Velká Lhota: Landscape and Culture Above the Bystřička Reservoir

Velká Lhota lies above the Bystřička Reservoir on the northern ridge of the Vsetínské vrchy. The municipality is crossed by the Beskydy Protected Landscape Area and thus combines a distinctive mountain landscape with noteworthy evidence of regional history. If you would like to combine nature and culture during your stay, you will find various points of interest here: views across several mountain ranges, rare plants and animals, historic wooden buildings, and trails focusing on the history of the surrounding area.

Landscape Between Ridges and Protected Areas

The highest elevations of Velká Lhota include Vrchhůra at 693 m and Ostrý vrch at 672 m. From Velká Lhota, there are views of the Rožnovská Bečva valley as well as Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, the surrounding Beskydy Mountains, the Vsetínské vrchy, Javorníky, and Hostýnské vrchy. These far-reaching views give the landscape a clear regional character without requiring you to limit yourself to a single lookout point.

The natural environment also has several distinctive features. Rare orchids and other rare flowers grow along the forest edges, including Fusch's finger orchid and the green-winged orchid. Several rarer amphibian species live in the wetlands and ponds of Velká Lhota. Rare bird species that breed in the area include, among others, the barred warbler, red-backed shrike, whinchat, common raven, hazel grouse, black woodpecker, and ring ouzel. A mighty maple is also a prominent landmark of the municipality.

Wooden Church, Toleration Church, and Jan Karafiát

The cultural character of Velká Lhota is shaped particularly by its wooden religious buildings. The wooden Protestant church without a tower was built in 1783. The wooden Toleration prayer house was declared a national cultural monument in 2008. Services and other religious celebrations continue to take place every Sunday in the wooden Toleration Church. For visitors, this means that you will see not only a historic building here, but also a place that continues to be used for religious purposes.

Velká Lhota is also associated with Jan Karafiát, the author of Broučci. He was a Protestant pastor in Velká Lhota from 1875 to 1895. The Jana Karafiát educational trail is 14 km long and has 16 stations. It presents the nature and history of the area around Valašské Meziříčí and leads to the municipality of Velká Lhota. This allows you to combine the literary and ecclesiastical history of the village with a longer exploration of the landscape.

Hiking, Cycling, and Further Discoveries

Several marked hiking trails pass through the municipality. The terrain is increasingly used for mountain biking, while in winter cross-country ski tracks run along the ridges. Depending on the type of stay you prefer, you can choose between a hike, a bike ride, and a winter activity without leaving the landscape setting of Velká Lhota. A bus connection links Velká Lhota with Valašské Meziříčí; it was operated by ČSAD Valašské Meziříčí.

Malá Lhota also adds to the cultural and landscape orientation. Among the protected historic buildings there is a wooden bell tower. The sandstone rocks of Medůvka are also easily accessible from Malá Lhota; they are used as practice crags by climbers. When looking for a hotel in Velká Lhota, you can therefore primarily consider whether the protected landscape, marked trails, or the combination of different excursion destinations is most important to you.

More Destinations for Your Search

For further orientation within the wider destination area, you can also view Velké Karlovice, Valašské Příkazy, Ratiboř U Vsetína, Valasska Bystrice, Valašská Senice, Valasske Mezirici, Zdechov, and Branky.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Vsetín.