Starting point: Sutom (crossroad at the town square) –Koštálov (crossroad below the castle) 1.5 km – Třebenice, Paříkovo square (crossroad and map) 2 km – Třebenice Museum 500 m –Teplá 3km – Dřínek 200 m – Vlastislav 1 km – Sutom 1 km Difficulty: small, 12 km Refreshments: Třebenice 3 restaurants, Sutom – food store.
We walk down to the centre of Sutom village – towards the cross – and following the road sign we take a left towards the forest and walk on a small road with an arm gate, pass around the arm gate – and after 200 m still following the road, we will encounter a yellow sign which we follow while slightly going up, all the way to the saddle below Košťálov. At the information board explaining about natural attractions we may make a turn and after 500 m climb up following the yellow shaped signs towards the castle ruins on the top (481 m) – in the same way as Karel Hynek Mácha in the past.
During the beginning of the Hussite period, Košťálov Castle belonged to Kaplíři of Sulevice. For a short time period, Kaplíři also owned Třebenice town, formerly owned by the Prague Monastery of St. George. To get back to the saddle below Košťálov we take the same road. If we follow the footsteps of the poet on foot, we can continue aside the green signs to Třebenice / an additional 500 m down along the road – at the 1st turn the green sign enters the forest and goes directly to Třebenice down between gardens and around silos near the highway bypass. By taking the underpass at the Třebenice railway station we will eliminate the bypass road running around the city of Třebenice.
We shall easily identify the city centre thanks to the tower of the late Gothic church located at Paříkovo square, where we also find two restaurants. On your way back towards the village of Teplá, you find the Museum of Czech garnet which is located in the former church (a slim tower) near the edge of the village. Follow the red signed road for 5 km to the end of the village Vlastislav. When you reach the crossroad before the village, you will see the Sutom church and the St. Peter and Paul guesthouse on the hillside on your right side – walk through the village of Vlastislav towards the chateau as instructed by the road sign – 1 km towards Sutom.
Those of you who do not want to walk 5 km from Třebenice may walk 100 m back from the Museum to the square of Havlíček and using the road mentioned earlier, pass under the busy road, and on the left side from Košťálov peak (if you are facing the hill) you will find a field road to SZ – walk around the hill to the village of Teplá – walk through the village and around the chapel with a ferric spring.
At the end of Teplá village you will find a turn towards the village of Dřínek. Near a small chapel you will find a road that will take you to the fields – SZ – after walking 1 km through the fields you will enter a forest and after another 1 km you find yourself below the Skalka u Vlastislavi tower, which may be also seen from Dřínek. You will continue on the road and around the chateau and keep to the right as instructed by the road sign – 1 km on a road going uphill and towards Sutom.
Accommodation services provided by the St. Peter and Paul Guesthouse (a former rectory). The guesthouse is the last house in the village.
Wishing you a successful trip!:-)
