Hazmburk to Košťálov

Two castle ruins in one summer day. Hazmburk above Libochovice comes first, then Košťálov above Třebenice, with a pub between them and the Lovosice train at the end.

The local train from Lovosice stops at Libochovice město, a small halt at the edge of Libochovice. You walk out of town on the road north and Hazmburk is in front of you the whole way. The castle sits on its hill with both towers showing, and the road goes straight at it across the fields. I started before eleven and was on the hill by half past twelve.

The climb is short and steep. The road ends at the foot of the hill and a marked path takes over through the trees. The castle walls have a walkway with a railing and the view from there is already the reason to come. The White Tower was open on my visit. The view from the top is nice, but it is not much different from the one on the walls. If you have to pay for the tower and are short on time, the walls are enough.

From the castle you go down the other side to Klapý, the village right under the hill. The way on to Třebenice is flat and open. Lanes run between fields, orchards and a hop garden, and the whole line of the middle hills stands along the northern horizon. Hazmburk stays behind you for a long time. It looks best from the fields near Chodovlice, where you can see both towers again from the other side.

Třebenice is a small town with a square and a few pubs. I stopped at U Havlů on Zimmerova street for a couple of beers. It is a proper pub with a kitchen and rooms upstairs, so it also works as a base if you want to split the day.

Košťálov is the second ruin of the day. It stands on a bare cone just north of the town. The marked route goes around the hill, so leave it and take the path to the top. The ruin is freely accessible and the view goes all the way round. You see the whole of the Polabí plain to the south and the cones of the České středohoří to the north, with Milešovka closest. It is my favourite ruin in these hills for that view alone.

From Košťálov the walk drops north through Sulejovice and then follows lanes across the fields to Lovosice. This last part is the plainest of the day. The town comes slowly and the station is on its far side. Trains to Prague run late into the evening, so there is no need to hurry off the hill.