climbing up the Chilcoot Pass. Another area rich in osadas will present itself after crossing the Kocába river at point 21. People staying at these osadas usually have a good sense of humor. For example, the tree Frňákovník (Big nose tree – see picture below) was named after the tree from Jan Werich’s book of fairytales Fimfárum.
After point 6 you can ride quite comfortably till the end of the trip. The only part you will walk is the uphill stretch 12 to 13, if you add the loop around Rabyně after crossing the Slapy dam. This is the 6th largest dam in the country. To look at the structure of the dam, ride to point 10 and even lower and closer along the river, from where you can appreciate this impressive creation.
https://en.mapy.cz/s/bojututolu 28 km 594 m elevation gain
