Chrudim District: Seč Reservoir, Celtic Trail and Museums

In the Chrudim District, you can explore nature, trails and museums as different focuses for your trip. The Seč Reservoir, the valleys of the Chrudimka, and collections devoted to crafts and horses offer specific themes to help you plan. If you are looking for a hotel, first consider which of these interests matters most for your stay.

Reservoir, rock and protected landscape

The Seč Reservoir is considered the recreational centre of the Chrudimsko-Hlinecko area and is also an important fishing spot. Above the reservoir, the Oheb Nature Reserve lies on a rocky outcrop, with a distinctive stand of pine trees. At the same body of water, recreation and fishing are thus complemented by a protected rocky and wooded formation.

The landscape of the Železné hory is protected for its landforms, bodies of water, vegetation, wildlife and traditional settlement character. Along the Chrudimka, you will also find forest ecosystems, flowering meadows and river floodplains. These landscape features range from a distinctive spot above the reservoir to diverse habitats along the river.

Trails with different focuses

The Keltská stezka passes sites of early Celtic settlement around Hradiště and Nasavrky. It also runs through the valleys of the Chrudimka, Debrný and Krkanka. By including this route in your plans, you can take in both the history of early settlement and these named valleys. The Boiika lookout tower is open year-round, so you can plan a visit regardless of the season.

Another route to consider is Krajem Chrudimky: it begins at the source of the Chrudimka near Svratouch, passes through Hlinsko and the Seč Reservoir, and ends in Chrudim. By comparison, settlement sites and valleys are key points of interest on the Keltská stezka, while the start, intermediate stops and destination are specified for Krajem Chrudimky. You can plan accordingly, depending on whether you are more interested in the historical focus of one route or the places along the other.

Crafts, horses and technology in the museums

Betlém Hlinsko features timber-framed workshops and homes associated with the crafts of weavers, toy makers, shoemakers, file makers and metal stampers. The workshops and houses bring both the trades and the work and living spaces associated with them into focus.

The Hippological Museum in Slatiňany explores the development, history, anatomy and breeding of horses, as well as their social uses, art, transport and sport. Saddles and harnesses add specific pieces of equipment to these themes. Švýcárna, by contrast, is a museum of Old Kladruber horses, located on the way to Kočičí hrádek. The two museums therefore have different emphases: one explores horses from many angles, while the other is devoted to the Old Kladrubers.

Veselý Kopec adds water-powered technology to the museum themes. Its collection of technical monuments includes a mill with equipment for cooking jam, a bark-crushing mill, an oil mill and a sawmill. At the Chrudim museum complex, the Regional Museum uses the Neo-Renaissance building for exhibitions. The Neo-Baroque building hosts cultural and social events, including concerts, symposiums and exhibitions; check the dates for individual events.

Planning your visits

Veselý Kopec offers individual visits; guided tours for larger groups are available by prior arrangement. A standard tour lasts 90 minutes. Parking for cars and coaches is 250 metres from the open-air museum. Check the latest information about bookings and parking before your visit.

This way, you can choose your accommodation based on the interests behind your trip, rather than on a general idea of what suits all travellers.

Discover more destinations: Sec, Luže-Domanice, Drevikov, Chroustovice, Vitanov, Ústupky, Stary Dvur, Peralec, Lany, Hojesin, Prosec, Premilov, Hlinsko V Cechách, Bestvina, Svídnice, Slatinany, Parizov, Kamenicky, Bor U Skutce, Vcelakov, Nasavrky, Hluboká, Krásné, Jeníkov, Žumberk, Chrudim, Ctětín, Heřmanův Městec, Holetín, Horní Bradlo, Hrochův Týnec, Hroubovice, Všeradov, Svratouch, Studnice, Krouna, Licibořice, Luže, Raná U Hlinska, Miřetice U Nasavrk, Vysočina, Bylany, Morašice, Mladoňovice, Sobětuchy, Rabštejnská Lhota, Ronov Nad Doubravou, Skuteč, Klešice, Trhová Kamenice, Trojovice, Třemošnice, Tri Bubny, Úhřetice, Vápenný Podol, Vortová, Vrbatův Kostelec, Podhořany U Ronova, Střemošice, Bítovany, Bojanov, Skuteč-Borek, Bořice, Bousov, Hošťalovice, Čankovice, České Lhotice, Dědová, Dolívka, Dolní Bezděkov, Dřenice, Tisovec, Dvakačovice, Hamry U Hlinska, Hodonín U Nasavrk, Honbice, Chrast, Jenišovice U Chrudimi, Míčov-Sušice, Kladno, Kněžice, Kočí, Kostelec U Heřmanova Městce, Křižanovice, Leštinka, Libkov, Liboměřice, Načešice, Lipovec, Lozice, Prosetín, Mrákotín, Nabočany, Orel, Otradov, Pokřikov, Prachovice, Předhradí, Přestavlky, Rozhovice, Řestoky, Vyžice, Smrček, Stolany, Zaječice, Třibřichy, Tuněchody, Úherčice, Vejvanovice, Vojtěchov, Zájezdec, Zderaz, Žlebské Chvalovice, Rvacov, Rostejn, Mýtka, Skalice

For the broader travel overview: Pardubice.