5. Rozvadov – Nemanice
Lenght: 37 km
Border checkpoints:
Železná – Eslarn (A,T)
Pleš – Friedrichshäng (T)
Rybník – Stadlern (T)
Nemanice/Lučina – Untergrafenried (A,T)
Lísková – Waldmünchen (A)
Other sights:
Diana – baroque hunting castle from 1742 built by Kolowrat counts
Bělá nad Radbuzou – renewed baroque bridge with statues
Přimda – castle (first mentioned in 1126), bathing, skiing
Pleš – abandoned village, refreshment, touristic shelter
Description:
A section of service road near the border crossing Rozvadov is not accessible. The stripe along the signal wall is blocked by a large truck parking site, a highway and an express way. So it is better to follow the KČT red path and to get over the highway via an overpass. Near the border crossing there used to be the village Střeble (Ströbl) There was an iron-mill already in 1387. In the 16th century a mansion was established there and after 1773, under Fr. Kohler, there was built a chateau and several plants for processing of glass – one of the first ones in the region. Apart form that there was also a small village, which had 133 people in 1930s. After 1945 the people were removed and in early 1950s the village was pulled down. Now the place is water-logged and grass-grown, we can find remains of old water-gangs and foundations there. Under two old lime-trees, at the now almost invisible access road, the German natives built a wooden memorial after 1990 to commemorate the existence of the village.
We can connect back to the service road after several kilometres at the Kateřinský brook. Not far from here there are two natural reserves –Jezírka u Rozvadova (peat lakes) and Diana (flowery beech land with rich undergrowth of Matteuccia struthiopteris, Asperula odkryta and Carex brizoidex. Not far from here there is a building of the former troop house. The service road continues to the Železná and goes to the valley of Nivní and Farský brook.
Village Železná (Eisendorf) was established in late 16th century. In the 30 Years War the village was almost destroyed, but then it grew again and in 1905 it was promoted to town. Before the war there lived more than 1000 people. Also most of the surrounding villages belonged to the town. There lived also several Czech families, because there was a customs house, financial guard and a gendarme station. After the war the town was resettled, but most houses remained empty. During the socialist period over 90 percent of the houses ceased to exist, only circa 15 houses in its most eastern part have remained. Also the historic buildings were destroyed – the church of St. Barbora from 1770. After 1945 it was gradually destroyed and in 1960s it was pulled down as a ruin. In the place of the cemetery there is now the large site of the former Border Guard barracks. Refreshment is available there and quite a large market place. At the pond there is a park, where one can relax.
The service road then continues via the Železná huť towards Pleš (794.4) and passes another extinct village Frančina huť (Franzelhutte). The favourite holiday resort, where 157 people lived before 1945, experienced the same fate as the other villages – it was deserted and destroyed. After a steep climbing to Pleš we get to the eponymous once village (formerly Ploss). Before the war this village had more than 700 people and was one of the largest in the area. When the border zone was established in 1950s, all the buildings were pulled down, except the gamekeeper’s lodge and a former hotel, used as a Border Guard post. For some time J. Zika lived in the gamekeeper’s lodge. It was a smuggler, who was shot near here in early 1950s when trying to cross the border. At present there is an inn in the former gamekeeper’s lodge. Not far from here, at the eastern rim of the Pleš plateau, in the valley between the Velký Zvon and Malý Zvon, there was the villageVáclav (Wenzelsdorf) It was established in late 18th century on the lots of the owner of the territory Václav Koc z Dobrše, after whom it was named later. Before the war there were 61 houses. The village was destroyed in 1950s, when the border zone was set up. A part of its area is now occupied by the deserted facility of the former Border Guard troop house, which has been here since 1970s, when the border zone was extended and this served as a replacement for the troop house on Pleš. North of here is the hill Velký Zvon, the highest in the Czech part of the Český Les, with a former military facility on the top.
From the Pleš plateau the service road continues closely to the border to the south in a gradual descent. After 3 km we leave the wood and reach a once village Švarcava (Schwarzach), which used to be a part of the village Schwarzach, that still exists on the other side of the brook on the Bavarian side of the border. The settlement on the Czech side of the border was established in mid 17th century, when the customs duty started being collected there and an inn was founded there. In 1899 a fire destroyed a part of the village. Before the war there were 19 houses. Already shortly after 1945 the border crossing was closed and the village was not resettled. The village was destroyed in 1950s, when the border zone was set up. The border crossing was renewed in 1990, but no traces of the once houses have remained.
There is a border crossing for the tourists there and following a blue KČT path we can get to the village Rybník, where you can buy refreshment and accommodation. Not far from the border crossing there used to be a hunting lodge Dianin Dvůr, built in the place of a baroque mansion in 1819 by baron Kryštof Vidršpergár z Vidršperka. In the times of the later owners the chateau was enlarged and a big deer-park was set up there. In 1950s the Border Guard used it, but soon it was deserted. Now only the ruins of the outer walls have remained.
The service road is grass-grown in this section, so we need to take a detour on the road. It connects back to the service road at the village Hraničná and continues to the former village Lučina (Grafenried). This village is one of the oldest settlements here as it was mentioned already in 1282. However it became a part of Bohemia only after the change of borders in 1764. This split the village between two countries, because the lower positioned part Untengrafenried remained on the Bavarian side, where it still exists. Circa 300 people lived there, but it was quite an important village, because it had a border crossing, a church, vicarage, school, chateau and lots of craftsmen. After 1945 the village was partially resettled, but in early 1950s the people had to move out, because the border zone was set up there. The buildings were pulled down then. Now only ruins can be found there and remains of a cemetery (some tombs were renewed after 1990).
From there the service road continues via the Hraniční les (720.4 m a.s.l.) towards Nemaničky (Schmalzgruben). This originally glass-works settlement was established in 17th century and it developed fast. In 1930 there were already 75 houses. When the border zone was set up – its wire led directly along the road Lísková – Nemanice - the village was almost destroyed. Now it is a part of the village Nemanice. The service road then continues along the road to Lísková towards the border crossing.