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December 1st, 2008
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Medieval charm

In Loket, colorful history and great hiking, biking and canoeing

By Fiona Gaze
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
August 13th, 2008 issue

Photo by PHILIP JONES
The amphitheater offers a great view of the castle, which provides a stunning backdrop for evening shows.
COURTESY PHOTO
Costumed revelry this coming weekend at the Renaissance festival.
Photos by PHILIP JONES
Cool off in rental boats on the river ...
Photos by PHILIP JONES
... or with a couple of tall, cold ones at the town brewery.
Trip tips


Loket nad Ohří
www.loket.cz
How to get there: Buses run from Florenc (check www.idos.cz for times); it's best to book in advance (especially if returning on a Sunday), as seats often sell out
Loket Castle
www.hradloket.cz
Lazy River Hostel
www.lazyriverhostel.com
Hotel Goethe
T.G. Masaryka 22, Loket 357 33
Petr Putzer Rafting Ohře
www.putzer.cz

Hidden in a region famed for its spa towns, the ancient town of Loket, with its medieval castle, “chocolate box” architecture and a long list of outdoor attractions, makes for the perfect weekend summer getaway — one the hordes on the tourist trail tend to overlook.
Winding down to Loket by bus, a bend in the road reveals the colorful town, looped by the Ohře River (the name Loket means “elbow”), with a castle carved dramatically into the rock. While it once served as the town prison, today the castle offers a picture-perfect backdrop for performances at the amphitheater below. This coming weekend (Aug. 16–17), it will host a Renaissance festival.
But you don’t need an event to make the trip. For our getaway, we went to enjoy the town’s charm, its woods and the river route to Karlovy Vary.
We arrived Friday night, in time to bulk up for the active weekend ahead with plates of fried cheese at Hotel Goethe, named for the famous German author, who cherished the town. As we ate, what seemed to be the entire population of the town streamed by on their way to see a show at the castle. By the time we arrived, the gates were locked. But no matter; Loket has plenty of cozy pubs where you can make your own good time. We settled in one at the corner of Rooseveltova street, relaxing in cinema-style chairs and shouting our drink orders over the blast of heavy metal.
Thus fortified, we planned a hike for Saturday. We chose to ignore the hostel owner’s guidance and forge our own way on the trails — much to our regret the next day, as the town’s peculiar trail-marking system led us astray. Even so, we were rewarded with views over the valley and an invigorating, 5-kilometer walk through the protected Slavkov forest, which luckily deposited us right back where we started.
The town’s lush surroundings invite hiking, biking and canoeing, and the river is great for a swim after working up a sweat. Beyond the amphitheater is an extensive, well-tended park, replete with lily-padded ponds, that provides good access to the river for swimming, or just a place to stretch out and breathe in the fresh air. The amphitheater’s summer music series is over (it runs during July), but its wooden benches are a great place to sit and admire the view.
In Loket itself, one can amble the cobbled lanes, stop for a beer by a fountain on the main square or explore the castle. Unlike many others in the Czech Republic, Loket’s castle was never converted into a Renaissance chateau, and so retains much of its original look. The town also has a bookbinding museum — if bookbinding’s your thing — and its own brewery, which is worth visiting despite the prices (45 Kč for a half-liter). The local brew, St. Florian, is musky and delicious, tasting all the better for the pub’s cliffside perch.
The ready sight of canoes floating past is enough to beckon you riverward, where you can paddle all the way to Karlovy Vary (it takes about three or four hours). There’s also a path, popular with bikers, that runs along the Ohře for 10 kilometers.
We rented canoes (rafts were also a possibility) for 125 Kč ($8) a head, just as the heavens opened up in a rainstorm. With plastic barrels to keep our things dry, we set off downriver. The dipping tree branches and green hills on either side made for a pleasant journey, even in the pouring rain. Once the sky cleared, it was idyllic.
The hostel owner had told us we needn’t paddle for the first half of the river trip, as the current would just take us along. But we were all so eager that we oared away, running up on stones on more than one occasion due to the low water level, which didn’t dampen the fun.
Halfway to Karlovy Vary, we reached the impressive Svatošské skály rock formations — huge cliff faces rising up from the river’s edge, a popular spot for climbers. It’s a convenient place to stop and eat, even though the Restaurace Svatošské skály is a bit pricier than most. But the view of the rocks from its terrace is magnificent, making it easy to while away the afternoon lingering over beers (and forget there’s a lot of river left to conquer).
The second half of the trip requires a bit more paddling, and canoers need to be aware of the impassable weir (marked by skull-and-crossbones signs) just before entering Karlovy Vary, which must be portaged.
We were all nicely tired at the end, with the promise of sore arms the next day. Luckily, the drop-off center for the canoes is right next to the bus station, and the company returns the boats to Loket; it was tempting to hop on the truck and go back ourselves.
Our hostel owner told us many stories of people who came to Loket for a few days and ended up staying for weeks. Having seen how peaceful it is and how many activities there are, it’s not hard to see why.

Fiona Gaze can be reached at fgaze@praguepost.com


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