EuroVelo 13: Novohradské Mountains

“From the old fortifications, only a massive stone wall remains, the very wall that once gave the settlement its name. Every stone had to be picked up by hand and placed with care among the others. This wall, now covered in moss and blending into the forest, was built over generations. It wasn’t a wall against anyone—neither built by Germans against Czechs nor Czechs against Germans—even though it stands on the border. People carried those stones from their fields so they could plant a few rows of potatoes or oats... We lack the courage to remember, the will to tell stories. We miss the old inns and the paths that led somewhere. Not tourist trails or roads—but paths that guide us through a living landscape. We miss farmers who would return a cultural character to the Novohradské borderlands. We lack a sense of tradition, of context. We miss the roadside crosses and chapels. We miss respect for human labor and for home.”
(from the book Forest Essays by Josef Kroutvor)

The beauty and sorrow of the Novohradské Mountains are present in every corner of this land shaped by the ideologies of the 20th century. Let yourself be captivated by blooming meadows in solitude, deep forests, and the dark waters of mountain ponds and streams. Your reward will be a slightly rough, melancholic caress for the soul—something you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.