We have been to this area several times in summer and in the winter. It is especially rewarding in the summer hot days. We discovered the recreational Lhota lake where you can swim and lay in the sand. We always carried (although not necessary) our bathing suits and towels on the summer rides just in case we came across a reasonable place to cool off. It was definitely much more crowded in July and August than in November or December, but we did catch a few people swimming even in the cold waters.
Lhota lake is a manmade watering hole in a perfect rectangular shape with sandy bottom and sand beaches. There is a fee to enter (in the summer) but it is worth having the public restrooms and changing areas. One side of the lake (which is usually not so full) is for the clothing optional crowd. There are also ping pong tables on the different sides along with a typical Czech-style mini-golf (absent of imagination for the holes). I don’t understand the truly amazing and clever playgrounds all over the country and yet these pitiful mini-golf courses….
We found the parking place close to the railway station Stará Boleslav. Stará Boleslav is a town with a very rich past. One of the main reason of its place in history books is the fact that in the year 935 the patron saint of Bohemia, Saint Wenceslas, was murdered here at the door of the church where he was trying to find an asylum, by his brother Boleslav.
The riding was quite easy mostly over the forest roads and along the river Labe. From the start to point 4 you will be riding along the major highway which you will not see, but for sure you will hear it. At point 4 on the right hand side you will see the remnants of the popular Restaurant “U čtyř kamenů” which was burned down by the fire safety inspector during his (probably very thorough) fire inspection. At point 6 you should visit the memorial to Karel VI (yes, VI not IV), the Holy Roman Emperor. The statue by famous sculptor, Matyáš Bernard Braun, should have been placed on Charles bridge in Prague, but the “investor” of the project count Špork, who was not very popular between Prague nobles, did not get the permit for that project. So, this very valuable statue ended up in the fields close to village Hlavenec.
https://en.mapy.cz/s/muvahubutu 22 km, 50 m elevation gain. To see this ride in context, check our interactive maps.
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