2059 Nad Peklem - Újezd - Krásná - Podhradí - Doubrava (CZ/D)

At the crossroads above Peklem (with cycle route 2058), you cross the Lužní stream and enter the Bystřina and Lužní stream protected area. This location is home to rare species such as the river pearl mussel and the brown scabious butterfly.

If you fancy a peaceful stretch full of wetlands and wildlife, this detour is definitely worth it!

After 2.5 km you will reach the crossroads at the former Újezd company, which guarded the border in the 1970s. It was abandoned after 1990 and is now in ruins.

The site of the now-defunct village of Újezd was once covered in dense forests, settled by the first metallurgists in the 12th century. In 1946, the inhabitants were displaced and a few years later the village was destroyed. Today, you can find an abandoned cemetery and a restored war memorial – the last reminder of this once vibrant settlement.

After 3.6 km you will reach Štítary, once an independent village, today just a few houses along the road. Its history dates back to 1342, when there were five farmsteads here.

In its time, Štítary had a school, a railway station and a power plant. A popular excursion spot was the Panský pond and the inn "U Dubu". However, after 1945, the village gradually disappeared - most of the houses were looted and razed to the ground.

Today, you will find not only remnants of the past, but also the Štítary Pasture Reserve, where three mares of Exmoor horses will graze the landscape from November 2023. The reserve is managed by the municipality of Krásná and offers a unique view of naturally renewing nature.

After 5.4 km you will reach Krásná, once a significant village with over 2200 inhabitants. Today only a fraction of the original number lives here, but the history is still evident.

In the 17th century, the Baroque Zedtwitz castle stood here, which after a fire in 1828 put the family in debt. After the war, no one cared for it until it was demolished in the 1960s. Only part of the entrance gate remains today.

Not much remains of the original buildings, but house no. 89 from 1793 has been preserved. Krásná was also home to the Aš brewery, where beer was brewed since 1898.

Today, Krásná is a quiet village that lies at the crossroads of cycle routes and offers an ideal stop on a journey through a landscape rich in history.

After 9.2 km you will be greeted by Podhradí, the oldest village in the Aš region, once the power centre of the Zedtwitz family. The dominant feature is Neuberg Castle, whose 22-metre cylindrical tower still stands today. The castle was conquered several times, abandoned in the 16th century and has largely disappeared.

Not far from the castle stood a Renaissance chateau, which fell into disrepair after a fire in 1902 and was demolished in the 1960s.

Next stop is the Church of the Good Shepherd (1682), the oldest Protestant church in the former Austria-Hungary. You will find memorials to war victims there.

The area under the castle once lived on textiles - the Adler and Nickerl factory produced dresses for the whole world, and later served as a fabric finishing plant for Textilana.

Today you will find well-preserved monuments, beautiful views and an ideal place to rest before further pedaling.

After 11.5 km you will reach Kopany, where the Zedtwitz family chateau once stood, built on the site of their original castle. After 1945 it fell into disrepair, was demolished in the 1970s and the last preserved stable burned down in 2007. After a fire in 2003, this chateau building was left in ruins, and since 2013 it has been gradually restored by the family of František Hupka.

In the upper part of the village you will discover a former school surrounded by centuries-old trees and three millstones, the remains of ancient mills in Bílý Halštrov. The Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord (1890) and the tomb of the Zedtwitz family are also worth a stop.

Kopaniny once had a lot of pubs - you won't find any here today, but you can relax here for a while and soak up the atmosphere of the old days.

After 12.5 km you will reach Doubrava, where you can taste a mineral spring, similar to those in nearby Bad Elster. South of Bílý Halštrov you will find the remains of a famous paper mill from 1620, which once exported handmade paper to all of Europe. Today the mill's drive powers a small hydroelectric power plant.

Above the Halštrovský stream stands a neo-Romanesque chateau, the only surviving manor house of the Zedtwitz family. Originally built around 1600, it was later rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style, once served as a restaurant and is unfortunately now in disrepair.

From Doubrava, continue along the Halštrovska path (Elster Radweg) to Germany. After 2 km you will reach the spa town of Bad Elster, where you will find 12 mineral springs and beautiful surroundings ideal for relaxation.