Ah, that K… Křivoklát is simply not Karlštejn
Are you also one of the mouflons who constantly confuse Křivoklát with Karlštejn? Does anyone like that really even exist? You’d be surprised how many people still have a problem with those two castles. Perhaps because they are both of royal title, gothic appearance, beginning with the letter K, or simply because they are both near the Berounka River. Who knows. So if you didn’t know which was which before, you’ll be clear after this trip.
We’ve planned three days on the water, several cultural stops, gastronomic experiences, a connection with nature and a pretty decent gym. But let’s take it one after the other.
DAY 1: Mainly don’t overdo the beginning
To warm up, we have designed a route of about 12.5 kilometres with several cultural inserts. The first one is the royal castle Křivoklát. An icon that you should definitely visit before pushing from the shore in Roztoky. From Roztoky it is a comfortable route of less than 2 kilometres to this place, where the famous alchemist Edward Kelley was imprisoned and where the royal treasure was stored during the Hussite wars.
The second is the Hamous farm in Zbečno with a historic but still functional bread oven. If you’re lucky, you’ll enjoy freshly baked bread. Simply disembark at the Riviera camp site and walk the short distance to the centre of the village. Even with two stops you will reach the final destination of today’s section, Tábořiště U Jezu in Račice, in a few hours. Use the rest of the day to swim at the weir or to bronze yourself. Just don’t overdo it on the first day.
DAY 2: Don’t hang around and relax your muscles in the evening
Did you find the first day totally relaxing? The second section won’t be as much fun. It’s only 2.5 kilometres longer in distance, but…. The water is much lazier here and you will have two impassable weirs, where you will need to transfer the boat and its cargo. The boating navigation will tell you which way is best. Lest you think we’re just out to destroy you the next day, we can promise to satisfy your cravings in return. I mean, gastro-cravings.
The first stop is offered right from the beginning in Nižbor. The Baroque château, with an exhibition dedicated to Celtic culture, overlooks the famous Rückl glassworks from the cliff, where you can take away a hand-cut glass. And where there are furnaces and glassblowers there is a real thirst. Maybe that’s why there are so many options to wet your throat. But watch out for opening hours, it can be tricky in the morning. So where to dock? For example at Zastávka (Stop). No, it’s not a grammatical error. Zastávka is a stylish train station restaurant owned by Czech actor Tomáš Hanák. Or stop in Prague opposite the glassworks (we really don’t mean our capital), U Lípy across the river, but the most stylish is at the boat converted into Bistro HST-P48 a little further downstream.
Ice cream of all flavours and colours is inseparable from summer. They have the best one in Hýskov. They also sell ice chips that will freeze your brain. You can thaw it at the end of the village by visiting the birthplace of writer František Nepil. Today’s finish line opens behind it, ending with the Na Hrázi autocamp in Beroun. And in this royal city it’s time for more food porn in the form of delectable burgers. You should go to either Blackdog Bar & Grill or Kozy Rozy.
Your muscles deserve a rest too, no one doubts that. The best place for them will be in Aquapark Beroun, where they can enjoy a steam bath, massage bed, whirlpool, sauna and other amenities. Really take good care of your muscles, you’ll need them in the morning.
DAY 3: Final ease to the royal finish
If you missed the city tour the day before, we recommend you do it before the last section of the boat trip. On selected days you can find fruit, vegetable, bakery and sausage vendors in the square in the morning, as well as rag pickers with fashion and glittering glamour for women. You can also visit the Museum of the Bohemian Karst or the Museum of Ceramics, where you can make your own memento out of clay. But there is much more. Immediately after leaving the camp site you’ll have to carry the boat around the 3-metre high weir (don’t forget to check the boating navigation for directions), so making yourself happy with something shiny or tasty will definitely boost the crew’s morale. You’ve got about 9 kilometres to go on the river.
Behind the royal Beroun you will sail below the Tetín rocks, where the Tetín pilgrimage site is hidden. You can try to conquer the village where Krok’s daughter Teta lived and St. Wencelas’ grandmother, Princess Ludmila, was murdered, but it won’t be possible without sweat and panting. Tetín is the entrance to the Bohemian Karst Protected Landscape Area, and the valley here looks like something out of an American western movie. You will pass the Alkazar quarry on the left – its wall is a popular climbing spot – and you will then arrive in Srbsko. You haven’t gone down the wormhole, you’re still in the Czech Republic. It’s not Srbsko like Srbsko (engl. Serbia) Stop learning vocabulary and head to the local camp site instead, which is special because it has its own brewery.
Buy yourself a bottle to take home when you’re telling your mates about the experience of this boat trip at the barbecue, and set sail for the final miles to Karlštejn, where you’ll disembark for the very last time. Just ‘spongebobbing’ the boat, emptying the barrels, putting everything back and off to the castle to find out what the difference is between Křivoklát and Karlštejn, so that there is no more confusion. On the way to the royal castle you will pass shops selling local wine, a microbrewery, ice cream parlours, restaurants and the Nativity Scene Museum, where even the Grinch would be in the Christmas spirit.
