A Hike Past the Kbíl Dolmen and the Kbíl Lookout Tower in the Šumava Foothills

A Trip to the Kbíl Lookout Tower near Strakonice

Starting point

The village of Smiradice, north of Kbíl Hill. The road leading from Strakonice ends in the village.
 

Description of the hike

We parked the car in a small clearing near the chapel in the village of Smiradice. Just past the village, we left the paved road and continued along a wide forest path. Although it isn’t marked, we had no trouble following it all the way to the yellow hiking trail marker. We continued along the wide path for a little while longer, but soon the trail turned onto a forest footpath. Following it, we very quickly reached the Kbílský dolmen rock formation. One reason for the speed of our ascent was the forest ants, which were everywhere and made it impossible to even stop. From the Kbílský dolmen, we continued along the trail to the lookout tower at the summit of Kbíl. After climbing up to the platform, a magnificent view of the surrounding landscape opened up before us.

After a longer rest, we continued along the yellow trail. We descended along a wide forest path down to the meadows, which again offered beautiful views. We left the hiking trail and continued back to the village of Smiradice along an unmarked path. Except for a short climb, the path descends the entire way. Finally, we made our way back to the village and our car.
 

Difficulty

Although the route mostly follows unmarked paths, it is easily walkable. The entire route follows wide forest roads or trails. The elevation gain isn’t very significant, and the route isn’t long. That’s why it’s ideal for families with children.
 

Water availability

There are no places to refill your water along the route, so you must bring your own supply.
 

Mountain peaks

From the observation tower on Kbíl Hill (664 m above sea level), there is a magnificent view of part of the Šumava Mountains, the Blatenský Forest, and the entire Šumava foothills.
 

Danger

The route is very easy; you mostly walk along wide paths. The only nuisance was the huge number of ants on the way to the Kbíl dolmen. It was basically impossible to stop—they were simply everywhere.
 

Food

There are no restaurants or snack bars along the route. It's a good idea to bring a snack with you.
 

Attractions

The Kbíl Observation Tower is part of a cell tower and opened in 2008. The observation deck is 30 meters high and is reached by climbing 147 steps. The observation tower is open to the public.