Horní Záblatí: Blanice, Hiking Trails and Marble

In Horní Záblatí, nature, hiking trails and local history come together as different themes for a stay. From here, the Blanice flows through an increasingly deep, wooded valley. Parts of the Blanice Natural Monument and the geological site “Mramory SV od Záblatí” lie within the cadastral area. The medieval and modern-era historic centre also has an archaeological connection. The “Okolo Prachatic” circular hiking trail leads from Prachatice to Horní Záblatí along a blue-marked hiking trail.

Blanice and protected habitats

The Blanice Natural Monument includes parts of the Horní Záblatí cadastral area. It protects the habitat of a natural oligotrophic watercourse with a sandy to gravelly bed, as well as habitats of rare animals and plants. Oligotrophic means nutrient-poor; sandy to gravelly describes the composition of the watercourse bed. Thus, both the characteristics of the watercourse and the habitats of the rare animals and plants found there are part of the conservation purpose.

From Horní Záblatí, the Blanice flows through an increasingly deep, wooded valley. The river valley therefore offers a distinct landscape connection alongside the natural monument: here, the focus is on the course of the Blanice and the shape of the surrounding landscape. If you are planning your trip around nature and landscape, you can consider this river landscape separately from the geological site.

Geology at the “Mramory SV od Záblatí” site

The “Mramory SV od Záblatí” site lies within the Horní Záblatí cadastral area. It includes a marble quarry face, a spoil heap and a partly backfilled inclined excavation. These features give a concrete picture of the geological site: the marble quarry face stands alongside dumped material and the inclined excavation area. The site is therefore characterised not only by its name, but also by these three distinct terrain features.

The site can be reached via a walkable tourist path; it is more than 250 metres from the road. As there are old excavation areas there, take the usual care when walking through the terrain. This gives you two practical points to bear in mind when visiting: the path is described as walkable, and the site is not directly beside the road. Plan your route accordingly and take care around the old excavation areas.

Hiking trails and directions

The “Okolo Prachatic” circular hiking trail leads from Prachatice to Horní Záblatí along a blue-marked hiking trail. This gives you a named starting point, a marked trail and the town as your destination when planning a hike. A yellow-marked hiking trail and a path also run along the right bank of the Blanice. Blue marks the described section of the circular trail from the direction of Prachatice, while a yellow-marked hiking trail runs along the right bank of the Blanice.

This information helps distinguish two different points of reference: the circular trail leading from Prachatice to Horní Záblatí, and the paths along the right riverbank. This also makes it easy to connect hiking with the landscape shaped by the Blanice and its wooded valley.

Historic centre and mining history

The medieval and modern-era historic centre of Horní Záblatí is one of the archaeological sites. Mining provides another historical connection: mining took place in historical times at “hořejším Záblatí u sv. Trojice”. The historic centre and mining are therefore two distinct points of interest for anyone interested in history: one concerns the archaeological classification of the settlement core, while the other relates to historical mining at the specifically named location.

Horní Záblatí therefore offers more than a single focus when choosing a destination. You can choose how much importance to give to the circular hiking trail from Prachatice, the Blanice river landscape, the geological site and the historic connections to the area. Use these specific themes as a guide when looking for a hotel in Horní Záblatí and planning a stay focused on nature, hiking or local history.

Discover more destinations: Hracholusky, Vlachovo Brezí, Lčovice, Pěčnov, Lužice U Netolic, Micovice, Nicov, Těšovice.

For the broader travel overview: Prachatice District.