Podlešín – Discover the Viaduct, Railway Embankment and Rock Needle

Podlešín is an interesting destination for anyone who wants to discover unusual landforms, railway history and distinctive local landmarks. Between the Podlešín Viaduct, an old railway embankment and the Podlešín Rock Needle, you can enjoy a variety of impressions on an excursion on foot or by bicycle.

Viaduct and sandstone landscape

The Podlešín Viaduct stands at the entrance to Podlešín from the direction of Knovíz towards Zvoleněves. This means that the structure becomes part of the local scenery as soon as you approach Podlešín from this direction. Along the path to the Podlešín Rock Needle, you can see enclosed sandstone tunnels. Sandstone for the construction of the viaduct was extracted from them. The combination of rock and structure makes this route an excursion where the geological nature of the surroundings is directly connected with the history of the village.

The Podlešín Rock Needle itself is an approximately 8-metre-high, isolated and distinctly column-shaped rock outcrop. It consists of arkose sandstones to conglomerates of the Slaný Formation. The clearly defined columnar shape distinguishes this rock needle from an ordinary rock wall and gives the destination a distinctive character.

A memorial tree with a precisely documented history

The Podlešín lime tree is a small-leaved lime tree in Podlešín. It was declared a memorial tree on 25 July 1978. Its trunk circumference was recorded as 420 centimetres on 9 September 2020. The tree complements the village’s stone and technical attractions with a living monument. Anyone looking for not only distinctive structures but also local natural monuments during their stay will find another independent sight here.

Cycling along the old railway embankment

The former railway line also plays a role in exploring Podlešín. The first stage of the local cycle path was built on an old railway embankment in the direction of Zvoleněves. The old railway embankment can be cycled along its entire length from Podlešín to below the viaduct. This allows you to experience the route from a different perspective than when approaching via the village entrance.

The completed section of the cycle path begins at the wastewater treatment plant and is connected to the cycle path to Zvoleněves. For planning purposes, the direction of Zvoleněves is therefore a clear point of reference both for the route of the first stage and for the connection of the completed section. The route combines the memory of the former railway line with a modern opportunity to explore the surroundings on two wheels.

Path to the rock needle and practical orientation

The Podlešín Rock Needle can be reached from Podlešín or Želenice via farm tracks. After rain, the access paths can be very muddy. This information is particularly important when planning your excursion. There is no passenger processing at Podlešín railway station; this takes place on the train.

Other places in the same wider area

If, in addition to Podlešín, you would also like to explore other places in this wider selection, you can continue your research with Ledce, Bílichov, Hořešovice, Studeněves, Jarpice, Hostouň, Smečno and Hřebeč.

To the wider travel overview: Kladno District.