Picturesque “VALLEY OF THE TICHÁ ORLICE”
The Tichá Orlice River, on its journey through the East Bohemian landscape, flows through several romantic stretches. The most striking is the canyon-like valley between Ústí nad Orlicí and Choceň on the river’s middle course. This scenic gem is known to travelers on trains along the main Czech railway corridor between Prague and Moravia, where, on the way from Prague, the character of the countryside changes completely after passing through the “Choceň Tunnel” (which was abolished after World War II due to the electrification of the line—the entire rock mass above the tunnel was removed). The valley has also been embraced by cyclists, inline skaters, and hikers, who since 2007 have been served by a new asphalt cycle path built on the original dirt track lining the river and the railway embankment.
The floodplain with its river meanders is bordered on the left bank by the steeply rising slopes of Lysina Hill (506 m a.s.l.). Above the hamlet of Bezpráví on the right bank of the Tichá Orlice towers the majestic Zátvor Hill (495 m a.s.l.), whose plateau, during J. A. Comenius’s stay in Brandýs nad Orlicí, offered a safe refuge for secret gatherings of members of the Unity of the Brethren.
The immediate surroundings above the Tichá Orlice at the location described offer many trip options—both for hiking and for cycling.
Travel with us along tourist attractions downstream… our journey begins in Ústí nad Orlicí, where you should notice the original station building, the “Old Lady,” which survived its planned demolition and contrasts with the modern look of its surroundings. Ústí station lies in an unusually rugged spot near the confluence of the Tichá Orlice and the Třebovka, squeezed between two hills—Kubincův kopec (487 m a.s.l.) and Andrlův chlum (559 m a.s.l.). We continue to the Stříbrná krasavice lookout tower on Andrlův chlum and then on to Doleček’s forester’s lodge. Here, from the atmosphere of the murmuring river and the trains passing through Luh—already in the municipality of Orlické Podhůří—we are jolted by a powerful story. It was here at Doleček’s forester’s lodge during World War II that the remarkable story of forester Čeněk Doleček unfolded: together with his family he helped partisans in the surrounding forests, even though German railway guards were living in his house. The setting and plot of this drama in many ways recall the famous Berounka River and the fate of the family of writer Ota Pavel. West of Prague, these are evoked by the little house Na Přívozu or the tramp pub U Rozvědčíka. A good beer awaits you in Klopoty, a picturesque valley with holiday cabins that joins the main canyon from the right, or in Bezpráví at U Pildy next to the former mill—later a weaving mill and later still a civil defense warehouse. Klopoty was made famous by the pilgrimage chapel of Our Lady, Mother of Perpetual Help, standing by an abundant spring of crystal-clear water next to the former spa and inn. Bezpráví, in turn, is famous for its mysterious name, perhaps an echo of old times when robbers ambushed merchants’ wagons here. During the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Bezpráví—with its railway stop on the largest rail curve between Prague and Olomouc—inspired Prague enthusiasts who wanted to build a “totalitarianism open-air museum” here. After the hamlet of Perná, before Brandýs nad Orlicí, we take a left turn across the bridge to the Brandýs Labyrinth, which recalls the most famous work of Jan Amos Comenius—The Labyrinth of the World and the Paradise of the Heart—whose manuscript was written in 1623 right here by the Tichá Orlice. On the marlstone spur above the charming little town, the ruins of a Gothic castle come alive, successfully restored by the local Association for the Rescue of Brandýs nad Orlicí Castle, and we cannot miss this place either. Brandýs remembers the famous spa era at the beginning of the 20th century, when express trains from Prague stopped at the resort and renowned guests came and went. This chapter in the town’s history and the local spa tradition has been successfully continued by the Rehabilitation Institute, whose building is among the local landmarks. After further refreshment options, we continue our journey along the valley cycle path to Choceň, past the former mill—today the Mítkov guesthouse—into the Peliny Nature Reserve, formed by distinctive marlstone towers directly above the Tichá Orlice, and here our journey ends.
It is worth stopping here, sitting down on a bench, and beneath the crowns of centuries-old deciduous trees watching the amazing theater of nature for a while. Article author: Martin Leschinger
