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Intro
The cycling trail n. 6 follows the Ohře river (or Eder, in English) from its source in Weißenstadt, in Germany, until its mouth to the Labe in Litoměřice.
The full cycling path is about 300 km long and it is generally pretty flatish.
For a weekend ride we chose a shorter section of that trail and then deviated to the base of Krušné hory.
On the first day, we rode from Libochovice to Kadaň, and on the second day, we continued north-east to Teplice. This second section can be done as a single day ride and I have described it here.
Sadly, I must say that the section we rode on the first day along the Ohře was not quite exciting.
The stretch includes a lot of cycling on asphalt roads, and you get to the river bank only after Žatec, where unfortunately the pavement is horrible – very bumpy at first, then with fine and lose gravel, that makes your legs ask for mercy.
Probably, it was also due to the strong wind constantly blowing against us and to the bit of rain.
The ride “along” the Ohře
Libochovice => Louny
Upon leaving Libochovice, there is a short section inside a forest near the Ohře river bank, which gives hopes for the upcoming ride, but that’s it.
The route continues on asphalt until Louny, a medieval town surrounded by walls, complete with a gate and remnants of the old fortification, with towers and bastions.
We were already pretty hungry by the time we reached Louny and decided to do an energy pit stop in the centre. There are several places open for lunch, and you won’t die of hunger.
Louny => Žatec
In the 25km that separate Louny from Žatec there is a nice section across hops fields, specifically between the villages of Stekník and Trnovany.
Žatec is another medieval town on the Ohře river and all the attractions are within walking distance.
Disclaimer: Žatec is very famous for hops cultivation, which is used in the production of many famous and less famous beers.
In the southern part of the town you can visit the Temple of Hop and Beer, with the hop astronomical clock, the hop museum and the hop view tower.
If you feel hungry, I would recommend dropping by the restaurant and brewery U Orloje in the same complex.
On the northern side you find the main square, with the city hall, the tourist info point, and the smallest hop garden in the world.
The western section is protected by the old fortification walls, including the Hussite bastion and two preserved city gates.
Žatec => Kadaň
Leaving Žatec behind, you finally get the opportunity to cycle along the Ohře river bank until the Nechranice reservoir.
This cycling path is called “Chmelovelo”, from chmel (hop) and vélo (bicycle in French, and I think internationally).
If you follow my route, turning left from Vičice (point 3) will lead you to a quite steep and off-road ascent alongside the dam spillway. It can be a bit daunting to imagine the volume of water that could flow there, but nevertheless it is interesting to see.
Alternatively, you can turn right and continue on the asphalt road, that will bring you to the same point via a longer detour.
From the intersection “Vikletice” up at the dam until the end of your journey in Kadaň, it is another 15 km, mostly uphill.
Kadaň was a royal city during the reign of Charles IV, and today you can still see many remnants of that time.
From the bridge over the Ohře you can immediately spot the castle, and further ahead are the fortifications with the barbican and gates. The Franciscan monastery stands a bit further, and the historic town square features the city hall with its unique Gothic white tower.
And don’t forget to have a stroll down the narrowest lane in the Czech Republic!
For dinner, you can chose from a few restaurants. We opted for the Indian-Nepalese one, as they also offer vegetarian dishes.
If you have a sweet tooth or need a place for the next day breakfast, then I recommend either Es Café in the main square, or the cafe U Krištofa (note that the pin is somehow misplaced; the entrance is from Komenského street).
