Slatina Nad Úpou: Trails, Boušín and Cultural Heritage

Slatina nad Úpou combines short cultural discoveries with signposted trails and historical stories. The Justynčina stezka is a 7-kilometre circular hiking trail that follows marked paths and connects nature, local history and sights.

Hiking with twelve stations

There are three information boards along the Justynčina stezka. They describe twelve interesting stations relating to nature, culture and local sights. This gives the trail a narrative dimension that goes beyond simply following the route. The story associated with the route is about Justynka, a Jewish girl from Hronov who was sent to Boušín in 1823 to be prepared for admission to the Catholic Church. She was later baptised there.

Another historical trace is Bathildis Street. It is marked at three points by large sandstone blocks. At the beginning and end, the carved inscriptions “BATHILDIS STRASSE ….. SILNICE BATHILDY” with an arrow can be seen; in the middle there is “BATHILDIS PLATZ ….. STÁNEK BATHILDY”. Such marked details give the walk a clear cultural connection.

Boušín and the buildings of Slatina nad Úpou

In the centre of the village, elevated near the municipal office, stands the Slatinská zvonice. The wooden log structure with a square floor plan has been preserved in its original form and has been documented since 1682. It was built by Prince Piccolomini. In Slatina nad Úpou, the Mariánský sloup also commemorates the town’s historical heritage as a cultural monument with registration number 1875.

Boušín is part of the municipality, a district of Slatina nad Úpou in the Náchod District. There, the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary was built between 1682 and 1692 at the expense of Prince Lorenzo Piccolomini, replacing an older wooden church. The single-nave, oriented Baroque building has no tower. Boušín is also a pilgrimage settlement associated with the story of the miraculous healing of a deaf-mute girl. Božena Němcová recorded this story in her work Babička.

A small path leads downhill from the church to the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, with the Boušínská studánka spring. Boušínská samota is considered the oldest place in the municipality of Slatina nad Úpou. This settlement includes a church, a rectory, a cemetery, several holiday homes and a chapel with a spring.

Routes for different excursion ideas

In addition to the circular hiking trail, there is the medieval educational trail “Po stopách erbu zlatého třmene”, which partly runs through the area of Slatina nad Úpou and has five stations. For a longer cycling trip, KČT cycle route No. 4018, “Okruh Boženy Němcové”, is another option: the circuit is 38 kilometres long and is considered a moderately difficult circular route with numerous stopping points.

Orientation before your stay

For travelling to the Justynčina stezka, the “Slatina nad Úpou, odb. Boušín” bus stop is 350 metres from the trail. According to the route description, Červený Kostelec railway station is 6.3 kilometres from the Justynčina stezka. For further orientation in the same area, you can also find Sendraž, Borová U Náchoda, Heřmánkovice, Bezděkov Nad Metují, Bohuslavice Nad Metují, Zdonov, Vršovka and Libchyně.

For the overview of the wider area: Náchod District.