Spring trip to the Králův stolec viewpoint in Podyjí

A trip to the Podyjí National Park to the popular Králův stolec viewpoint

Starting point

A small forest parking lot by the road leading from Znojmo to the village of Mošovice. Parking is free, but the parking lot is small. Therefore, there is a risk that it will often be full.
 

Description of the hike

We took advantage of the beautiful spring weather and chose an easy route to the Králův stolec viewpoint for our trip. As I am still recovering from knee surgery, it was the ideal choice. The terrain is easy throughout, with minimal elevation gain.

From the parking lot, I set off along the green tourist trail. It leads along a wide forest path that descends slightly from the parking lot to the former Andělský mlýn (Angel Mill). The trail continues through the valley along the Mašovický stream. The entire route is very comfortable to walk on as it is a wide path. Eventually, it begins to climb slightly, and I left the forest valley of the Mašovický stream. I continued along a flat, wide path that led me to the Králův stolec viewpoint. There is a wooden gazebo at the lookout point, where I rested for a while and enjoyed the views of the Dyje River valley.

After resting, I continued along the green trail towards Znojmo. As the weather was beautiful, I decided to walk to the Dlouhá řeka lookout point. A narrow but safe path leads to it. The view of the river is beautiful, and you can also see the town of Znojmo. I walked back a few dozen meters from the lookout point and continued along the yellow tourist trail. After about 600 meters, I turned left and continued along a wide unmarked forest path. I walked to the edge of the forest and returned to the parking lot along it.
 

Difficulty

An easy trip, ideal for families with children. The elevation gain along the route is minimal, and there are no technical difficulties. The entire route follows wide forest roads or trails.
 

Water availability

There are no springs or pubs along the route. Therefore, it is necessary to bring your own supplies of fluids.
 

Mountain peaks

The route does not lead over any peaks, but views are provided by lookout points above the river – Králův stolec (King's Chair) and Dlouhá řeka (Long River).
 

Danger

The route is very easy and safe. Almost the entire route follows wide paths. There are no exposed areas.
 

Food

There are no pubs or snack bars along the route, so you will need to bring your own snacks.
 

Attractions

According to legend, the Králův stolec (King's Throne) viewpoint was named after Polish King Jan III Sobieski. He is said to have watched his army from here as it marched to the aid of Vienna, which was under siege by Turkish forces in 1683, and crossed the Dyje River at this spot. The original gazebo was built here in 1892. The current gazebo was built in 1922 and was newly renovated in 2013. The lookout point is one of the most popular in the entire Podyjí National Park.