A trip around the village of Žlutice to Mount Vladař and local sights

From Žlutice to the Nevděk and Vladař Hills and Other Points of Interest

Starting point

Žlutice, free parking in city parking lots.
 

Description of the hike

The yellow hiking trail leads from the church, past the train station, to Nevděk Hill (630 m). At the information board at the Pod Nevděkem crossroads, I learn about the F. L. Jahn monument, which was erected in memory of the German “father of gymnastics” and later misused to promote Nazi values. The monument is dominated by a sculpture of a cross, composed of four F’s—the initial letters of the German words “Frisch, Fromm, Fröhlich, Frei” (healthy, pious, cheerful, free)—arranged, however, in the shape of a swastika, the symbol of Nazism. The monument was erected in 1928, toppled in 1945, and not restored until 2013 as part of Žlutice’s history. A quick search on mapy.cz leads me to the monument, which is now completely overgrown.

The trail to Nevděk climbs steeply toward the summit cross. According to the information plaque, this is already the fourth cross to stand at this site. It was a tradition among the former German residents of Žlutice to light it up with small lamps at Easter; the local fire department has recently revived this custom. From the summit, there is a view to the north toward Žlutice and the surrounding area. Below the summit is a round well. According to legend, it was dug all the way down to the level of the Střela River (about 150 m lower), and when a duck once fell into it from the top, it is said to have cheerfully swum out a short while later down at the Střela. The well is now almost completely filled in.

From Nevděk, the Rozárka Owl Nature Trail continues toward the micro-region’s dominant feature—the table mountain Vladař (693 m). Below the summit of Nevděk, there is a beautiful, sweeping view of the landscape. From this vantage point, Vladař resembles a hat; the fresh breeze ripples the golden meadows and fields of ripening grain into gentle waves, making them look like the surface of the sea. Nestled among the green fields and meadows are the surrounding villages—on the right, Kobylé with the four-sided tower of the Church of the Assumption, and Vladořice, a hamlet at the foot of Vladař. Below the road to Kobylé lies the Žlutické Lurdy spring, with a small cottage and a bench where you can dip your feet in the stream.

From there, the road climbs over the hill toward Kolešov and Vladořice. Along the paths, there are numerous small monuments—crosses with German inscriptions reading “Zur Ehre Gottes und zum Andenken Familie …” (To the glory of God and in memory of such-and-such a family…), two 19th-century shrines—expressing gratitude for recovery from a serious illness, a spring, and the Stone of Reconciliation. Descriptions of these small monuments can be found on the website of the Sova Žlutice association, which helped restore them and trace their history. Children will be entertained by wooden sculptures of forest animals, toadstools, and fairy-tale characters.

Vladař is a table mountain that has long attracted Slavic settlers. In the Middle Ages, a major Hussite battle took place here; in more recent history, the area served as pastureland, which shaped the grassy and thorny summit. The trail from Vladař continues across the road past the Záhořice ponds and through the shady grove along the Střela River back to Žlutice. Walking the Rozárka Owl Trail, including the ascent to Vladař, takes about 4–5 hours.

If you enjoy small religious monuments, the St. James Trail—named after the patron saint of pilgrims—is particularly lovely (marked with red and green signs by the Czech Tourist Club, KČT). Stretching 6 kilometers, it leads from Žlutice past the Church of St. Nicholas (Mikulášské lípy) and Větrušice, then back around the natural swimming area to Žlutice. In addition to beautiful views, the route features several restored wayside crosses—which likely once marked field boundaries—a historic wayside shrine, and three restored chapels.
 

Difficulty

Hikes along marked trails; educational loops suitable for families with children. Numerous small historical sites.
 

Water availability

Shops and restaurants in Žlutice.
 

Mountain peaks

The hills of Nevděk (630 m above sea level) and Vladař (693 m above sea level) offer views of the Rakovník region.
 

Danger

The trail is not dangerous and is suitable even for families with older children.
 

Food

Refreshments in Žlutice; shops and restaurants; none elsewhere along the route.
 

Attractions

Žlutice is a town with a thousand-year history, situated on the banks of the Střela River. It was founded along an ancient trade route between Prague and Cheb. The town’s historic landmarks include the Church of St. Peter and Paul with its adjacent rectory, the Main Square with the town hall, a fountain, a Baroque column, and the castle gate—though the castle itself is missing (it burned down and was demolished). More information about Žlutice can be found on the town’s website at www.zlutice.cz. To the west of the town lies the Žlutice Reservoir, a water management project built in the 1950s on the Střela River. Also well-known is the pilgrimage site of Skoky with the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, which gave rise to the Czech phrase “Panenko Skákavá.”. The town of Žlutice, together with the volunteer association SOVa (Spolek Okrašlovací Vladař – sovazlutice.eu), has marked several hiking trails that show visitors the natural and cultural landmarks in the area.