*A varied circuit around the spa area and countryside near Lázně Bělohrad: 8 km*
- Lázně Bělohrad is an important east Bohmian spa town established in the the 1870’s. The town may lack the grandeur of the west Bohemian spas, but the countryside is equally attractive and there are a couple of nature trails which are worth investigating. The shortest of the trails through the wetland area, is shown in the map below.
- A transformation of the spa area came in 1885 when Prussian Countess Anna of Asseburg pioneered the therapeutic use of the local peat deposits, marking the official birth of the ‘Anne’s Peat Spa’. Various facilities continue this tradition today. The (recently re-drilled) Vita spring provides uniquely sparkling mineral water. The spring is public (at map point 6) and the water is – surprisingly – very palatable.
- The trail passes the beautifully isolated, Romanesque-origin Church of Saints Peter and Paul – pictured in the header. The church is the only remaining building of the medieval village of Byšičky, which was abandoned during the 30 Years War, when the countryside was pillaged by marauding armies. Below the church an enterprising firm is establishing a vineyard. This must be one of the northern-most wine producing sites in the country.
- One of the architectural highlights of the spa town is the (currently inaccessible) Baroque chateau, reconstructed by the Wallenstein (Valdštejn) family, apparently based on a design by legendary Czech-Italian architect, Jan Blažej Santini. In 2016, the town sold the dilapidated chateau to private investors who were expected to create a Seniors home. Little progress seems to have been made with this project (as of November 2025). This is another of the country’s many architectural gems in need of urgent care and attention.
- While the chateau might need some funding, the town has still managed to invest in a brilliantly executed nature trail around the Pardoubek pond, on the edge of town. The pond is located next to the modern ‘Tree of Life’ hotel and spa complex. The fairy-tale trail features larger-than-life wooden sculptures from local artists. Some of the statues are genuinely scary.
- The suggested itinerary is just over 8 km long, assuming a start at the train station which is 500m from the center of town and the chateau. The route is almost completely flat, apart from the short slope up to the church. The footpaths can be muddy and this is probably not an ideal route for a stroller.
- A good way to complete the walk might be to take refreshments in the up-market ‘Tree of Life‘. The huge dining room is a bit soulless but does have a well regarded (Hejlík recommended) restaurant. The attractive Lobby bar also serves snacks and good coffee.
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
- From the train station, head into town following the YELLOW trail markers
- At the town square, join the RED trail heading towards the Byšičky junction, which is reached after 2.8 km
- At Byšičky, join the YELLOW trail heading back to town to reach the Lázně Bělohrad – u lázní junction (opposite the Grand hotel) after 2.2 km
- At the junction, turn right to visit the Padoubek pond and ‘Tree of Life’ hotel
- Return back to the center of town from the Lázně Bělohrad – u lázní junction along the GREEN trail
