Šumava is a national park in the Czech Republic. National parks of the Czech Republic What is interesting about Sumava Park

In the very southwest of southern Bohemia, along the border with Germany and Austria, stretch the Šumava mountains, also known as the Bohemian Forest (Böhmerwald). Low (in the Czech Republic the highest point is Mount Plechy, 1378 m) and abundantly covered with forest, they are deservedly considered one of the country’s adornments. Although only one area of local green space - the Boubin Nature Reserve - is truly untouched, the Šumava National Park offers one of the most beautiful mixed forests in Europe.

These areas are ideal for walking or trekking, skiing and photography, bird watching and river rafting (the Vltava and the country's five other major rivers originate from here), while five large lakes and many small ones provide ample opportunities for recreation by the water.

An artificial lake, more like a fjord, begins at the southeastern end of the national park. Lipno(Lipen Reservoir), formed after the construction of a hydroelectric power station near the town of Loucovice. Its entire northern coast is almost entirely built up with small beach resorts that have literally mushroomed here over the past thirty years. The area is popular not only with the Czechs themselves, but also with tourists from nearby (3-5 km to the border) Austria and even slightly more distant Germany, so in July and August the hotels here are crowded. However, in the surrounding area there are many private rooms (usually identified by the banner Unterkunft or Ubytovani), campsites and inexpensive private bungalows. From May to October, two ships depart daily on a two-hour cruise across the lake from a small pier in the city. Lipno nad Vltavou(Lipno nad Vltavou). But the town is traditionally considered the most attractive place here Frymburk(Frymburk, Friedberg) with its thin white octagonal church spire and the ever leafy, picturesque main square. In addition, the car ferry, every two hours connecting Frymburk with the town of Frydava, located on the southern coast, allows you to take excursions through the green hills of southern Sumava and easily reach Austria.

The most interesting walking routes stretch from the station Ovesna(Ovesna) in the very center of the national park to the northwest through giant boulders and ancient forest to Pernik peak (1049 m), then descend down to Jeleni and the Schwarzenberg Canal (18th century). A little further they will lead to the Bear Stone (Medvedi kamen, here in 1856 the last clubfoot in the territory of Šumava was shot) and the village station in Cerny Kriz (about 14 km from Ovesna).

From a station on the German border Nove Udoli(Nove Udoli, you can only get here by train, bicycle or on foot) it’s worth taking the “red” route to the Tristolicnik peak (or Dreisesselberg, 1302 m), to the Trojmezi point (three borders meet here) and further to the highest point Šumava - Plechy peak (or Plockenstein, 1378 m), from where a steep descent goes to the picturesque glacial lake Plesne jezero on the north-eastern slope - from here you can already go down the “green” route to the station of the village of Nova Peč (Nova Pec, 8 km northeast).

The Czech Republic is known not only for its stunning ancient architectural masterpieces, but also for its amazing wilderness areas that have retained their original charm. It is precisely these amazing places in the “land of castles” that include Šumava national park is the largest nature reserve in Central Europe, striking with its unique natural landscapes.

This protected area of the Czech Republic is located between two mountain ranges on the border with Germany and Austria and extends for 140 km, and its total area is about 690 sq. km. This is such an ancient mountain region that there are only mountains with flat tops, which took on their shape when glaciers converged many thousands of years ago.

Main part Šumava National Park(80% of its territory) is occupied by ancient forests that have existed for tens of thousands of years, for which this Czech reserve is often quite rightly called the “lungs of Europe.” Here, luxurious beech groves coexist with wild thickets of spruce and pine trees and mountain valleys and heather-covered meadows formed in the place of deforestation.

In the Middle Ages Šumava belonged to hunting grounds, so now there is a rather poor fauna here, represented by such animals as deer, lynxes, mouflons, chamois, badgers and otters. The world of birds is much richer in the reserve. Here you can observe a wide variety of forest and lake birds.

In the 17th century, the Šumava forest was partially damaged by human activity. Then, with the development of glass making and forestry, settlements of lumberjacks and glassblowers began to appear in these places, and the virgin thickets of Šumava began to be cut down. In those days, two shipping canals were created in these places - Schwarzenberg and Vkhinitsko-Tetovsky, which now attract the attention of yachting and surfing lovers. In addition, on territory of the Shumava Nature Reserve The largest Czech reservoir is located - Lipno. Near it there is a modern sports entertainment complex “Marina Lipno”, which has a berth for 144 yachts.

Here you can play tennis, squash, bowling, as well as swim in the pool and ride the cable car. Among the water activities on the territory of the Shumava Park, it is worth noting that kayaking on the Vltava River flowing through the territory of the reserve is especially popular among active recreation enthusiasts.

But the most attractive places in Sumava are the amazingly beautiful mountain lakes located at an altitude of 1000 meters. In total, there are 8 glacial lakes in the park, and their total area is 42 hectares. It is in the Šumava Park that the largest lake in the Czech Republic is located - the Black Lake, which is also the deepest and highest located on the Czech side of Šumava. The water in these mountain lakes is always cool, so only daredevils can dare to swim here. But the beaches near the Šumava lakes are incredibly clean and you can always sit here for sunbathing.

You can admire the picturesque corners of the Šumava National Park by going for a walk through it on horseback or on a bicycle, which can be easily rented in these places. Getting to know the park will be no less exciting if you dare to go for a walk through it. This is not as difficult as it might seem, the main thing is to follow the tourist routes so as not to get lost here. In addition, tourist routes are increasing every year, and now you can take a walk even in such exotic places where no human has set foot for many centuries, feeling to some extent like a pioneer of these places.

Since 1991 Šumava nature reserve is one of the world's nature reserves protected by UNESCO, and the incredibly picturesque places and wide range of active recreation opportunities in this national park of the Czech Republic have made this place one of the most popular tourist spots in the “land of castles.”

- a surprisingly harmonious region of the Czech Republic, which can be seen in few places. The total area of the park is 685.2 km2. It received the status of a protected area in 1961, but this area was named a national park only in 1991.

The park got its name in honor of the same name Sumava mountain range. The length of this mountain range is 140 km, it stretches along the border of the Czech Republic and Germany. Near Sumava National Park Bavaria National Park is located.

Šumava National Park and its relief, glacial lakes and general information

The dense forests growing on the Czech-Bavarian border are so extensive that together they form the largest single forested area on the entire continent. A combination of mysterious peat bogs, clear glacial lakes and centuries-old virgin forests create a unique, poetic place for a great holiday at any time of the year. The forests are dominated by spruce, fir and beech.

For many years Šumava national park functioned as a closed space, so the local nature retained its pristine purity and beauty. Given this exclusivity, the park is protected as UNESCO biosphere reserve.

The most beautiful area Sumava National Park are its glacial lakes. Everyone who takes the route to the top Plekhi Mountains, will see with my own eyes the magnificent Bald Lake and the nature surrounding it. Among the most popular walks is a hike to the deepest and largest lakes - Black And Damn.

The main river in the protected area is Vltava river, as well as its tributaries, which merge to form another river - Otava. Total in Šumava park there are eight glacial lakes located at an altitude of 1000-1100 meters above sea level. Together these lakes cover an area of forty-two hectares. These include: Chertovo, Chernoe, Pleshnoe, Prashilskoe, Laka.

Šumava National Park and its flora and fauna

IN Šumava national park Numerous animals live that are in danger of complete extinction, and rare plants also grow. A valuable place in the park is Boubinsky virgin forest. Within its framework, nature has been developing spontaneously for many centuries, without human intervention. The result was an untamed and wild forested area.

The richest and most diverse is the avifauna of the Šumava National Park. It is represented by wood grouse, eagles, falcons, woodpeckers and kingfishers. In the last century, massive hunting of local animals took place in the protected area. For this reason, the species composition of animals in the park is quite poor. Today in the national park you can find deer, lynx, black grouse, otter, eagle owl and great owl.

Rounded Šumava hills ideal for enjoying the most picturesque views of the surrounding landscapes. One of the most stunning landscapes of the national park opens from the observation deck called Polednik. From there you can see the entire mountain range in full view. In good weather, from observation platforms on the mountain tops Yavornik and Boubina you can enjoy the distant panorama of the Alps.

It all started last year, when our friends, a company from Novokuznetsk, ordered a tour that included a visit to the beer festival in Munich (Oktoberfest).
At first, we naively planned to spend a couple of days in Munich and live days full of fun, beer and everything related to this festival. But when preparing for this tour, I found out that staying in Bavaria during this period would cost the guys a pretty penny... It was not possible to find accommodation cheaper than one hundred euros per bed. And if we take into account that beer during this period costs 8-9 euros per liter, then “several days” had to be reduced to one, and without an overnight stay in Germany.
From Prague airport we immediately headed to the western borders of the Czech Republic. The plan was to get as close to Germany as possible, spend the night there (the guesthouse was prudently booked at a price ten times lower than in Munich) and early in the morning go to Munich to watch the opening of the festival, drink beer, feel the festive atmosphere and return to the Czech Republic in the evening .
Lunch time found us not far from the Chodovar brewery and I decided that lovers of the Czech Republic and Beer would be pleased to visit the colorful restaurant in the rock in the town of Chodová Planá.
We had a great lunch, appreciated the beer, chatted about the local legend associated with the ancient brewer and headed further west...

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We spent the night in the town of Primda, in a home-style guesthouse. Before going to bed, the guys enjoyed the calm atmosphere of the tiny restaurant, again drank another type of beer and ate mushroom soup. I still managed to walk through a nearby forest before sunset and even found a dozen excellent mushrooms. The weather was not very pleasant, the slightest drizzle was drizzling.
In the morning, after having a country breakfast, we hit the road. The closer we got to Munich, the more pleasant the weather became.
The place from where everything would “flow” was not difficult to find. People dressed in national costumes walked from everywhere and in the same direction. It was more difficult to find a place to park the car; the starting point of the festival was surrounded by a wide no-parking zone. We found a place, parked the car and, following a group in national costumes, successfully reached the object we needed.

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I wanted to quickly join the wave of the holiday, eat something tasty and naturally drink beer... But that was not the case. Beautiful pavilions with branded signs, flags and ribbons were inaccessible to us. They didn’t let you in without a ticket, and where they did let you in, there were still no places there. People sat tightly in the pavilions, drinking the coveted beer. The hum was like a huge hive.

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We didn’t want to stand around and wait for a place to become available somewhere, especially since we needed at least five places. We wandered along the paths of the park, bumping into groups of other passers-by and trying to find a place where they would pour us...beer. The crowd gathered around the passage, fenced off with colorful tape. It looks like there will be a procession coming down this passage. Again, we had neither the desire nor the time to stand and wait. Cheerful music began to play and decorated carts began to drive along the aisle, which we could only see from the tops of thousands of heads... The mood somehow sank. I couldn’t get a beer anywhere; I was hungry. After walking between the inaccessible pavilions, we began to move back to the place from which we came, chewing the sausage rolls we bought at the kiosk. There, finally, in one of the pavilions they poured beer for us and now we could say with a clear conscience that we were at Oktoberfest and drank beer there. Empty decorated carts pulled by richly decorated horses drove by.

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This was clearly not our holiday. I wanted to go to the Czech Republic. No one supported my proposal to drive around Munich and see the city, and without regret we hit the road again.
And our path lay in the town of Zelezna Ruda.

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This town lies on the Bavaria-Czech Republic border and the road to it passed through picturesque, mountainous and wooded areas. Šumava-People's Park, nature reserve. Zelezna Ruda resort area. In winter people go skiing here and in summer they just relax, walking or cycling through the forest. Near the town there are two lakes that arose a long time ago as a result of the melting of the glacier. The lakes are called Chernoe and Chertovo and they are also taken under state protection.

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Accommodation in Zelezne Rude was reserved by me a long time ago and we could calmly stay in our rooms, have dinner and drink beer, almost worse than the Bavarian one. In the morning, our company went for a walk to the already mentioned lakes. The guys from an industrial and environmentally disadvantaged Siberian city happily walked along the road surrounded by forest and breathed clean air. My passion for picking mushrooms was passed on to my friends. The women walked along the road, and I and the men, every now and then, went deeper into the forest and looked for mushrooms. This way we collected a couple of kilograms.

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I couldn’t think of a way to preserve these trophies dearly.
After admiring the beauty of nature, drinking from the spring and breathing in the invigorating air, we again set off along the picturesque Šumava. The next point of our journey was the town of Kasperske Hory.

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The history of this city is associated with gold mining back in the Middle Ages. It was gold mining that was the reason for the construction of Kasperk Castle.

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Today, the dilapidated walls and towers located on the top of the mountain speak of the former glory of the city. By the way... Kasperk, the city located above all the cities in the Czech Republic. It was built as a defensive facility for the gold-bearing lands of the Kasper Mountains, by order of King Charles IV in the middle of the 14th century, at the intersection of the routes along which gold (Golden Trail) and... carp were transported. Yes, carp fish, which were bred in the state, were exported beyond the borders of the Czech Republic and were considered a delicacy in the West. Over time, the glory of the city faded and it gradually fell into decay. Currently, the castle belongs to the city of Kasperske Gory and is an interesting object for tourists.
The guys and I listened to an interesting story about the construction of the city, marveling at the various tricks of the medieval builders. It was very interesting to see the “performance” (I can’t find another word), how the gloomy walls of the city turned into cozy chambers. It was like in a fairy tale... The castle workers came up with a very interesting way to show visitors old paintings that reflected the life of the city's inhabitants. Through overhead projections, household items, furniture, a fire in the fireplace appeared on the walls.....all this was accompanied by characteristic sounds... This must be seen. Unfortunately, photography of this “know-how” was not allowed...
In the courtyard of the city, the blacksmith showed visitors his art and our children, like little children playing knights, tried on armor...

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After seeing the town of Kašper, we set off again along the beautiful roads of Šumava.

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We headed to the picturesque Lipno reservoir, where the hospitable owner of the apartment was waiting for us. We arrived in the town of Lipno nad Vltava in the evening and the city greeted us with a charming sunset...

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We had dinner at the restaurant. Again beer and other drinks)))) The apartments were royal. We had a whole house at our disposal, comfortably furnished, warm and well equipped with everything travelers needed.

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Everyone went to their rooms to rest and I started working on mushrooms. I cleaned them, cut them and put them on hot radiators.... the house was filled with a pleasant mushroom spirit.
In the morning an emergency happened.... The car was accidentally slammed.... the keys remained inside.... A little nerves, calls to random places and the technician, who arrived 150 km away, successfully opened the car. I was pleased that there were no traces left on my brand new car.
Having had a hearty and tasty breakfast, our company went to an attraction called “Road in the Tree Tops” - I planned this object in preparation for the tour. . The “road” was located on a mountain that could be reached on foot or by cableway. We took advantage of the second option and “floated” upward on comfortable seats.

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The attraction was a pantus, which very gradually rose up to the tops of the trees. The walk was pleasant and easy. On some sections of the path, visitors were offered more complex path options - movable masonry, chains, ropes, etc. The guys, with a slight dose of adrenaline, walked through difficult sections, while joking and laughing.

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The higher the path went, the more beautiful the view around was. At the very end of the path, a view of the whole of Šumava opened up in front of us. It was a little cool and windy, but that couldn't dampen our mood. There was a faster way to get down from the observation deck.....driving down the tabogana. Our men wanted to immediately use this method, but alas... the service was paid and the ticket had to be bought at the ticket office downstairs (this was an obvious flaw on the part of the attraction’s organizers)

The Šumava mountain system gives its name to one of the most famous Czech nature reserves, which is located on its slopes. The Šumava ridge is located on the territory of several countries: Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria. The highest point of Šumava in the Czech Republic is Mount Plechy, whose height reaches 1378 meters.

What is the Šumava National Nature Reserve? In dense spruce, fir and beech forests, cut by rare paths, here and there there are crystal clear ponds in which swimming is prohibited, and treacherous peat bogs - the habitat of some rare birds. Now this reserve is open to outdoor enthusiasts and naturalists, but some time ago it was possible to get here only with a special pass. Thanks to such precautions, this unique corner of nature was preserved intact. Perhaps this is why the Šumava Park is included in the UNESCO list of protected natural sites.

The reserve has several observation platforms located on the highest peaks of the ridge. The most popular site for exploring the surrounding area is considered to be an object called Polednik. And if visitors want to see not only the green sea stretching far below, sometimes called the “dome of Europe,” but also the Alpine peaks, then it’s worth climbing the Boubina and Yavornik mountains.

When climbing Mount Plekhi you can see the magnificent Pleshnoe Lake, formed during the melting of glaciers. The reserve also offers hiking trips to the Devil's and Black lakes. The last reservoir is located in a remote part of the reserve, it will be difficult to get to it, but the picture that ultimately opens up to tourists will make them forget all the difficulties and inconveniences of such a trip.

Some forest areas of the Šumava Park have been developing without human intervention for many years and are impenetrable thickets, as if straight out of the pages of the books of the Brothers Grimm. Naturally, the local forests are home to many species of animals and birds. Wildlife lovers will not be disappointed!