Levínská Olešnice: Valley, Culture and Hiking Trails

Levínská Olešnice lies in a long, narrow valley on both sides of the Oleška stream. To the north, the hills of Hradiště and Zakopanice border the valley; to the south are the Staropacké hory. The landscape, sacred art and marked hiking trails give the village a range of distinct facets. If you are looking for a hotel in Levínská Olešnice, you can choose where to stay based on whether your trip is focused more on local history, the landscape or a hike.

The valley and surrounding heights

The Oleška stream runs through the valley, while the named heights mark its northern and southern sides. This helps orient you in the landscape and connects it with another historical reference: Hrad Levín stood on a wooded rocky spur of the Staropacké hory. The valley and the elevated site of the former castle thus present two contrasting landscapes.

Church and art in the village centre

The Church of All Saints has been mentioned since the 14th century and was enlarged in 1833. It is associated with a group of twelve statues, a statue of the Holy Trinity and a cross. The sculptures are listed as cultural monuments of the municipality. The church brings together different historical periods: its first mention in the 14th century and its later enlargement.

The sandstone group of the Holy Trinity was created by Josef Kuhn in 1890. Its plinth is richly detailed in the Neo-style; an inscription dating from 1896 is carved into the group. In the centre of Levínská Olešnice, the group stands on the left side of the road towards Vrchovina. This location distinguishes the sculpture group from another historical trace: the remains of a fortified site lie in the southwestern part of Levínská Olešnice, east of the railway bridge over the road to Levín.

Hrad Levín and its history

Hrad Levín stood on a wooded rocky spur of the Staropacké hory. It is believed that the castle was founded around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries; the site may have belonged to a member of the Načeratic family. A red-marked hiking trail leads to Hrad Levín. This links the named location in the landscape with a specific hiking destination, while the castle’s founding history remains cautiously qualified.

According to a report from 2024, the restored Hradiště Levín had an information board and a simple seating area by a fire pit. Check on arrival whether these facilities are available on site.

Hiking and finding your way

A description published in 2023 characterizes the trip from Nová Paka to Levín as an easy, 13-kilometre route focused on geology and history. Hrad Levín is the stated destination of the red-marked trail; the trip from Nová Paka to Levín is also described in terms of its length, difficulty and theme. You can therefore orient yourself either by a specifically named destination or by the described features of a route.

A location description updated in 2020, based on information from 2016, places the Levínská Olešnice railway stop about 200 metres from the village centre. It also mentions a signpost for tourist trail markings near the stop, and marked trails that you can follow from there to Hrad Levín or into the Oleška Valley.

Discover more destinations: Roprachtice, Štěpanická Lhota, Pelešany, Dolni Stepanice, Tatobity, Lomnice Nad Popelkou, Harrachsdorf, Horní Dusnice.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Semily.