Starý Dvůr: Cycling Routes, Landscape and Cultural Heritage

If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Starý Dvůr, you can plan your trip around three themes: cycling, landscape and history. Cycling Route 1 runs through Starý Dvůr; the “Okolo Seče” cycling loop starts and ends there. The Lichnice–Kaňkovy hory nature trail, Hedvičino Valley and nearby Lichnice Castle add further natural and cultural highlights.

Cycling and the Nature Trail

Cycling Route 1 in the Železné hory microregion runs through Starý Dvůr between Ronov nad Doubravou and the Seč–Trhová Kamenice–Hlinsko section. The “Okolo Seče” cycling loop also starts and ends in the village. For your planning, these are two distinct roles: Starý Dvůr lies along the stated course of Route 1, while the loop names the village as its starting and finishing point. This distinguishes the route’s passage through the village from a loop that begins and ends at the same point.

The Lichnice–Kaňkovy hory nature trail offers a different focus. It covers forestry and the animal and plant life of the Železné hory region. Alongside cycling, forest use and biodiversity are therefore also central themes. The trail ends at a path junction where Starodvorská meets the Hedvikovská Gorge. It was reconstructed in 2015.

Valley, Stream and Gorge

Hedvičino Valley is the valley of the Zlatý potok, which rises from the Pekelské Ponds. The valley, stream and ponds are thus part of a described sequence: the stream originates in the ponds, and the valley bears its name. The Hedvikovská Gorge in the Lichnice geological site offers a different point of reference. It branches in the direction of Kraskov and Starý Dvůr. These directions give the gorge its own spatial description, alongside the relationship between the Zlatý potok and Hedvičino Valley.

Lichnice Castle and Its History

Near Starý Dvůr, Lichnice Castle was founded around 1250 and demolished in 1649 by special order of Ferdinand III. Its ruins stand on a rocky hill 480 metres high. The Milada observation tower is located in one of the towers. The foundation and demolition mark two widely separated dates in the castle’s history; today, the site is known for its ruins and observation tower. The historical development and a named part of the complex thus come together in the same local history.

Local History and Historical Reading

Starý Dvůr’s local cultural heritage includes a cast-iron cross on a sandstone plinth. It also includes a modern bell tower dating from the 20th century. The building history of House No. 4 adds a precisely described building to these landmarks: before 1872, the late Classicist house was converted from a log structure into a masonry building. The cross, bell tower and house thus represent different forms of local cultural heritage.

A more detailed historical overview can be found in the book “Jak šel čas pod Lichnicí,” published in December 2023. It covers the history of Třemošnice and the localities of Kubíkovy Duby, Hedvikov, Závratec, Lhůty, Podhradí, Starý Dvůr and Skoranov, from the 13th century to 1945. The book therefore covers several places and a long historical period; Starý Dvůr is explicitly included in the list. The book is available for purchase at the Třemošnice library. If you would like to buy it there, check availability before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Chrast, Libkov, Liboměřice, Sobětuchy, Nabočany, Hojesin, Rostejn, Vojtěchov.

For the full travel overview: Chrudim District.