Discover Pouste: History and Routes Along the Kocába

Pouste brings together local history and routes along the Kocába. The Plechhamer Mill, a reconstructed chapel, and ceramic commemorative photographs offer a reason to explore the area's past, while cycling and walking routes add an active dimension. If you are planning a stay, you can choose between cultural history and tours with different character.

History Among the Mill, Pond, and Chapel

The Plechhamer Mill was built in 1707 in the Kocába valley near Pustiny. Pustiny was later renamed Pouště. The Plechamerský double pond was also located by the mill; it disappeared in 1941. The mill and pond represent different traces of the historic landscape: a dated construction and a body of water that later disappeared.

The Chapel of St. John the Baptist in Pouště has been reconstructed. Ceramic photographs of men who fell in the First and Second World Wars are displayed on a chapel in Pouště. Alongside the building's history, the photographs provide a specific memorial to the fallen.

A more recent tradition also has a precise date: the automatically controlled bell in Pouště rang for the first time on August 17, 2025. If you would like to hear it ring, check in advance whether it is scheduled during your visit.

Cycling and Routes Along the Kocába

The Lurdy cycling route is listed as 25 km long and crosses a concrete bridge over the Kocába to the settlement of Pouště. Before setting out, check the current route and conditions on the surface and at the crossing. The first half of the tour in the area around Pouste is more technically demanding: it follows singletrack trails along the Kocába to Nový Knín. One section of the cycling route runs high on the hillside above the river and offers views of the Kocába below.

Beyond Plechhamer, the cycling route enters a rugged gorge that is impassable by bicycle. For this section, the route description gives a detour: ride back 300 m and switch to the path above the rocks. Since route and surface conditions can change, check conditions before setting out.

A route description published in January 2025 describes a walking route along paths on the right bank of the Kocába. It leads to a small bridge, crosses the river, and climbs through fields to the village of Pouště. Check trail conditions before your walk. Compared with the cycling route, this route is characterized by its river crossing and the subsequent climb through fields; the cycling route, by contrast, is listed as 25 km in total and includes more technically demanding singletrack sections.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Travel Plans

For outdoor activities, choose between the cycling route listed as 25 km, its more demanding sections, and the walking route described above. Then compare the location of your specific accommodation with your plans for excursions, and take the conditions of each route into account. This way, your choice reflects the interests you want to shape your stay.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Podlesí, Starosedlský Hrádek, Krepenice, Hvožďany, Sedlčany, Mokrovraty, Sádek, Hluboš

Back to the main travel overview: Příbram District.