Stara Huť in the Brdy Mountains: Ironworks History and the Karel Čapek Trail

Stara Huť lies at the foot of the Brdy Mountains, on the Kocába stream. Here, a landscape in the Brdy meets a history of ironworking. The industrial heritage is linked to the settlement’s most likely founding in 1674. The Karel Čapek Memorial and the literary trail named after the writer are another focus. For planning your trip, both the industrial history and the options for walking and cycling are relevant.

Industrial history by the water

1674 is considered the settlement’s most likely founding year. Stara Huť’s industrial heritage is linked to iron ore from the Brdy Mountains, wood from the forests, and suitable water resources. Water from the outflow of Strž Pond and from the Kocába River was gradually used to build a system of four hammer mills. These processed pig iron into usable wrought iron. The first iron rolling mill in Bohemia and throughout the Austria of that time was also built in Stara Huť.

Karel Čapek and the literary trail

The Karel Čapek Memorial was established in 1963 in the house where the writer spent the last three years of his life. After an extensive renovation of the building and exhibition, it reopened on April 25, 1997. It is dedicated to Karel Čapek and his wife, Olga Scheinpflugová, an actress and writer. The memorial can be reached by car, train, and bus.

The Karel Čapek literary trail follows the original route where the writer liked to walk. Information panels and places to rest line the way. The trail has ten panels in total, covering local history, fauna, and flora. The circular routes differ mainly in length: the first is a walk of about 2 km, especially suited to families with small children and seniors. The second follows the original route preferred by Čapek and is about 7 km long.

The third circular route leads to the place known as Plechhamr. From there, you can either cross the Kocába and continue according to the map, or return to the junction and take the second circular route back to the memorial. Conditions at the ford can vary; check them before setting out. The trail also has an interactive element: you can pick up a worksheet at the memorial and fill it in at the individual stops. In the memorial garden, the Klikotoč sound totem offers three stories in Czech, English, and Japanese.

Strž and trails nearby

At the Strž site (Gorge), also known as Čapkárna, there is an exhibition on the history of the local ironworks and hammer mills. From the free parking lot at Strž Pond, a 400 m level walk along a paved path leads to the site. Strž is on the red hiking trail known as the Říp-Blaník Pilgrimage Route. A free e-bike charger and bicycle racks are available at the site. As parking, access, and visitor facilities may change, it is advisable to check these details before your visit.

There is also a specific option for cycling trips: cycle route 308 runs through Stara Huť and connects Dobříš, Stara Huť, Chramiště, and Prostřední Lhota. This makes it possible to compare the approximate lengths of the Čapek circular routes with a named cycle connection linking several places.

Discover more destinations: Hrimezdice, Pečice, Obořiště, Březnice Castle, Křešín, Doubravice, Vysoká U Příbramě, Županovice.

For the broader travel overview: Příbram District.