Twin Castles Weekend

A weekend 44.8 km arc through the Křivoklátsko woods and Podbrdsko from Kařez to Hořovice, past Čertova skála and Zbiroh to the twin castles Točník and Žebrák.

A Friday-afternoon train drops you at the small Kařez stop, and a short detour at the start is worth taking: the grand old Zbiroh railway station building on the Prague–Plzeň main line, now being privately restored (the current owner, an Australian, took it on as a labour of love).

Day one — into the Křivoklátsko woods

From the station the route climbs north into the CHKO Křivoklátsko forest to Čertova skála — a decent view, though don’t expect a revelation — and swings back through the woods past Světovina to the town of Zbiroh. We slept under the stars beyond the town.

Day two — the twin castles

The second day leaves the CHKO and crosses the open Podbrdsko country over Třenická hora, whose small lookout tower stands right on the path, to the pair that names the whole trip: Žebrák on its spur and Točník above it. We reached Točník late — the gate was already shut, though the walls and the view were worth the climb anyway; plan the day tighter if you want to get inside. In Točník village the pub U Krále Václava IV. matches its setting: old-times interior, good beer, honest pub food at fair prices. We took a bed at a B&B in the town of Žebrák below.

The last morning is an easy walk to Hořovice, which has direct trains back to Prague.