Ledce: River, Forest and Churches

When planning a stay in Ledce, you can focus on nature, cycling and hiking trails, or church and architectural history. The Dědina, also known as Zlatý potok, flows through Ledce; the different themes reveal various aspects of the place and its history.

River Landscape and Protected Forest

Chropotínský háj lies within the cadastral areas of Ledce and Očelice. The nature reserve was first designated on 14 March 1955. It protects a remnant of a Hercynian oak-hornbeam forest that transitions in places into an ash-alder floodplain forest with a species-rich herb layer. Protected species include populations of the regionally rare longhorn beetle Trichoferus pallidus and other xylobiont insects. The area is therefore shaped not only by its forest, but also by the habitats and species associated with its old trees.

The Ledecké bory forests extend south of Ledce. A blue-marked hiking trail runs through them along the southern edge of the municipality. If you plan to include this trail in your itinerary, check the markings on site. This keeps the route description specific: the trail runs through the Ledecké bory and lies along the southern edge of the municipality.

Cycling and Hiking Trails

Marked cycling route No. 222 runs through Hradec Králové, Třebechovice pod Orebem, Ledce, and Opočno. Ledce is one section of a longer connection between the places listed. Cycling route No. 4166, by contrast, starts in Ledce and runs through Klášter nad Dědinou, Vysoký Újezd, Jílovice, Výrava, Libřice, Lejšovka, and Smržov to Smiřice. The two routes therefore differ in their listed itineraries: on route No. 222, Ledce lies between the other places listed, while route No. 4166 starts in Ledce.

Signage and surface conditions on cycling routes may change, so check them before setting out. Check the markings for the blue-marked hiking trail on site.

Churches and Architectural History

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Ledce is one of the municipality’s three protected religious monuments. Another church associated with Ledce is in Klášter nad Dědinou: the branch church of St. John the Baptist is associated with both Ledce and Klášter nad Dědinou. The Church of St. John the Baptist in Klášter nad Dědinou is a Renaissance building dating from the late 16th century. Its masonry contains stones from the former Cistercian monastery of Svaté Pole.

The Svaté Pole monastery was destroyed by fire in 1420, at the beginning of the Hussite period. The history of the church masonry thus points to an older building context than the Renaissance church itself. The history of the Protestant community also shapes the picture of the church buildings in Klášter nad Dědinou: the Evangelical Reformed congregation was founded in 1782, and the Protestant church was solemnly consecrated on 16 October 1785. After the foundation stone was laid, it was built within six months by the community itself, with a shingle roof. The year 1855 is given for approval to build a tower; this refers to the approval, not a completion date.

If you are looking for a hotel in Ledce, you can plan your stay around your preferred focus: the river and forest, the listed routes, or the church and architectural history offer different ways to explore the place.

Discover more destinations: Všestary, Výrava, Prasek, Lhota Pod Libčany, Vrchovnice, Světí, Kratonohy, Chlumec Nad Cidlinou.

See the regional travel overview: Hradec Králové District.