Pouste: Plechhamer Mill and Kocába

Pouste brings together the history of earlier production along the Kocába, a reconstructed chapel, and specific route details. Plechhamer Mill and the hammer mill represent the area’s industrial past; ceramic photographs at the chapel commemorate those who fell in two world wars. Route features include a concrete bridge, paths along the riverbank, and named destinations. This lets you decide when planning your trip whether local history, remembrance, or a particular route is your priority.

The history of the mill and hammer mill

Plechhamer Mill was built in 1707 in the Kocába valley near Pustiny; Pustiny was later renamed Pouště. A hammer mill for producing copper sheet was established on the Kocába as early as 1698. Plechhamer was one of the first facilities of its kind in Central Bohemia. In chronological order, 1698 marks the hammer mill and copper sheet production, and 1707 the construction of the mill. The mill burned down in 1931 and today survives only as a ruin.

The chapel and remembrance

The Chapel of John the Baptist in Pouště has been reconstructed. Ceramic photographs of men who fell in the First and Second World Wars are mounted on it. The chapel thus brings together a reconstructed building and a tangible commemoration of those who fell. As a subject in local history, this remembrance offers a different focus from the former copper sheet production.

The Kocába and the vanished Double Pond

The Plechamerský Double Pond was also located at the site of Plechhamer Mill; it disappeared in 1941. There, the Kocába formed a U-shaped bend and flowed through a deep, rocky valley. A large embankment is associated with the creation of the Double Pond. The pond is therefore a historic landscape feature, not a body of water that exists today.

Routes and path features

The Lurdy cycling route reaches the settlement of Pouště via a concrete bridge over the Kocába. Check current path and crossing conditions before setting out, as the surface and crossing may change.

A route described in January 2025 passes the Chapel of John the Baptist and a small pond on pastureland, then continues to Mokrovraty railway station. Check the path conditions before your trip if you plan to follow this route.

Another route described in January 2025 follows paths along the right bank of the Kocába to a bridge, crosses the river, and climbs through fields to Pouště. The stated destinations differ: one description ends at Mokrovraty railway station, the other at Pouště. When comparing the routes, pay attention to these endpoints and the path features mentioned for each.

The bell in Pouště

On August 17, 2025, the automatically controlled bell rang for the first time in Pouště. From that day, it was scheduled to ring every Sunday at noon. If you would like to hear it at that time, check in advance whether the announced schedule is still in effect.

Discover more destinations: Obory, Mašov, Čím, Drahlín, Stara Hut', Trhové Dušníky, Dolní Hbity, Radětice.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Příbram.