Plaw: Hiking, Ski Resort and Industrial History

Plaw between valley, river and mountain

Plavy lies in a valley surrounded by hills at the foot of Mikšova hora Mountain. The town is situated on the right bank of the Kamenice River and also extends along both banks of the Skalice stream. The road and railway line from Železný Brod to Tanvald–Šumburk run through the center. The road and railway line from Železný Brod to Tanvald–Šumburk run through the center.

The Palacký Trail and historical traces

The Palacký Trail begins in Plavy, leads through the Kamenice Valley along the river amid landscapes with a wild character, and continues over more challenging terrain. It leads to the ruins of Navarov Castle, dating from the 14th century. The first section from Plavy to Navarov was laid out in 1912 and was 3,130 m long. One described route begins at Plavy railway station and follows a yellow hiking trail marker to the Palacký Trail. If you would like to combine nature and history, this trail can be considered a specific focus for planning your excursion.

Industrial history is also part of the townscape. At the entrance to the Palacký Trail stood the J. Liebig a spol. company works, as well as workers’ and employees’ houses known as "Mlýnskách". The J. company’s spinning mill in Mlýnskách began operations in 1854. The ČSA Museum in Plavy is a nonprofit cultural and sports organization dedicated to protecting and preserving monuments of military history. In addition, issues of "Lety na saních" from 2002 to 2005, as well as an issue dated February 18, 2023, are documented in Plavy.

Cycling, winter sports and events

For cyclists, the marked cycle route 4251 from Zásada to Zlatá Olešnice leads directly into the center of Plavy. In winter, Plavy Ski Resort is located above Plavy on the northern side of Filoun Hill below the Černá Studnice ridge. The resort includes a 610 m long Poma lift, a children’s rope lift and three ski runs ranging from 720 m to 1,080 m in length. Beginners can take ski lessons at the resort’s ski school.

Events also add their own distinctive touches. Plavy hosts the ČP Kamenice rafting competition, which is listed in the 2026 national calendar as a public R4 race. At the 2024 rafting event, the start was in Haratice Dolenec; this was where participants joined the Palacký Trail. When choosing accommodation, you can therefore first decide whether you would like to associate your stay mainly with hiking, cycling, winter sports, the river landscape or culture.

Discover more destinations

For your further search, you can also view Reichenau, Johannesberg I. Isergebirge, Jenschowitz, Eisenbrod, Louschnitz, Drschke, Friedstein and Skuchrow.

To the higher-level travel overview: Okres Jablonec Nad Nisou.