If you are looking for tripthat combines beautiful nature, history and technical attractions, go after Svratec Educational Water Management Trail. This 16-kilometre route will take you along the Svratka River in its most picturesque section and show you the charm of the Highlands from a completely different perspective.
Start in Dalečín: history, castle and unexpected stories
The starting point of the trail is Dalecinwhere you can conveniently park at the municipal office. The appearance of the building is reminiscent of a mountain hut, but its past is darker - during the Second World War, the Hitler Youth and later the SS were active here.
Just a few steps from here, there's a tower ruins of the medieval castle Dalečín from the first half of the 14th century. At the beginning of the 16th century it became a haven for robbers and thieves, which had to be suppressed by the provincial army in 1519. Parts of the castle's outer walls with loopholes have been preserved and the surrounding area is now a pleasantly landscaped park. Interestingly, the stone from the original castle was later used to build the castle, which still stands next door.
Photo: Crown of the Highlands
Ruins of Dalečín Castle
Along the right bank of the Vír I dam - a unique technical feature and beautiful views
From Dalečín the road continues along the so-called. the Right Bank Trail around the water reservoir Vortex I. Here you will fully enjoy the breathtaking panoramas and views of the surrounding hills.
The dominant feature is impressive concrete gravity dam, 66.2 metres high - one of the highest in the Czech Republic. Its construction in the 1950s was an extraordinary technical feat. Approximately 1,400 workers were involved in the project and the material was transported by a ten-kilometre cable car from the railway station in Bystřice nad Pernštejnem.
Under the surface of the dam today lie the former villages The Poorhouse a Roundaboutwhich were flooded in 1957. A reminder of the vanished Chudobín remains the famous Poor Pine, a nearly 500-year-old tree that was designated in 2020 European Tree of the Year. According to the legend, the devil plays the violin here on windy nights - but in reality, the rustling of the pine trees is created by the wind flowing through the Svratka valley.
Photo: Crown of the Highlands
Water reservoir Vír I
Vír - from spa tranquillity to adrenaline
Village Vortex is the heart of the whole area and has been a popular tourist destination since the 19th century.
We owe its development to a visionary František Št'astnýwho ran a renowned restaurant there. He offered local liquor The Irish Breeze and his guests included Karel Čapek, Petr Bezruč or Ema Destinnová. The house where he lived now bears a memorial plaque.
Contemporary Vír is a paradise for lovers of sports and adrenaline. You will find here ice climbing wall, via ferraty, cycling routes i jumps from the factory chimney. In the area Vír Factory There is a tourist information centre and equipment rental.
Photo: Crown of the Highlands
Poor Pine
Koroužné: mining secrets and the unique Vír II dam
Under the main dam continues Educational trail around the Vír II waterworks. This smaller but technically interesting reservoir from 1954 balances the flow of the Svratka River, which is influenced by the power plant in Vir I.
The dam is 165 metres long and 11 metres high. Its construction of reinforced concrete pillars and slabs represents a unique technical solution that is not found anywhere else in the Czech Republic.
The trail leads further to the village Cornelian, whose name is said to have originated from the word "to circle" - the river does indeed form distinctive meanders here. History the village is associated with the mining of copper, lead and especially silver oreswhich ended in 1773. You can still find here the remains of adits and old mines. The dominant feature of the village is bell tower from 1856, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua.
Photo: Crown of the Highlands
Svratka in Vir
The end of the route in Švařec: water, wood and history
The last stop of the trail takes you to Svařcewhere it says water treatment plant supplying more than 60 municipalities. Its capacity of 1,150 litres per second makes it one of the seven largest waterworks in the Czech Republic.
The biggest attraction of Švařka, however, is wooden covered footbridge with shingle roof from 1873. This 22-metre-long structure looks like a postcard - it fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape and recalls the honest craftsmanship of the region.
Near the footbridge stands another pearl - Miners' Chapel of the Holy Trinity. This half-timbered building was created by local miners in the 16th century. During the reconstruction in 2022, restorers discovered bricked-in Romanesque windows, suggesting that the chapel may be even two centuries older than originally thought.
Photo: Crown of the Highlands
View of the Vír II waterworks from the Counting Table
Why visit the Svratec Nature Trail?
This unpretentious, approximately 16 km long route, is ideal for pedestrians and cyclists. It offers a unique combination of natural beauty, historical monuments and technical uniqueness - from Dalečín Castle via the Vír dam up to chapel in Švařec.
The Highlands show their friendly face here - quiet, peaceful and full of stories. If you are looking for a place where the water, history and naturethis trail will not disappoint.
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