Haugwitz trails around Náměšť

Because Náměšť lies in a quite rugged terrain of the Oslava River valley, and is also crossed by inconveniently busy roads to Brno, Třebíč, and Velká Bíteš, there are many factors complicating suitable cycling routes. However, it is hard to imagine a trip around Náměšťsko without Náměšť itself. For the start, we will use the parking lot next to the castle, which looks down on the town from above. Although full tours are still hindered by reconstruction, it is possible at the start to ride through the picturesque park and around the castle along car-free roads to reach the town. Here, by the river, we are greeted by the 'Moravian Charles Bridge,' a baroque jewel with 20 statues leading to the square. Immediately behind the bridge, we can now take the new cycle path along the river, thus avoiding the busy inner town and roads. The path and later the road lead us under the railway viaduct and from the river again along the street by the tracks beyond the train station. Here, we meet cycle route 5106, by which we can leave the town through the path between gardens. Another continuation of the busy road alternative is an asphalt road through an alley that we will follow, although the cycle route signs veer into the valley on the left towards Vícenice. This section is quite challenging terrain-wise, so the easier way is the road near the quarry. At the intersection with the primary road, we stay at the left edge of the widened road and cross directly to the road on the dyke of the pond towards Vícenice. Through the village, we continue following the road direction to the military air base, which closes the horizon above the village of Sedlec. Here ends the duller part of the route, and we set off by a field path to the edge of the Wild Oslava valley. The direct path from noble times leads us to the rocky viewpoint Holý kopec. Right at our feet opens the most beautiful meander of the river around Lamberk castle. A few hundred meters further, the pavilion Gloriet rises above the valley, the first of the buildings on our circuit. From Gloriet, we return directly to the forest road Kaštanka and venture along the network of noble trails through forest corners. We pass the airport's guiding lights and reach the Sedlec gamekeeper's lodge. Heading straight ahead, we continue along comfortable forest roads to the Green Hill by Kramolín with the archaic stone Babylon lookout tower. This nearly two-century-old gem still offers views of the region. From the lookout tower, the path leads straight, 'like a shot,' to the hunting lodge Vlčí kopec. True, the terrain is so rugged that several significant ascents and descents await us before we reach the road at Kladeruby. All the more beautiful is the ancient beech alley that leads us to the castle complex itself. Currently, the castle serves as an E.ON training center, but the park is open for walking and enjoying the restored architecture and views of the river valley. Here also begins the unique Anna's path – the arrival route of the estate from Náměšť castle to Vlčí kopec, leading over the deep river valley. Even though pedestrians have largely forgotten this technical masterpiece of a roadmaster (the footpath descends steeper into the valley), we can still comfortably descend along the road's body with its stone embankments and a cut into the slope down to the river surface. During this, we overcome 110 meters of elevation within 1.5 km. At the site of the former bridge (and long-standing ford), a new footbridge opened in autumn 2017, restoring the original noble trail’s significance. The left riverbank is not so steep, so a forest path and cycle trail 5106 run here, by which we ascend again by the old path around the Pastýřka hill with views into the valley up to the crossroads of comfortable asphalt roads. We leave the turn-off to Březník aside and enjoy an asphalt ride above the upper edge of the river valley towards Náměšť accompanied by old alleys. They lead to Velkopolský dvůr, a former agricultural farm, although it has lost much of its charm. An obstacle on the way back to Náměšť is again the steep terrain (do not cycle on route 5106!) and a busy road, so out of necessity, we do good and head along field paths on route 5182 to Kralice. Taking a detour into another past of the region, when the Unity of the Brethren’s printing house worked here and the Kralice Bible was born, we can visit the local printing museum and the castle ruins. Toward Otradice, we bypass the closed Náměšť game reserve so that we finally reach the Náměšť castle from the direction of Bíteš.