An easy walk beside the Hamerský stream starting at Antýgl or Horská Kvilda: 8 km
- Hamerský potok, whose source lies in the hills to the east of Kvilda, is one of Šumava’s prettiest streams. The 9 km stream initially meanders gently across the high plateau near Horská Kvilda and then becomes a more energetic mountain stream on its approach to meet the Vydra river. A well maintained bridle track follows this final 4 km section of the stream, with its many picturesque small cascades.
- The stream was panned for gold in the Middle Ages (and possibly by the Celts in the first millennium BC). The characteristic small mounds and shallow pools created by hundreds of years of sifting the alluvial stream deposits are visible in the meadows around Horská Kvilda.
- It is possible to take the path beside the stream just in a single direction (eg heading downhill with a start in Horská Kvilda) but the problem is that it is quite complicated to get back to the starting point using public transport. There is no direct bus route between Horská Kvilda and Antýgl bridge, where the stream joins the Vydra.
- The best option for experiencing this lovely stream, therefore, may be to take the bus to Antýgl (or park in the paid parking near the bridge) and walk up the stream to Horská Kvilda, possibly taking some refreshments at the popular Hotel Rankl, and then return back along the same route.
- This ‘there and back again’ route is just over 8 km long, with 170m of height to ascend/descend. The bridle path is a little uneven (rocky) in places, but is generally manageable with a stroller.
Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’ to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.
Directions
- If starting the walk at the Antýgl bus stop, walk up the road 300m to the bridge (there is a super view looking up the Vydra from the bridge – used for the header photo)
- At the bridge, join the BLUE trail, which follows the bridle path for 4 km to reach the main road in Horská Kvilda (where the Rankl is located)
- Return back along the outbound route
