Virgin Forest

The Sumava is a heavily wooded mountain region stretching for about 125 km along the border with Austria and Germany. Its importance lies in its large tranquil, thinly populated forests, which are relatively unpolluted and undamaged by acid rain. Although only one small patch, the Boubin Virgin Forest (Boubinsky prales), is regarded as completely untouched, the Sumava's pristine state still makes it a unique asset.Euroregion Sumava - Bavorsky Les was found in the beginning of the 90's. It is a cooperation between districts of Sumava (Cesky Krumlov, Domazlice, Klatovy and Prachatice) and their partners from Upper Austria and Bavaria. The Sumava Protected Landscape Region (Chranena krajinna oblast or CHKO) was established in 1963. In 1990 UNESCO declared this a biosperic reservation. The adjacent Bavarian Forest gained this status in 1981. In April 1991, 685 km2. of the CHKO became the Sumava National Park (Narodni park Sumava). This and the CHKO now make up the biggest single state - protected area in the Czech and Slovak Republics. The mighty Vltava rises in the Sumava, as do five other major rivers. Two canals, the Vchynicky and Schwarzenbersky, built in the early 1800's to transport logs, scar the region. There are many lakes and ponds within the region - five major lakes are Plesne, Prasilsky, Certovo and Cerne (Black Lake). Winter sport lovers will find many opportunities in Sumava.If you need to calm your spirit your mind and draw new energy in the beautiful countryside, you should take the SUMAVA WALKING TRAILS - KLOSTERMANNOVA STEZKA (28 km) from Hartmanic across Kasperske Hory to Vacon or the INSTRUCTIVE TRAIL - HORNI PLANA, BOUBINSKY PRALES (3,8 km) MEDVEDI STEZKA, HAMIZNA, POVYDRI, CHURANOV.The virgin forest of Boubin is situated on the southeastern slope of Mt. Boubin (1362 m) that used to be a part of a property of the family of Schwarzenberg. Joseph John founded it in 1856 and it consisted of 47 ha. The area was changed several times, finally it is 666 ha, and 47 ha are surrounded with a fence that should protect the plants from animals. An instructive path in length of 5 km follows it. On your trip through a mixed forest you can learn many interesting things about the history of the forest from 9 informative panels. You can see really giant trees - "the King of spruces", is 460 years old, 57.5 m high and its volume is 30 m3. It is a pity that you cannot see it any more from the path. The starting point is the Boubin lake that was used to transport wood to the glass factories in Lenora.


On the way back to the parking you will pass the Ida's sawmill, now a tourist information centre during the summer season.Much of the original 138 hectares of forest was destroyed by a windstorm in 1870. Ironically, the region has been damaged by coring beetles, and the forest itself is out of bounds to visitors.Approximate length of the trip: According to the conditions 4 - 7h (7 - 20 km).