*An 11 km tour around the unique Prokopské valley and Děvín hill*

• Prokopské údolí is an important nature reserve located to the southwest of Prague, which has provided a wealth of geological, paleontological and archaeological riches. Today, the valley and escarpment are popular with walkers seeking an unusual landscape with excellent viewpoints, within easy reach of Prague’s centre.
• The area takes its name from Prokop, a Czech national saint, who is associated with the foundation of the Sázava monastery in the 11th century. Medieval legends portray Prokop as a hermit occupying and gathering followers at a cave close to Prague. Prokopské údolí has many natural caves carved out of the 400 million year old limestone, and ‘Prokop’s cave’ was one of the largest, sadly destroyed at the end of the 19th century by quarrying.
• The caves have provided a range of ice age relics, including mammoth, cave bear and reindeer bones, as well as an intriguing undated homo sapiens skull. The surrounding limestone rocks were also the source of rich finds of ancient fossils including some famous examples of trilobite.
• At the western end of the valley, the Prokopský stream takes a sharp u-turn, creating a narrow promontory with steep banks on three sides. This terrain presented an ideal location for prehistoric settlers to create a protected village. The site is today known as the Hradiště Butovice.
• Archaeological finds from the plateau area show settlement activity throughout the Stone Age, culminating in rich finds from the period of the so called Řivnáč culture – dating from around 3000 BC. Settlements of this culture came to dominate the landscape, particularly in Central Bohemia, with the densest settlement areas found in the Prague basin.
• The characteristic of this culture was the establishment of hill top settlements, which probably over time became protected with palisades and sometimes impressive ramparts and ditches. This may have been the first time in prehistory that a culture found the need to systematically and consistently protect its settlement areas, possibly a reflection of increasing pressure from other expanding cultural or ethnic groups in Bohemia and the surrounding lands.
• The site was probably only inhabited occasionally for nearly 4000 years following the (still unexplained) demise of the Řivnáč culture in Central Bohemia. The Slavs did, however, (re)fortify the site, and it became an important stronghold between the 8th and 10th centuries AD, before losing its relevance due to the early medieval settlements being created elsewhere in Prague.
• Today, few visible remains of the fortifications at Butovice exist (due to the extensive agriculture on the plateau) but it remains an evocative location and the hiking trail circles around the perimeter of the ancient hillfort.
• The proposed route for a tour of the Prokopské údolí starts in Hlubočepy – the closest public transport option being the railway station, which is located close to the entrance to the nature area. The Hlubočepy tram stop is located 1.2km from the park entrance. There is also a small parking area in Hlubočepy village.
• The route initially follows the stream along the valley floor, before climbing up to the plateau and the site of Hradiště Butovice. The trail then crosses the plateau to the eastern edge to explore the paths around Děvín hill. The hill offers excellent views of the Prague skyline, and is also the site of an almost completely disappeared 14th century medieval fortress. The site was clearly of some strategic importance, as the medieval castle was built on old Slavic remains, and there is some evidence of occupation from the late Stone Age. It was conceivably a lookout point associated with the larger Butovice settlement across the plateau.
• The climb up to the plateau is on a relatively steep footpath, but otherwise the route is on easy paths. At total of 210m height is gained/lost on the suggested 11 km circuit. There are a couple of simple refreshment options in the valley, close to the entrance area, and in Hlubočepy village.

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 Hlubočepy village. The closest public transport option is the railway station (or the nearby bus stops). The nearest tram stop is 1.2km away (follow the GREEN trail from the tram terminal into the village). There is also a small parking area next to Raudnitzův dům (a Classicist period chateau, now being converted to a Seniors home), located 400m from the railway station on the road towards Prague
• From the railway station, take the GREEN trail in the direction of Prokopské údolí
• After 400m the path passes under the railway and enters the nature area (there are information boards – in Czech – along the valley)
• follow the GREEN trail into the valley. After 300m there is a small diversion to the picturesque Jezírko – a small quarry lake
• Continue along the valley following the GREEN trail for a further 1.žkm until reaching the Prokopské údolí hiking signpost, with the (marking the junction with the YELLOW trail)
• Turn right onto the YELLOW trail in the direction of Hradiště Butovice, passing under the railway and then climbing steeply up the terraces
• At the top, continue on the YELLOW trail which circuits the old hillfort and then after 2.3km descends to the road (there is a small parking area)
• Continue to follow the YELLOW trail, climbing on the road for 400m to reach the signpost of Staré Butovice. Here, leave the YELLOW trail and walk past the war memorial to join the asphalt cycle path that crosses the plateau
• Contiinue on the cycle path which runs in a broadly straight line across the plateau. After 1.2km the path reaches a junction (with a tourist notice board). Here, the cycle path descends down the hill towards Hlubočepy, and the main path continues along the plateau. There is also a footpath that leads into the forested area. Take this footpath into the forest. It leads shortly to the undulating interesting path that follows the edge of the Děvín hill, and leads finally, after 1.7km, onto the site of the Děvín medieval fortress, with its spectacular views of the Prague skyline
• From the viewpoint, take the main path back to the reach junction with the cycle path (after 1.6km). At the junction, turn left onto the cycle path/road which winds down to the valley bottom and the entrance to the park. The railway station is reached after 1.4km

Note: this circuit can also be done starting from Jinonice metro station, by taking the YELLOW trail from the station to reach Staré Butovice after 700m. From there it is suggested to follow the route in clockwise direction (ie the last stop before returning to Staré Butovice being Hradiště Butovice)