Tours in the hilly countryside near Švihov castle: 12 km to 20 km
- The late Gothic castle of Švihov is situated just off the main road between Plzeň and Klatovy in west Bohemia. It is one of the most picturesque ‘water castles’ (ie moated castles) in Bohemia. The short walk around the castle area and the ingenious water system that fills the moat, is described elsewhere.
- There are various longer routes starting at Švihov which are definitely worthy considering for a longer day trip. The 20 km circular route which passes through the next village of Červené Poříčí before heading into the surrounding hills is definitely worth considering, especially as the paths include information boards highlighting the local history and natural environment.
- There are several interesting historical sights on the route in addition to the centerpiece late Gothic castle of Švihov. In Červené Poříčí, the Renaissance chateau is currently undergoing repairs, but is open for guided tours at various times.
- The route then climbs the flank of Tuhošť hill, on which a late Bronze Age (approximately 1000 BC) hillfort was discovered in the early 19th century. Archeological findings have shown the ramparts were burnt, suggesting a violent end to the fortress.
- After circling through a couple of smaller hamlets, the trail returns to Švihov past the ruins of the small Kokšín medieval fortress, probably constructed in the 15th century as part of the outer defenses for Švihov. The total route is 20.5 km long, with 380m of height to ascend/descend. The route can be shortened at various points (see directions below) to between 12 km and 16 km if needed.
- None of the paths are difficult and are mostly on wide forest or meadow paths with a couple of quiet road sections. Refreshments should be available at restaurants in the center of Švihov and opposite the chateau in Červené Poříčí.
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 in the center of the village of Švihov (there are buses here from Plzeň and Klatovy, as well as a paid parking area)
- Take the GREEN hiking trail in the direction of Švihov – most, which is reached in 500m
- Cross the bridge and turn left onto the GREEN trail in the direction of Červené Poříčí, which is reached in 3.4 km
- Continue for 2.1 km on the GREEN trail to reach the village of Lhovice
- From Lhovice it is 1.5 km on the GREEN trail to reach the Tuhošť junction, where there is the option to divert for 200m to the left to climb up to visit the site of the Bronze Age fortification
- From the Tuhošť junction continue on the GREEN trail for 900m to reach Mezihoří (note – if wanting to shorten the route to 12 km at this point take the YELLOW trail trail directly back to Švihov)
- Otherwise, continue still on the GREEN trail for 3.3 km to reach the road junction at Chlumská (at this point it is possible to return directly to Švihov by taking the BLUE trail, reducing the walk to 16 km)
- Otherwise, if continuing for the full route, turn left onto the road and follow the GREEN trail downhill for 2.9 km into the twin village of Malechov – Výrov
- At Malechov – Výrov turn slightly left staying on the GREEN trail heading back towards Švihov
- After 2.2 km pass the ruin of the small medieval fortress Kokšín on the right side
- From Kokšín continue for a further 1.1 km on GREEN trail until the path turns sharply right away from the river, heading up towards the road. Here, stay on the unmarked footpath directly beside the river
- After 300m this path meets the YELLOW trail. Turn left onto the YELLOW trail crossing the river and head back to Švihov, which is reached in 1.1 km
