Valley, fields and hills

Horní Staré Buky can be understood through the interplay of its settlement pattern and terrain. In the historic settlement landscape of Staré Buky, the fields are laid out essentially perpendicular to the valley of the Starobucký potok; at the same time, the layout takes the contours of the hilly terrain into account. These details offer two perspectives: the field layout runs across the valley, while the stream provides a reference point for the settlements’ extent. Here, the arrangement of the fields and the forms of the terrain come together to tell the local history—a perspective that extends beyond individual buildings.

Three historic villages along the stream

Historically, Horní Staré Buky was one of three independent villages: Dolní Staré Buky, Prostřední Staré Buky and Horní Staré Buky. Together, the three settlements extended for about five kilometres along both banks of the Starobucký potok. This approximate length describes the combined settlement corridor, not Horní Staré Buky alone. Thus, the name of a historic unit and the extent of the three villages sit side by side: the names distinguish the formerly independent settlements, while the length describes their shared spatial structure.

The stream at two spatial scales

The course of the stream can also be considered at two spatial scales. In the built-up area of Horní Staré Buky, the Starobucký potok first receives a tributary from the left and, farther downstream, the Žďárský potok. It rises at the eastern edge of the municipality of Staré Buky, where the stream is 10.5 kilometres long. The tributaries therefore relate to the built-up area, while the source and length refer to the municipality. This distinction is useful for getting your bearings: it separates the local confluences from the broader information about the stream’s course.

A building from more recent times

Another point of reference in the history is “Starobucké Hradčany”. The building dates from the mid-1990s. It is a state agricultural enterprise in Horní Staré Buky and is described as a memorial site. Thus, alongside the older settlement and field patterns, there is a much more recent building-related point of reference. These represent two different scales: the fields describe a historic layout in the landscape, while “Starobucké Hradčany” is associated with a specific building and its memorial function.

A cross by the forest path

A 2015 excursion guide mentions a restored cross by a forest path between Střítěž and Horní Staré Buky, near Hainova Dvůr. Check the condition of the cross before your visit.

Landscape or individual points of interest?

If you are choosing between exploring the place as a landscape or focusing on specific sites, the main difference is one of scale. The fields, valley, hilly terrain and distribution of the three settlements are all part of the wider local landscape. “Starobucké Hradčany” and the restored cross are individual points of interest that offer a different perspective on local history. You can choose your focus according to whether you are interested in the connections between terrain and settlement patterns or in individual places and buildings.

Discover more destinations: Rudník, Horni Olesnice, Zirec, Prosečné, Lampertice, Kohoutov, Slemeno, Chotevice

For the broader travel overview: Okres Trutnov.