A traverse of Klánovický les from Rajská zahrada metro station to Uvalý: 19 km (extendable)

• This nicely varied medium length route starts on the eastern outskirts of Prague, passes a number of scenic ponds (including Počernický rybník – the largest in Prague) and a couple of modern viewing towers on its way to edges of Klánovický forest. The walk traverses the length of the forest, passing through the villa-lined streets of Klánovice to reach the commuter town of Uvalý, with its attractive center. Úvaly has a a couple of circular local walks which can easily be combined with the traverse of Klánovický forest to create a longer day trip.
• Klánovický forest was once such a den of robbers and thieves that the king had to chop down the trees lining the imperial road leading out of Prague to protect travelers and traders from attacks. Today, the forest is a tranquil (and safer) place, its lattice of straight paths now inhabited by walkers enjoying the flat trails through the mixed woodland. Oak and birch copses alternate with spruces, larches and pines. This large forest, despite its flatness, is a pleasant place to go walking and is particularly colorful in autumn.
• The suggested starting point is the Rajská zahrada metro station – the second last stop on the Černý Most line. The route traverses the surprisingly green areas around Hostavice and Dolní Počernice, with a short diversion to climb Doubravka, Prague´s newest lookout tower. After a short stretch beside Počernický pond, the route traverses the whole length of Klánovický forest.
• There many footpaths in the forest, forming a grid-like pattern, but the route chosen below passes through the center of Klánovice village, giving access to a number of restaurants and cafés. The end point is Uvalý train station, which has regular connections back to Prague´s Masarykovo nádraží. None of the paths on the 19 km route are difficult, although the trails in the forest can get muddy. There are only slight inclines on the route, with a total of 130m to ascend.
• There are a number of good refreshment options on the route. Near Počernický rybník, there is a popular pizza restaurant the Al Mulino in a neo-Gothic mill. In Klánovice, try the surprisingly good station coffee house, which has excellent cakes and sandwiches. Near the station is the popular restaurant Dasch, with its outdoor seating area and in Klánovice village (just off the trail route) there is the well-known Czech restaurant Babiččina Beseda (map point 6).
•  On arrival in Uvalý, the are also number of good eating options, including the food truck next to the station ChickenGuys Úvaly! For other options, continue on from the station for 500m to reach the high street with its well-known pub,  Hospoda na dobrým místě, the neighbouring  Bistro Úvaly (which also has excellent homemade ice cream). Alternatively, try the Italian restaurant Positano 2 (on the other side of the main street) and just 500m away the new microbrewery Pivovar Libertas. These establishments have outdoor seating areas in the summer months.

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

Directions

• Starting at Rajská zahrada metro station it is best to use a good map (or the mapy.cz phone application) to navigate to the Doubravka lookout and from there to Počernický rybník, as the suggested route does not follow a marked hiking trail until after the pond
• At Počernický rybní, join the YELLOW trail heading in the direction of the V Ořešinách junction, which is reached 2.3 km after leaving Al Mulino restaurant
• At  V Ořešinách turn onto the BLUE trail heading in the direction of Klánovice
• After 3.9 km reach the Nové Dvory junction and here turn left onto the GREEN trail heading in the direction of Klánovice – škola
• Klánovice – škola junction is reached after 1.9 km (the popular restaurant Babiččina Beseda is 200m up the road to the left)
• From the junction continue on the GREEN trail. After 300m the GREEN trail turns left, but continue straight on, now following the cycle path
• Continue on the completely straight cycle path for 2.7 km until reaching a crossroads where the GREEN hiking trail is rejoined. Turn right onto the GREEN trail
• After 700m reach the Klánovický les junction and here turn left onto the RED trail to reach the Uvalý train station in 1.6 km
• If wanting to visit the attractive main street of Uvalý, which its various eating establishments, continue past the station on the RED trail for 150m and then turn left to cross the railway and continue straight for 500m