Where to go on a trip Český les

Ski Slopes with a View of the Oldest Stone Castle

Lyžařský areál Přimda is a smaller yet cozy resort located on the eastern slope of Mount Přimda in the Český les mountain range. The resort is popular for its family atmosphere and is ideal for beginners and slightly advanced skiers, as well as for families with children. The resort lies at an altitude of approximately 700 meters above sea level and offers the opportunity for skiing with a magnificent view of the dominant ruins of Přimda Castle.

The resort offers two main ski slopes with a total length of 820 meters, which are regularly groomed and artificially snowed. A 330-meter-long blue ski slope is available for beginners and children, while advanced skiers can make use of the more demanding 490-meter-long red ski slope. The shorter slope is illuminated, which enables evening skiing. For lovers of other winter pleasures, a snowtubing track and a practice meadow for the youngest visitors are also available.

How to Get There

The ski resort is located near the town of the same name, Přimda, in the Tachov Region. The best accessibility is by car. The resort lies near the D5 motorway (Prague – Plzeň – Rozvadov), from which one easily turns off towards the town of Přimda. Parking is provided for visitors directly by the ski resort. For travel by public transport, bus connections to the town of Přimda can be utilized, from which the resort is accessible on foot or via local transport.

What You Can Explore in the Surroundings

The Český les area around Přimda offers rich opportunities for hiking and discovering history. The most prominent landmark is the ruins of Přimda Castle, the oldest stone castle in Bohemia, to which the Naučná stezka Přimda trail leads. Nature lovers should not miss the Naučná stezka rašeliništěm Podkovák trail in the Český les Protected Landscape Area. Another point of interest in the wider surroundings is the Muzeum Českého lesa in nearby Tachov and the Rozhledna Milíře near Rozvadov, from which a great view of the surroundings is offered.

Guardian of the Český les with the Kurzova věž

Čerchov, at an altitude of 1,042 metres above sea level, is the highest peak of the Český les mountain range and a significant symbol of the landscape around Domažlice. Its summit is well known for the stone Kurzova věž, which serves as a lookout tower and was built between 1904 and 1905 by the Klub českých turistů. Between 1950 and 1990, the summit was inaccessible to the public as it was occupied by the military, which established a military base here and built an unsightly concrete radar tower. Following the revolution, the Kurzova věž was returned to the KČT in 1999 and reopened to the public in 2000 after reconstruction. From the viewing platform of the tower, which is 19.2 metres high, a panoramic view is offered of the Šumava, Brdy, Plzeň, and, under exceptionally good visibility, even as far as the Alps and the Krušné hory.

How to get there

Several marked hiking trails lead to the summit of Čerchov. The most frequently used ascent starts from the village of Capartice (near Klenčí pod Čerchovem), from where an approximately 4.5 km long red hiking trail leads with an elevation gain of over 330 metres. This path is partially paved and also suitable for cyclists. Other starting points include Pec pod Čerchovem (following the blue trail, approx. 4.5 km with a greater elevation gain) or Česká Kubice, from where the historical Hanova stezka leads (red and subsequently blue trail), approximately 7.5 km long. A car park is available for motorists in Capartice. During the tourist season, bus transport to the summit is also usually available.

What you can discover in the surrounding area

The surroundings of Čerchov are crisscrossed by hiking trails that lead to the points of interest of the Chodsko region and the Český les. Directly below the summit is the Emerichova studna, once a modified spring. Near Čerchov, visitors can visit the picturesque market town of Klenčí pod Čerchovem, the centre of the Chodsko region. In a southerly direction lies Česká Kubice and the border crossing into Germany, from where one can continue into the Bavarian borderland. In the wider surroundings is the historical town of Domažlice, which is known for its Chodsko culture, a typical square with a dominant tower, and the Chodský hrad. For hikers, the route to Sádkova skála or towards the Haltrava summit is of interest.