The best of the Bojná surroundings

The Považský Inovec mountain range is a paradise for mountain bikers. Recreational cyclists as well as those who seek more challenging terrain will be pleased. The cycle route meets all the qualities of good cycle tourism – we will struggle on the climbs and rest on the descents. Our circuit starts in the village of Bojná by the Archaeological Museum of Great Moravia, where there is also a parking lot. We slowly ascend the asphalt road marked with a green sign and pass the Bojná, polesie cycle tourist signpost. Here we encounter the Cyril and Methodius route marked with a blue 'C' on a yellow background. If the first kilometers exhaust you, you can take a first break at the Ranch under Babica and visit the game park.

We leave the asphalt road after about the fourth kilometer at the Hradná dolina signpost. Ahead of us is about 3 km along a gravel road to the turnoff to the Valy hillfort. If you are among the lucky ones, you might easily spot a family of mouflons in these woods. We cross a ford and face the first more challenging climb on a technical forest terrain. At the Valy hillfort, we catch our breath, look back at the history of Great Moravia, and continue through the western gate of the hillfort to the Divine Heart site. The road surface briefly changes back to gravel up to the signpost that directs us to the Deer Pits. Another challenging climb through the Deer Pits leads to the Marhát lookout tower along the red cycle tourist mark.

We reach the highest point of our circuit – Marhát peak (748 m above sea level). From the 17 m high lookout tower, on a clear day, we can see the scenery of Považský Inovec, Tribeč mountains, Vtáčnik, and also the White Carpathians. From Marhát, we descend along forest roads and single trails to the Trhovičná clearing, from where we move on a fairly flat road to the Hanging Rocks. A short stop with a view and we pedal again to the Trhovičná clearing, where we turn right and follow the yellow cycle tourist mark. After a few meters, the route will turn left and ahead of us will be a steep descent to the crossroads to the Rotunda of St. George, which we cannot miss on our circuit. It is only a few meters of elevation to the rotunda, greeted by a large meadow and a blooming church on a small rocky promontory.

On the benches next to the church, we regain strength before the last steep climb from the rotunda to the Sedlo Marhát pass. We find ourselves in places we have already been, and by the same road, we return to the Holokamenská cesta – Brodky signpost. We continue along the Around Považský Inovec cycle magistral back to the center of Bojná. From the crossroads to the Valy hillfort, we know the route very well because we started the circuit on it.