Rybník in Český les: Trails, Springs and History

Rybník lies in the heart of the Český les Protected Landscape Area and combines surroundings consisting predominantly of forests and pastureland with marked trails, a remarkable spring and traces of regional history. This creates a destination where you can combine different kinds of hiking days: a short route to the source of the Radbuza, longer trails through the landscape, a viewpoint near a castle ruin and insights into the former glassmaking tradition of southern Český les.

Marked trails near Rybník and access to the source of the Radbuza

A special connection is the blue-marked tourist route from Rybník to Švarcava, just under 4 kilometres long. It connects the Švarcava border crossing with Rybník, where it joins the red-marked tourist route. In the surroundings of Rybník, hiking and cycling trails connect directly to comparable trails in the Bavarian part of Český les. This allows you to continue navigating along marked connections on both sides of the region.

For longer hikes, the red-marked Baarova cesta is a good option. It is 7 kilometres long, with a total distance of 14 kilometres there and back. The route from Rybník to the source of the Radbuza also follows the red marking; this route is approximately 10 kilometres long in total. A marked trail also leads from Rybník to the most accessible source of the Radbuza. If you choose a shorter approach, you can reach it from the car park beyond Závist via a 1.3-kilometre route; this trail is well marked.

Source, watershed and landscape

The Radbuza rises in Český les below Lysá at an altitude of 869 metres above sea level, near Rybník in the Domažlice District. An unusual point of orientation lies in nearby Závist: House No. 17 stands directly on the European watershed. Water from the roof flows on one side towards the Nemanický potok, the Danube and the Black Sea, and on the other side towards the Radbuza, Berounka, Vltava, Elbe and North Sea. Together with the landscapes consisting predominantly of forests and pastureland, this watershed gives the surroundings a tangible geographical context.

Starý Herštejn and the history of glassmakers

Starý Herštejn, a castle ruin and viewing tower at the same time, lies near Pivoň and Rybník in Český les. A viewing tower was built on Starý Herštejn in 2020. The site thus combines historical traces with a specific destination for a hike, without reducing the castle ruin to its present-day function as a viewing point.

The region’s economic history is also present in the surroundings of Rybník. Near Rybník, the glassmaking family Schürer founded the first historically documented glassworks in southern Český les. Anyone wishing to understand the development of the region alongside its landscapes and trails will find an independent cultural point of connection here.

Traces of vanished villages

Most of the vanished villages in Český les lie along local roads or marked hiking trails. As a result, you encounter historical traces not only at a single museum site, but also along the trails through the region. One specific example is the cemetery of Pleš: German descendants respectfully restored it between 1992 and 1994, uncovering the foundation walls of the cemetery church in the process.

Discover more places

Other places on this travel overview include Nemanice, Kanice, Všepadly, Kvíčovice, Čermná, Draženov, Němčice and Holysov.

To the overarching travel overview: Domažlice District.