Everyone knows the Šumava Mountains, but few are familiar with the dramatic stories of the smugglers from the Czech Forest. Focus your steps on Pleš – a place closely tied to the fates of people who risked their lives crossing the border here after the war and during the years of totalitarianism. Today, you will meet a completely different "king": herds of yaks that graze the valuable meadows here. Their extraordinary story has even been published in a book in the popular series Shepherd's Notes, the third volume of which is being released this year. From Pleš, you can take a quick trip across the border to the former settlement of Bügellohe. Here, the original German inhabitants sought refuge after their expulsion, still hoping to return to their homes. Their poignant history is presented in a small rural exhibition, and from the nearby lookout tower on the summit of Ebene, you will have an impressive view back to the Czech side.
Do you know the Czech Pompeii? Discover the vanished Lučina, whose foundations have literally been dug up from the ground after years. Here, you can explore the remains of a church, a rectory, and a local inn.
The Czech Forest is interwoven with a dense network of hiking trails that will take you to its most remote corners. From the northern part of the Czech Forest, near the vanished Pavlov Studenec, you can walk all the way to the former Golden Stream. Along the way, you will find two pleasant forest bars, and above all, paths without crowds.
And what if the weather doesn't cooperate? Stop by the House of Nature of the Czech Forest in Klenčí pod Čerchovem. The year-round exhibition here is also dedicated to the vanished villages and is a great enhancement and inspiration for your future trips.
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Photos: Václav Bozděch, Martin Kalný
