Pfaffendorf: Mining History and Trails

For a trip to Pfaffendorf, local history and the landscape go hand in hand. The administrative area of the municipality of Hlincová Hora includes archaeological sites and silver-mining monuments. Several cycling and hiking trails cross the area; Mrhal Pond and the adjoining forests are also popular destinations for day trips. When planning your visit, you can decide whether to focus on mining history, a particular route or the landscape around Mrhal.

Traces of Mining and the Past

The Dvůr Lusteneck farmstead has been preserved in its original form to this day and is considered an important witness to turbulent times. Together with the archaeological sites and silver-mining monuments, it makes the municipality’s past tangible in specific places. Traces of artificial drainage ditches from an earlier period can also still be seen in the Děkanské lesy. These different remnants come together: a preserved farmstead, mining-related monuments and traces of past interventions in the landscape.

Those interested in mining history can also explore the subject on the educational trails. The information boards along the “Cesta kolem hornického města” trail provide a connected overview of the beginnings, development and decline of mining in the Rudolfov region. The trail can be followed from the cycling route via Rudolfov to Mrhal Pond. It thus connects mining history with a specific route, while the boards present the subject’s historical timeline.

Cycling and Hiking Trails in the Area

The cycling path between Hlincová Hora and Rudolfov has a natural surface. A municipal plan from 2011 described it as having been in operation since 2009. If you are planning to use this connection on a trip today, check its current route in advance. The regionally significant cycling route 1096 also passes through the area of Hlincová Hora. Its stated route runs from Rudolfov via Mrhal Pond, Zvíkov, Vlkovice, Libín, Spolí and Domanín to Třeboň. These details help with orientation in different ways: the surface is specified for the cycling path to Rudolfov, while the regional importance and onward route are given for Route 1096.

There are other routes for hiking. A red-marked KČT hiking trail runs through Hlincová Hora between Mrhal and Dubičné. The “Rudolfovo město” mining educational trail also passes through the area and partly follows the cycling path. At Pramen Pod Lustenkem, a nature register entry last updated in 2014 describes a footpath connecting the two branches of this educational trail. The routes mentioned differ in their course and subject: the KČT trail is identified by its red markings, while “Rudolfovo město” focuses on mining.

A 2011 municipal plan also describes hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders using unmarked local roads and paths. It says that cross-country skiing is suitable only when snow conditions are good. This qualification, which depends on the time of year and the weather, is important when assessing the routes; cross-country skiing is not an option available all year round.

Mrhal and the Adjoining Forests

Mrhal Pond and the adjoining forest areas are used for day trips. Mrhal is also a landmark on several of the routes mentioned: cycling route 1096 passes by the pond, and the hiking trail between Mrhal and Dubičné also runs through Hlincová Hora. This makes the pond worth considering both as a destination for time outdoors and as part of a longer route. The Děkanské lesy add to this landscape with their visible drainage ditches from an earlier period, while the educational trails draw more attention to the region’s mining history.

Discover more destinations: Branisovice, Rejta, Roudné, Staré Hodějovice, Hůrky, Hlawatetz, Petříkov, Vrábče

For the main travel overview: Okres České Budějovice.