From Kutna Hora to Pradubice to camping at Usti nad Orlici

Day's Summary
"Today we were going to see Pardubice, which I had read had a superb Renaissance town square. The day started with a drive through forests and rural farmland. We made a shopping stop at Prelouc and got to Pardubice at about 12h00, left the camper in a free parking area, and cycled into town. The old town was indeed very special but we also enjoyed some of the newer areas. The castle was also a very worthwhile stop and after cycling back to the camper we found a delightful campsite next to a river at Usti"

We wake up to a lovely morning with light patchy cloud and lots of blue sky. We took a quick ride into town to try to find a place to change money, but nothing was open at 8h30. Then it was back to the Santa Barbara Campsite via the uphill cobbled street. We got on the road at about 9h30 and headed for Pardubice, which I had read about in our guide book. We were now on better roads than the day before, and made a morning stop at an informal lay bye in a forest. Besides being able to go “behind a bush” we heard cuckoos doing their cuckoo thing and walked about 150 m down what seemed to be a logger’s track and found what would be a super overnight stop. As long as it didn’t rain!

We went through mostly rural countryside - forest and farmlands - and a number of small towns. The fields of bright yellow rape were especially dramatic. Manfred had told us that it was being produced for biofuel. We made a stop at Prelouc and bought our lunch rolls at the Penny Markt. It was a rather smart super market and Stephen noticed a French Press for coffee. We did have problems with the filter system. It simply got blocked every time. We also bought some Czech Klobasa and other sausages with the help of a friendly shop assistant who assured Marianne that they were not the spicy kind. The Klobasas tasted a lot like Hema rookworst!

We got to Pardubice just before midday and found the parking area described in Park4night quite easily. We got the bikes off and I adjusted my saddle. A passer-by told us there was a nearby bicycle shop and confirmed that we were in a free parking area. We then cycled into town. It was a very pleasant ride past very smart suburban houses and by following Google maps we were soon in the centre of town. We were relieved to find a tourist office and we got some maps and information. We decided to follow one of the historic routes. One enters the old city via a formidable city gate into the Pernstynske Square. It was now overcast and our photos were doomed to have grey skies, a great pity as it is a beautiful city. The square was surrounded by mostly four storied Renaissance buildings with a grand twin towered city hall with one of the towers scaffolded (as was becoming inevitable) and another Plague Monument. We walked and rode around the old square and then followed the historic route to the river to see the old automated mills. Rain was threatening so we dived into a covered entrance and had our rolls sitting on the steps. We then went through the Komenskeho Square which had a simple monument to "we don’t know what" and then went back through the main square and into the new town. We cycled down the pedestrianised street opposite the town gate and ended up at a modern shopping centre. We changed money, bought a bandage for my ankle and Voltaren, had ice creams and got coffee and apple tart at Tchibo. Then it was back down the street and we then headed to the Zamek Castle. This building was very well maintained and we discovered that what looked like shaped blocks or stones were in fact painted on to a flat wall. Tromp l’oeil! The castle housed a very good museum dealing with archaeology, Pardubice history, Czech glass which was very good, Gothic and Renaissance history and art. Very impressive indeed. We went onto the walls which were decorated with old cannons and other bric a brac and enclosed what is now a parkland and enjoyed views of the town.

Then it was time to ride back to the camper and head east to find a place for the night. We again drove though yellow fields and small towns. A wooden roadside chapel was particularly interesting. We finally got to Usti nad Orlici where we turned off to a campsite we had found on one of our apps. It proved to be rather busy - it had climbing walls and lots of kid stuff - but beautifully located next to a river. The families left towards evening and we had the campsite to ourselves. (Except for a lone tent) A few trains passed on the track across the river and cyclists went past on the road on the same side. Although overcast it was dry and we could sit outside on the camp benches and enjoy wine and chips. A heavy shower chased us inside, but it cleared after supper and we could go for a walk before the sun set. We looked at the maps of the area that we had got and decided on a route for a cycle in the morning. Then we went off to shower and to bed. At about midnight the rain really started hosing down!

Geschreven door Leartravels