Běhařov – Castle History and Cycling Routes in the Šumava Foothills

Běhařov combines a distinctive landscape setting with a small yet multifaceted cultural history. The village lies in the foothills of the Šumava, where the Šumava meets the Český les, on the left bank of the Úhlava and in the lee of Pohoří Hill.

Castle History and the Church of St. Procopius

Běhařov Castle plays a special role in the history of the village. Alois Kalvoda used it as a summer painting school specializing in landscape painting. The connection with the landscape is therefore not only geographical but also notable from an art-historical perspective: the area around Běhařov became the setting for a school whose focus was explicitly landscape painting. Běhařov Castle is not open to the public.

A second historical focal point is the Church of St. Procopius in Běhařov. It is a small Early Gothic church dating from the period after the mid-13th century. Inside, it has three altars; the main altar features a Baroque statue of Saint Procopius. The church thus combines an Early Gothic construction period with Baroque furnishings.

Cycling Routes with Clearly Defined Lengths

From the village square in Běhařov, there is a connection to cycling route 2089. Cycling route 2052 also runs via Úborsko and Bystřice nad Úhlavou to Nýrsko. These two routes place the village within a larger network and show that the surrounding area is not limited to short rides within the village.

The Úborsko–Běhařov–Dobrá Voda–Svatá Markéta–Veselí–Klenová–Úborsko circuit is 22 km long. Another loop leads from Běhařov via Pocinovice, Orlovice, Orlovická Hora, Jezvinec, Nýrsko and Úborsko back to Běhařov and covers 25 km. The 30-km circuit runs from Úborsko via Běhařov, Dobrá Voda, Libkov, Modlín, Loučim and Koráb back to Úborsko. Orlovická Hora and Jezvinec lie on the 25-km loop; the 30-km loop instead includes Libkov, Modlín, Loučim and Koráb. The different lengths make it easier for you to choose between a more compact loop and a longer day tour, without assuming any particular level of difficulty or travel time. The route structure complements the distance information: two connecting routes are contrasted with three circuits.

Landscape Orientation Around Běhařov

In the area around the municipalities, paved paths can be used for excursions into nature with views of the Šumava, the Strážovské vrchy, the Český les and the Úhlava Valley. This complements the cycling routes with a landscape perspective: in addition to the route length, views and the connection between paths and the natural surroundings also play a role.

For your further research, you can also find Bezděkov U KlatovBezděkov U Klatov, TýnecTýnec, NýrskoNýrsko, LukovisteLukoviste, ŽichoviceŽichovice, StrašínStrašín, Zelezná RudaZelezná Ruda and BřežanyBřežany.

For the higher-level travel overview: Klatovy District.