Ublo – Hiking, Landscapes and the Baťa Railway Traces

Ublo combines the hilly landscape of the Vizovická vrchovina with an unusual railway history and quiet reminders of rural life. Forests, meadows and pastures lie in the surrounding area. This gives the village a clear thematic setting for a stay in which you can combine hikes with local history and regional architecture.

Hiking through the Vizovická vrchovina

Several documented trails lead to or through Ublo. The hiking trail from Vizovice via Ublo is approximately 14 km long. A steeper climb awaits at Suchý vrch; afterwards, the route runs mainly through the forest along the contour lines. Another hiking trail leads from Vizovice via Ublo and runs below Suchý vrch parallel to the yellow hiking trail marking. A yellow-marked hiking trail also passes through the cadastral area of Ublo.

From Vartovna, a route follows green- and yellow-marked hiking trails towards Ublo and the U Hruška viewpoint. On the return journey of the “Kapka mezi dvěma zámky” route, you encounter the trackbed of the unfinished railway again in Ublo and climb via Jasenná to Vartovna. The different routes thus connect forest sections, ridge trails and historical traces, without all the paths having the same character.

The Baťa Railway as an unusual local landmark

Construction work on the Vizovice–Ublo section of the Baťova dráha began in July 1934. The railway remained unfinished, but its remains still shape individual sections of the trails today. A hiking route along Baťa’s unfinished railway reaches Ublo; there, the UBlanka tunnel is planned as the first stop. The tunnel itself is a concrete remnant of the railway left unfinished by Baťa.

On the Baťa Railway route, the trail in Ublo runs above the Ublanka tunnel and then turns back into a grass-covered railway embankment. This creates a distinctive transition between a hiking trail and a trace of technological history: the route is not merely a connection between places, but shows at several points how the planned railway line has remained visible in the landscape.

Local History and Regional Tradition

The first written record of the settlement of Ublo dates from 1450 and documents the local bailiff’s estate. A monument to those who fell in the First World War stands in the centre of the village. Preserved wooden houses are examples of regional folk architecture and add a vivid example of rural building traditions to the historic character of the village.

The bell tower also points to Ublo’s history: the bell in the bell tower bears the year 1784. At the same time, a new bell tower with a new bell has once again become part of the village landscape. Ubelské divadlo continues the local tradition of amateur theatre. A bronze socketed axe found in the Valušné field in Ublo or in the nearby area is kept in the museum in Olomouc. The documented history of the village thus extends from a written record dating from the 15th century through regional architecture and theatre to an archaeological find.

More Local Pages for Planning Your Trip

For further research, you can also visit the local pages for Veselá, Dešná, Rokytnice, Komárov, Šanov, Spytihněv, Podhradí U Luhačovic and Otrokovice.

For the broader travel overview: Zlín District.