*The Three crosses nature trail above Nové Město na Moravě: 3 km*

• Nové Město na Moravě lies at the southern edge of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area and is probably best known today as a winter sports resort and a summer mountain biking centre. The town centre has an attractive square, dominated by the Gothic church of St. Kunhuta whose outside walls are decorated with sgraffito pictures created in the early 20th century.
• A number of longer hikes in the Žďárské vrchy can be started from the town (which has good regional train and bus connections). However, for those wanting just a short easy walk while visiting the town, try the 3 km circular nature trail which heads up to the Tři kříže (three crosses) monument on Kalvárie hill. The crosses were erected in 1832 to give thanks for the town having been saved from a plague epidemic. There is a good view from the hilltop.
• One of the benefits of this short walk is that it passes two excellent restaurants, which are worth checking out. The first is on the main square, Bistro ČTYŘKA (map point 5) with an extensive terrace area and innovative grilled food. The second is just below Kalvárie hill, Horní Dvůr (map point 3), a hotel-restaurant located in a former 16th century farm building.
• The route has occasional green-white diagonal (nature trail) markers (and some wooden information boards – in Czech only) and is on a mix of country lanes and easy footpaths. It is a route that should be manageable with a stroller. There is just 90m of height difference between the town center and the hilltop.

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

• From the bus station, head away from the town centre and cross the main road to join the nature trail opposite the BILLA supermarket
• Head up the main road for 200m and then take a side street to the right past the cemetery. The road leads to Kalvárie hill where there is a wooden board outlining the history of the crosses by a tourist shelter. A footpath from there leads to the top of the hill in 200m
• Return back down to the tourist shelter and turn left to continue along the lane for 100m and then leave the lane taking the sharp right hand turn along a footpath
• The footpath leads to the Horní Dvůr hotel in 500m. Continue along the lane from the hotel for 300m and at the bend, take the footpath across the meadow
• After 400m the path returns to the main road near BILLA
• Take a moment after the walk to visit the main square and consider stopping at Bistro ČTYŘKA for some refreshments