Through the Poněšice Game Reserve to the Singing Pillow

Hluboká nad Vltavou is not just a castle. It’s also the Vltava River and its beautiful surroundings—perfect for cycling. Today’s trip takes you north of Hluboká nad Vltavou, to places where the river leaves civilization and dives into a valley lined with the Poněšice Game Reserve on its right bank. Along the way, you’ll visit nearby villages and encounter a “pillow” that will play music for you as a reward for visiting.

The 41 km route leads mostly along asphalt but also forest paths and is of medium difficulty.

Route

Central parking in Hluboká nad Vltavou – Zámostí – along the right bank of the Vltava River via cycle route (CT) no. 12 to Poněšice, Líšnice, and Radonice – via CT no. 1060 to Drahotěšice – Ševětín – via CT no. 1058 to Vitín (option to climb Baba Hill) – via CT no. 1057 through Poněšice Game Reserve, past the U Cirhana forester’s lodge to Poněšice – return via the familiar CT no. 12 to Zámostí – Hluboká nad Vltavou (central parking)

What to see and experience

Zámostí – On the so-called “Penalty Meadow” stands a stone memorial marking the execution site of Záviš of Falkenstein in August 1290.

Poněšice – A picturesque village with preserved folk architecture, including a timbered house and a blacksmith’s workshop with a belfry.

Spice up your trip with a tour of the local distillery and a tasting. Relax in the tasting room or take home a bottle as a memento of South Bohemia’s bounty.

Poněšice Game Reserve – Southeast of Poněšice, the 1,600-hectare reserve is home to deer, roe deer, and wild boar. Established by the Schwarzenbergs at the end of the 19th century in response to local farmers' complaints about wildlife damage, it benefited both farmers and game, providing safe and peaceful breeding grounds for the animals.

U Cirhana Forester’s Lodge – Take a break under the lodge’s shelter. With luck, you might spot a deer crossing the path—or hear the haunting bugle of a stag during early autumn rutting season.

Líšnice – A village with several farmhouses in the traditional “Blata” style and one particularly valuable granary. Visit the local folk museum and discover life in a South Bohemian village.

Radonice – On the southeast edge of the village, you’ll find remnants of a medieval fortress.

Drahotěšice – Until the 1930s, a 3 km long and 10 m thick quartz vein lay south of the village. After it was mined, a channel with quartz outcrops remained, which can still be seen today.

Ševětín – A small town with a Gothic parish church of St. Nicholas featuring a baroque two-storey tower, a baroque rectory, and several houses in the Blata style. A local curiosity is the fountain shaped like a pillow, located near the church. It commemorates Šimon Lomnický, a Renaissance writer who owned a coaching inn in Ševětín for many years. When visited, the pillow-shaped fountain plays music.

Vitín – Here, you can climb to the burial mound field on the forested Baba Hill (570 m a.s.l.), home to two Slavic mound fields from the 8th–9th centuries, each containing 50–80 mounds. The largest are 4–5 meters in diameter and 2 meters high and were believed to be used for burying impoverished rural inhabitants.