A tour around Klabava reservoir, via the Vršíček pilgrimage church, near Rokycany: 12 km

• Plague epidemics have ravished the Czech lands on multiple occasions since the first arrival of the ‘Black Death’ in Central Europe in the middle of the 14th century. It took nearly 400 years for the epidemics to subside, but not before two major outbreaks struck Bohemia at the end of the 17th and early 18th centuries. Population losses of up to 50% were experienced in parts of Central Bohemia.
• At that time, the townsfolk of Rokycany – an historic west Bohemian town dating back to 1110 – feared the worst. Miraculously, the town escaped both of the major epidemics of 1680 and 1713. These devastated Prague and also severely impacted the nearby city of Plzeň. Once the town’s escape was confirmed, the population agreed they should give thanks for their survival to the Virgin Mary. They decided to construct a pilgrimage chapel on nearby Vršíček hill. Unfortunately, they failed to collect sufficient funds to begin the project…
• Nearly thirty years later, soldiers involved in the Austrian Wars of Succession (1740 to 1748) traversed west Bohemia, carrying with them another bout of Plague. This time, Rokycany was not spared. In the fields below Vršíček a Plague hospital was established to care for the victims. Reports do not say how many of the Rokycany townsfolk perished, but immediately after the epidemic had subsided sufficient funds were quickly collected and work finally began on the Vršíček church. The project was completed in just three years.
• Today, the Chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is a highly visible landmark, admired by countless drivers and passengers travelling along the D5 highway between Plzeň and Prague. It is definitely worth stopping by for a visit. The best way to do so is to park in (or, even better, take the train to) Rokycany and follow a pleasant hiking trail for 5 km to the top of the hill.
• For the return journey to Rokycany, consider making it a circular trip by walking around the small Klabava reservoir and then join the cycle trail which leads directly back to town. This latter trail offers some nice views over the lake as well as Vršíček hill.
• This trail is actually part of the 1600 km ‘Pan-European’ cycle path which runs all the way from Paris to Prague. The section which runs between Nuremberg and Prague broadly follows the route of the ‘Golden Road‘, an important medieval trade route which connected the territories of the Holy Roman Empire from the 12th century onwards. The route is most closely connected with arguably the most successful of all Bohemian Kings, Charles IV, who also became Holy Roman Emperor. In the middle decades of the 14th Century, Charles IV is believed to have travelled the Golden Road at least 60 times during his 32-year reign.
• Rokycany is itself worth exploring for its fine Baroque architecture as well as more recent historical connections. The town sheltered the famous Czech parachutists Jan Kubiš and Jozef Gabčík, who were later involved in the 1941 assassination of Reinhard Heydrich. The Rokycany household which offered that shelter were the family of retired railwayman, Václav Stehlík. Two days before the attack on Heydrich, possibly as a result of a tip off, the Plzeň Gestapo arrested the Stehlík family. However, it seems clear the family did not reveal any details of the planned attack.
• On 28 May 1941, Heydrich was mortally wounded by Kubiš and Gabčík on a Prague street corner. The entire Stehlík family was executed the following day in Plzeň. They were the very first victims of the extensive reprisals for the attack, which took an estimated 2000 Czechoslovak lives, including the total annihilation of the village of Lidice.
• Another interesting WWII connection is that Rokycany was the final town liberated in Czechoslovakia by the US army at the end of the war. On 7 May 1945 the Americans stopped, just outside Rokycany, and waited there for the Red Army to complete the liberation of the rest of the country, which took a further 3 days. There is continuing debate about what the consequences might have been for the future of the country, had the Americans continued their advance to reach Prague.
• The total circular walk (including a quick visit to the center of town) is approximately 12 km long, with 130m of height to ascend/descend. It is not a difficult walk. For refreshments in Rokycany, try the excellent new restaurant connected to the beautifully renovated Neo Renaissance Villa Fritz, just next to the train station.

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.cz site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

• From the Rokycany train/bus station cross the U Plzeňské brány park and follow the GREEN hiking trail for 4 km to reach the Pod Vršíčkem junction
• At the junction, join the YELLOW trail which leads to the pilgrimage church after 1.1 km
• Return back to the Pod Vršíčkem and remain on the YELLOW trail for a further 1.1 km on a fottpath that runs on the northern side of the reservoir
• At the end of the reservoir turn left off the YELLOW trail onto a side street and take the path that runs alongside the dam which created the reservoir
• At the end of this pathway, turn left onto the cycle path, which leads back to the center of Rokycany after 4 km