Easy walks to Jezerní slať peat bog and (optionally) the Kvilda deer park: 3 km to 9 km

• Kvilda is the highest situated village in the country at 1065m and is also known as one of the coldest places, with temperatures dropping in winter as low as -40C. Kvilda is a popular destination both for winter sports and summer hiking, with probably the most well-known destination being the source of the river Vltava on the slopes of Černa hora (1316m). The first historical records of Kvilda date from the 16th century, when woodcutters permanently settled in the area, but it is likely that gold prospectors were the first settlors, at least several centuries earlier.
• Several longer hikes in the Šumava hills can be started in Kvilda, but there are also various good short walks available in the area, some of which are marked as nature trails.
• Perhaps the easiest short walk is to follow the cycle path for 3 km heading north of Kvilda towards Horská Kvilda to reach the well-known upland peatbog area called Jezerní slať. There is a short (300m) nature trail describing the formation of the bog (only in Czech) and various signposts along the planking walkway, describing the plants.
• If preferring not to walk back on the same path there is a bus stop at the parking are next to the start of the nature trail. If walking back to Kvilda, consider diverting to the deer park, which is found halfway back to Kvilda on the opposite side of the main road. There is a visitor center, with a small exhibition area. Note that entrance to the deer reserve is only possible with a guide at fixed times in July and August. At other times there are two viewing towers where the deer and lynx may be observed (the lynx are often hiding and considerable patience may be needed to get a sighting).
• The route to Jezerní slať and the deer park trail may be done with a stroller. On returning to Kvilda, there are various refreshment options, including some new cafés and traditional inns (eg the popular Šumava Inn). However, an alternative choice is the microbrewery and bakery Pekárna Kvilda, which produces excellent beer and serves classic Czech pub food.

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

• Start the walk in the center of Kvilda and join the BLUE trail heading towards the U Tremlů junction, which is reached after 1.2 km. There is a large paid parking area for the deer park here and the visit center is a short walk away from the main road
• For Jezerní slať, continue on the cycle path for a further 1.3 km to reach the start of the peatbog trail, which is 300m long, partly on wooden planking. There is also a viewing tower
• Return back to Kvilda on the outbound route, stopping at the deer reserve if desired