Along the river Ohře: from Budyně to Doksany convent- 9 km to 18 km

• The river Ohře flows from its source in Germany for over 300 km to meet up with the Labe at Litoměřice. It was an important river in prehistoric and medieval times with many settlements founded along its fertile banks. Two important medieval settlements in central Bohemia were the town of Budyně nad Ohří, which is dominated by its well maintained moated castle and the monastery town of Doksany, 9 km to the east of Budyně.
• Originally an early medieval wooden fortress, Budyně was reconstructed several times over the following centuries, taking on its current Renaissance appearance in the 16th century, when owned by Jan Zbyněk Zajíc of Hazmburk. Zajíc was a keen alchemist and a friend of Tycho Brahe. He invested vast sums on the reconstruction of his castles and his alchemical pursuits, leaving him severely in debt, finally having to sell Budyně to his creditors. The castle is open for visits, and the museum in the grounds has an interesting exhibition of a Renaissance era alchemical workshop.
• Doksany convent was probably established in 1144, by Přemyslid king Vladislav II and his wife Gertrude, at the same time as they founded Strahov monastery in Prague. Doksany is the second oldest convent in the country and was occupied almost continuously until 1782, when it was abolished by Emperor Joseph II. Over the following 200 years the majestic Baroque buildings started to fade. It is only at the start of the 21st century that the convent has been reoccupied and work begun to restore the dilapidated buildings.
• The walk from Budyně to Doksany follows an easy marked trail on the western side of the Ohře, passing through a number of old villages, but the trail only touches the river on a couple of occasions. To best appreciate the views along this tranquil river it is necessary to follow the unmarked (but still easily followed) paths on the eastern side past the many cottages built on the riverbank.
• The one way route from Budyně to Doksany is 9 km (taking either of the eastern or western paths) with the possibility of catching the bus back to Budyně. However, for those with the time, the full circular route of 18 km is highly recommended for its variety or river and forest scenery. There is only 40m of height gain-loss on the journey. The circular route is partly in the forests near the river, and the views might be enhanced in the winter months.
• Budyně can be reached by direct bus connection from Prague or, if driving, there is a small parking area behind the church, close to the castle. There are several refreshment options on the route, including in Doksany, where there is an excellent ice cream stall usually open directly outside the convent gates in the summer months. In Budyně, try the U Jandy archiváře on the main square, or the Café just to the right of the castle entrance – this serves excellent coffee and homemade cakes.

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 next to the church in the center of Budyně nad Ohří take the RED trail in the direction of Doksany
• The trail is easy to follow and reaches the convent gates in 9km
• If taking the unmarked trails, partly beside the river, back to Budyně, take the side road that leads southwards directly from the parking area outside the convent entrance
• This path crosses a side branch of the river by an attractively reconstructed old mill. Then follow the unmarked trails keeping as close to the river as possible for the 9 km return journey to Budyně. It is an easy route to follow if using the mapy.cz phone application