Horní Nová Ves – Nature, History and Hiking

Horní Nová Ves between the Javorka, nature and history

Horní Nová Ves combines nature observation, regional history and cultural discoveries into a destination with a variety of attractions. This is particularly evident on the 13-kilometre Kamennou hůrou educational trail. It leads through Horní Nová Ves and includes eleven stops. Along the way, the educational trail combines diverse natural scenery with examples of folk architecture, geological features and places associated with local legends.

The landscape includes several protected areas. The Kamenná hůra Nature Reserve is located near Horní Nová Ves, has been protected since 1956 and preserves a so-called bare beech forest. The Údolí Javorky Nature Monument covers the cadastral area of Horní Nová Ves. It protects the meandering course of the Javorka stream as well as marshy meadows with protected plant species. There are also numerous preserved log cabins along the Javorka. The preserved log cabins along the Javorka complement the natural setting with a visible element of rural architecture and add a cultural aspect to the experience of nature.

The surrounding area also offers distinctive landscape features: the Maxinec (MLázovický chlum), Tábor and Přivýšina mountains are located near Horní Nová Ves. The Na Zámcích hill [Lužany] is in the immediate vicinity. As part of the wider regional surroundings, the churches of Lázně and Valdštejn are also associated with the area around Horní Nová Ves.

Fortress, astronomy and monuments

The history of the village dates back to the period of the Thirty Years' War, during which Horní Nová Ves became permanently incorporated into the Bělohrad estate. Dražná was the fortress located in Horní Nová Ves. On the left bank of the Javorka, at the boundary of the cadastral areas of Horní Nová Ves and Prostřední Ves, lie the remains of a vanished medieval fortress. It is known by the names Dražná and Na Drahách and is first documented for the years 1400 and 1396, respectively.

A memorial plaque on the birthplace of Emil Buchar at Horní Nová Ves 68 commemorates the important Czech astronomer. He discovered the first Czech minor planet, named it after his mother Tynka, and used observations of Sputnik 1 in 1957 to determine the Earth's flattening more precisely. The village also has a renovated crucifix monument and a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk.

If you would like to compare hiking and cycling, the educational trail offers a 13-kilometre route with eleven stops. The Jižní okruh from Nová Paka is considered an easy cycling tour of approximately 17 kilometres for mountain bikes or trekking bikes. It reaches Horní Nová Ves on an unmarked road at kilometre 11. You can therefore choose accommodation according to your focus: nature monuments and the educational trail offer a different emphasis from the fortress, the history of astronomy and local monuments.

More destinations for planning your trip

Other places you can choose for planning your trip include Holovousy, Prachov, Ohařice, Staré Smrkovice, Libošovice, Sobotka, Lazne Belohrad and Kopidlno.

To the higher-level travel overview: Jičín District.