Pikovice: Hiking and Nature along the Sázava

Pikovice combines a marked trail with a distinctive landscape along the Sázava and memories of the region’s tramping history. The Posázavská Trail, marked 0001, follows the Sázava from Pikovice to Kamenný Přívoz. This gives the town a clear starting point for anyone wishing to include a hike along the river in their travel plans. The two endpoints provide the trail with a clear spatial framework, while the Sázava remains the connecting landscape feature.

Natural Monuments and Distinctive Landscapes

The deeply incised Sázava Valley near Pikovice is predominantly covered by spruce forests, with fir, oak, and scree forests in places. Medník is a protected regional biocentre and has been a National Nature Monument since 1933. Medník is also considered the only site in the Czech Republic where the snowdrop anemone (Kandík psí zub) is found. The plant life and protection status give the landscape a distinctive natural-history significance. The different forest types complement the impression of the deeply incised valley, making its vegetation just as characteristic as its terrain.

A striking feature along the river is Pikovická jehla: a prominent, widely visible, tower-shaped rock with a cross at its summit on the right bank of the Sázava below the railway line. Its valley-facing wall is 45 m high, supplemented by a short upper northern wall. The stretch of the Sázava between Pikovice and Žampach is known as the “Zlatý kaňon” (“Golden Canyon”). The name was coined by the tramper and writer Bob Hurikán, inspired by the beauty of the landscape.

Trails, Memorial Sites, and Regional History

At the beginning of the Posázavská Trail, two memorial plaques are embedded in the rock beside the red-marked trail. The memorial site “Dvě pamětní desky v Pikovicích” connects the trail route with a specific historical reference. If you would like to combine a nature experience with local history, this site can be included when orienting yourself along the Posázavská Trail.

Festival, River, and Planning Your Stay

Every September, a country festival is held at the riverside campsite in Pikovice, commemorating the region’s rich tramping history. Pikovice is also home to Tábořiště Pikovice. Pikovický přístav in Pikovice offers refreshments. These different points of interest allow you to weigh landscape, trail experiences, and a culturally oriented stay when planning your trip.

When looking for accommodation, you can make your preferred experience the starting point for choosing a destination. The Posázavská Trail is 11 km long and classified as moderately difficult. Another route specification concerns the Týnec nad Sázavou–Pikovice section: it is 16.5 km long and listed with the difficulty rating ZW–WWII. The two route specifications refer to different sections and should therefore be considered separately in your own planning. This allows you to match the desired route length with the relevant difficulty rating without confusing the two routes.

More Destinations for Your Search

If you would like to expand your comparison to other destinations, you can also compare Dolní Břežany, Slapy, Knezeves, Číčovice, Solopisky, Vestec, Zlatníky-Hodkovice, and Karlík.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Praha-Západ.