Overview
The last Sunday of May I had the pleasure to meet Kamil, alias Kamaz, Czech member of this site, with who I went for a very nice ride in the Czech Sudetes, in a sector he knows very well.
We cycled on Borůvková Hora, on which we had the possibility to drink a beer, before going down and finishing a beautiful loop of 50km with various types of trails.
Thanks Kamil for the ride !
Trail Description
We didn't start exactly the loop from this place but it seems more convenient to describe it taking Javornik as a starting point.
Let's cycle first along the main road north of the city, passing first Horní Hoštice, village cut in two by the border (the other half, Górny Gościce, lies in Poland !), in the direction of Bílá Voda, the last locality before elevating into the hills.
Here is located what used to be the only allowed nunnery by the communists in the ex-Czechoslovakia.
In Bílá Voda, follow the red pedestrian trail until we reach the border (shelter located there, Kamil knows how useful it is as he once waited for the end of the rain...)
From there, follow the blue-marked cycling trail until another junction with the red trail. Turn right and reach the top of Borůvková Hora after a hard ascent.
On the top, half in Poland and half in Czech Republic, is located a huge view-tower (free entrance) from whose top we can see a huge part of the Sudetes.
This building also used to be the secret meeting-place between the Polish movement Solidarnosc and the anti-communist resistants in former Czechoslovakia, as mentions one sign (Lech Walesa met here Vaclav Havel in many occasions)
Picnic tables and beer for sale here on the foot of the tower !
The descent is made via the blue-marked pedestrian trail (superb downhill) until the road near Travná, which we cycle up for a while before reaching again the blue trail. This trail goes along the border just below the crest. We cross few open meadows and some inhabitations, and then going up a steep and deep conifer forest. Then the trail suddenly goes down to rach the little road near Červený Důl.
The return to Javornik is made via the red-marked pedestrian trail that arrives at the back of the castle. Down in Javornik there are many places to have refreshments, including one where they serve a locally famous lemon-beer, unofficially called "cyclers beer" :)
Getting There
From Poland, starting from Wroclaw, drive south in the direction of Kłodzko, and turn at Ząbkowice Śląskie in the direction of Paczków. Then, cross the border to get to Javornik.From Czech Republic, starting from Oloumouc, take the motorway going north, follow the direction of Jesenik then Javornik.
Agrandir le plan
When to Bike
Spring, summer, autumn.The trail is quite OK concerning mud, thanks to the stones which cover it in many places you can ride it without problems after rainy weather.