This route begins in the small mountain town of Krupka. Before we get to the mountains, we should first see the historical sights of this town with a great mining tradition, dating back all the way to the 12th century. We certainly cannot forget the ruins of the castle that was built on a long rocky cliff. Now you will find a castle restaurant there. Near the castle we may see a monumental Gothic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. A beautiful Church of St. Anne with a cemetery built in 1516 in Saxony in Renaissance style is found behind the hill. The historic town central area belongs to the town heritage preservation zone. We may also visit the Museum of Tin Mining and Processing here.
From the square we follow the yellow tourist sign towards "Horní Krupka" and "Komáří Tower". When taking a trip to the top of Komáří hůrka be sure to get ready for a steep climb along the edge of the Krušné Mountains. A massive crack in the earth's crust that occurred here during the Tertiary period due to huge orogenic pressures arched the land outwards so much that it lifted up the entire region hundreds of metres to the north, while the Podkrušnohorská (region below the Krušné Mountains) plain located in the south sank deep down. During this part of our trip, an educational nature trail called the Příhraniční Trail (Border Trail) will make our climb a little bit easier as it will gradually inform us about the museum and the castle in the town of Krupka, about the tourist gallery/tunnel of Old Martin and the old mining trail and, finally, about the Komáří Tower and the Chapel of St. Wolfgang. Near the tourist crossroad sign Komáří Vížka–kněžiště our attention will drawn to the dominating sight – the oldest viewing tower in the Krušné Mountains turned into a hotel - the Komáří Tower Hotel. Even though the tower is inaccessible, the restaurant and the viewing terrace offer beautiful panoramic views in all directions. Also the terminal stop of the cable lift going from Krupka - Bohosudov is here. We may choose to take the lift if we want to avoid the arduous climb starting in Krupka. Around this peak visible from a distance, tin and other ores used to be mined. Underneath its surface, Komáří hůrka hides many old tunnels. Across its entire slope below it you may discover mining pools, buried mine pits and various remnants of century-old mining activities. In the Chapel of St. Wolfgang you may currently enjoy an exhibition focusing on the gradual settlement progress that occurred in this border region and on the development of various handcrafts. Our journey continues from here along the blue tourist sign over theFojtovická Plain. We walk over a hill terrace, through picturesque countryside around meadows and pastures while being accompanied by breathtaking views of the Czech Central Mountains. At the Fojtovická Plain crossroad, make sure not to miss a right turn. Here we start going slowly down until we reach the forest, which hides the ruins of Kyšpek Castle. When deep inside the woods, take precautions and do not miss a sharp right turn. Only several metres separate us from the castle. The Kyšperk Castle ruins (formerly know as the Vulture Mountain) is located on a steep slope that is so typical for the Krušné Mountains and on a rocky headland which has been formed by the Unčínský and Maršovský Brook for centuries. Remains of the castle walls, buildings and the high castle tower have been partially preserved until today. In one of the better preserved sections of the castle, we can take a look inside the cellars or can enjoy a view from a tall rock. The first record about this castle dates back to 1319, when it was supposedly founded by Otta of Bergov under the authority of the King John of Luxembourg. The castle was inhabited until 1526, when a fire burned it down. After that it was never reconstructed. When we finish our meditation about the fate of this impressive castle, we can go back and follow the blue sign and walk through the beautiful valley of the Unčínský Brook and then all the way to Unčín. We walk along the edge of the forest and around gardens and town sections and sometimes we may catch a glimpse of the distant Podkrušnohorská Plain and the picturesque Czech Central Mountains. From the bottom cable lift station Krupka – Bohosudov we will follow the yellow sign back to the square in Krupka. Total length 14 km.
