Štíty – paradise for active relaxation

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We set off from Štíty on Road No. 368 to Cotkytle (the most demanding portion of the trip), and continue straight through the village to the observation tower Lázek. From Lázek we descend to Strážná and then further to Tatenice. In Tatenice we can look through the original hunting chateau that currently serves as the Village Office, or we can have refreshments in the local pub. Outside of Tatenice we turn to the left and travel through the valley of the Moravská Sázava River to Hoštejn, where we can see the ruins of Hoštejn Fortress and a monument from 1845 commemorating the completion of the Olomouc – Zábřeh railway line. The picturesque Březná Stream Valley leads us through Drozdovská Pila back to Štíty.

Extra tip

LÁZEK OBSERVATION TOWER

The predecessor to today's observation tower was a simple wooden tower that was built before the First World War. Following incursions of nationalist Germans it had to be pulled down in the first year of the Republic. Today's wooden tower dates to 1933. It is part of Reichl's Lodge (this did not take its name from the famous hockey player, but from the main initiator of the construction).

Elevation point: 714 metres above sea level
Former district: Ústí nad Orlicí
Region: Pardubice
Building type: Wooden observation tower
Opened: 13/08/1933
Open to the public: Seasonally
Height of observation tower: 20.0 metres
Highest sightseeing platform: 17.0 metres
Number of sightseeing platforms: 1
Number of stairs: 87

ADDITIONAL TIPS ON TRIPS ALONG THE TRAIL

TATENICE

The village of Tatenice is located in the southeastern part of the Pardubice Region in the Ústí nad Orlicí district. It is situated on the southernmost extension of the Orlické Mountains between the towns of Lanškroun, Moravská Třebová, and Zábřeh on the main railway line.

TATENICE CHATEAU

The first mention of the original fortress dates to 1287 when Tatenice belonged to the Lords of Šternberk. In 1606 it was rebuilt by Ladislav Velen of Žerotín into a single-floor Renaissance hunting chateau. The chateau acquired its current appearance in 1985. The chateau features Renaissance sgraffito ornamentation. Today the chateau serves as the Village Office (offices, wedding hall, library). The social hall and salon are used for cultural and social events. A restaurant is located in the east wing of the chateau.

HOŠTEJN FORTRESS RUINS

The castle dating to the 13th century was the residence of marauding knights, which led King Václav II to send an expedition headed by Záviš of Falkštejn to execute the band. Following the Šternberks the castle was purchased in 1464 by the Tunkl family of Brníčko, who let Hoštejn fall into ruins; the fortress was never renovated after this time. The remnants of the ruins were collected during the construction of the Olomouc – Prague railway in 1845. In this same year a pyramidal sandstone was erected on the highest point of the former castle grounds to commemorate the building of the railway.

Trail D