CYCLING
Get on your bike and set out to meet untouched nature, deep forest and the stories of the borderland. Železná is a perfect starting point for cyclists of every kind. Thanks to a dense network of surfaced tracks free of car traffic, you will find ideal conditions here both for easy-going family outings and for full-day sporting challenges on cross-border loops into neighbouring Bavaria.
Cycle trails through Železná and its surroundings
The country around Železná is quite literally a paradise for cyclists, above all thanks to its position in the heart of Český les and in the former border zone. The local network of routes offers kilometre after kilometre of quiet, surfaced asphalt and forest tracks with little or no car traffic, ideal both for easy-going family outings and for more demanding riders.
One of the most important international cycling routes begins right on the village green in Železná – the Pan-European Cycle Route, waymarked as long-distance route number 37. This impressive route, linking European capitals such as Paris, Nuremberg, Plzeň and Prague, offers the unique chance to get on your bike after breakfast and set off literally across Europe. In our immediate surroundings, in the direction of Bělá nad Radbuzou, it also has a very pleasant profile with a gentle descent and runs mostly along safe tracks away from the roads. The north–south direction along the border is covered by national cycle route number 36, which connects Železná with the surrounding valleys and with more distant destinations in the Český les.
Quite by chance, the celebrated international cycle route EuroVelo 13, known as the Iron Curtain Trail (ev13.eu), also runs right past us. It forms part of the Europe-wide network of long-distance routes organised by the European Cyclists' Federation, and this particular route links the continent from the Arctic Circle in Finland all the way to the Black Sea in Bulgaria. In our area this unique line of history and nature follows the former border zone towards Rybník and the Tachov region, taking cyclists to places with an atmosphere all of their own, where vanished border villages once stood.
A great advantage of Železná is its immediate proximity to Bavaria, which you can easily reach via the Železná / Tillyschanz border crossing. Right across the border you can join Bavaria's longest cycle route, the Bockl-Radweg (der-bockl.de), which was built on the trackbed of a former railway line and is regarded by connoisseurs as quite the best of its kind. Thanks to that railway history, expect no steep climbs here – the route never exceeds a gradient of three percent, so you need no mountain bike to master it and an ordinary touring bike is more than enough. The surface is partly compacted gravel and partly first-class asphalt, ideal for in-line skates as well. The overwhelming majority of the trail runs away from car traffic and, together with its faultless signposting, this makes it a perfect destination for carefree family outings with children. Visitors can therefore choose between easy trips down into the valleys, Bavarian circuits, or more demanding ridge routes heading for Čerchov or Přimda.
Our favourite bike trips
We have put together a selection of our most popular routes, which will take you to the most beautiful corners of Český les and across the Bavarian border as well. Whether you are looking for an easy-going ride with the children or a proper full-day climb up to the summits, among our recommended loops you are sure to find the right one.
THE DIANA ROUTE
A pleasant, level route through the beautiful forests of the Český les, made for walkers and cyclists alike and easy enough for younger riders. Along the way you will pass several covered rest stops. The route ends in the small village of Diana, home to a hunting lodge by the celebrated architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel.
THE ROZVADOV ROUTE
An easy route for walkers and cyclists alike, leading through the gently rolling countryside of the Český les and returning to Resort Český les along the German side of the border through the towns of Waidhaus and Eslarn. Well suited to recreational cyclists and families with older children.
THE BYSTŘICE ROUTE
A beautiful ride through the deep forests of Český les and past mysterious abandoned villages.
THE STARÝ HERŠTEJN ROUTE
A more demanding ride across the hilly countryside and forests of Český les, up to the ruins of Starý Herštejn Castle and on to the monastery in Pivoň.
THE EUROVELO LINE – NOVÉ DOMKY
A cycling route for a full-day trip through the beautiful countryside of Český les as far as the village of Nové domky and back to Resort Český les through small Bavarian towns. Along the way you will find plenty of places to stop and refuel.
THE DER BOCKL RAILWAY ROUTE
This cycle path begins in Eslarn at the former railway station, which you reach easily by joining the cycle route that leads directly from Resort Český les. The days when trains still ran here are recalled by part of a steam locomotive on display, a rewarding subject for a photograph before you push down on the pedals. The whole route runs through beautiful countryside with impressive views of the Upper Palatinate Forest, through woodland and past a string of glittering ponds. It also takes you into towns and villages where, just as the trains once did, you can stop at the old stations or visit the local sights. In Waidhaus, for example, a small exhibition housed in a decommissioned and restored railway carriage recalls the past of the line. In the little town of Floss the synagogue near the market square is worth a visit. Vohenstrauß is dominated by Friedrichsburg castle, and as you approach Pleystein the Baroque pilgrimage church on the Rosenquarz rock catches your eye from far away.
THE ČERCHOV ROUTE
Our most demanding route, made for experienced cyclists: hilly, picturesque countryside, the forests of Český les and its abandoned villages, a climb to Čerchov, the highest peak in the region, and a return through the Chodsko town of Klenčí and past the former monastery in Pivoň.
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