*A short walk along the Labe river near the historic town of Týnec nad Labem: 4 km*

• Historically, Týnec nad Labem was an important town situated at a major crossing of the river Labe (Elbe). Archaeological findings date back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. The site probably became a major Celtic settlement from around the 3rd century BC. Just to the east of the modern town, the low hill called Kolo was the site of a Celtic fortified settlement (oppidum). It is likely that during the Iron Age Kolo was an island surrounded by the Labe river. The remains of the ‘dead arm’ can be seen today in the form of a series of pools on the northern side of the hill.
• The easy 3 km to 4 km walk around the small historical center of Týnec, followed by a stroll around the Kolo hill is worthwhile. There are various information boards (in Czech only) relating to the history of the town along the route. The walk around Kolo features a number of natural ponds and a scenic stretch along the Labe river. The ruins of the Gothic fortress at the start of the Kolo walk are not accessible.
• The walk around Kolo is flat and although mostly on mud footpaths it should be manageable with a stroller. There is just a short climb (70m) up to and down from the modern town center. There are a few places for refreshment in the town centre but do try Kafe Belvedér, just off the main square, for excellent coffee and cakes.
• Note, for those who enjoy flat riverside walks, there are hundreds of kilometers of footpaths and cycle tracks that follow the course of the Labe river on its long journey from the Krkonoše mountains across the Bohemian plain and into Germany (where it becomes the Elbe), before finally flowing into North Sea. Quite a few stretches of footpath are already included in walks appearing in this guide – just do a search using the tag ‘Labe river‘ to see the selection!

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

• If travelling by train, the station at Týnec is 500m from the modern town center on the opposite side of the river. There are frequent trains from Kolín. If driving there is parking at the station and also in the town centre
• From the train station, follow the GREEN trail in the direction of Týnec nam.
• At the main square, join the BLUE trail heading in the direction of Kladruby
• After 600m, just below the castle ruin (map point 3) leave the BLUE trail to take the unmarked footpath to the left of the first pond
• The footpath passes a number of ponds as it circles around Kolo hill before rejoining the BLUE trail at the Labe riverbank after 900m
• Return back to Týnec along the BLUE trail