The Pernštejnskými rybníky educational trail connects a circular route around the ponds with the history of water engineering and fish farming. It runs along the dams and explains how sophisticated water structures served fish farmers for centuries. During a stay in Neratov, it offers a practical way to explore the landscape and its historical use together.
The circular route through the pond landscape
The educational trail is a circular route of about 9 km. For the most part, it follows unpaved paths; about 200 m runs along a forest path and 1.5 km along a road. When planning, the different surfaces are therefore practical details to consider alongside the total distance.
The route passes ponds dating from the 15th and 20th centuries and runs along their dams. The different centuries give the circular route a historical sweep through time. At the same time, the trail explains the role of the water structures in fish farming—a theme that connects the ponds and their dams.
Water engineering and use of the Opatovický kanál
The Opatovický kanál was built from 1498 to 1521 to supply the network of fishponds originally established by Vilém z Pernštejna. The canal is 32.69 km long. A simple all-day trip is possible on it at a maximum speed of 5 km/h.
Its current uses are also clearly defined: the canal is used for water tourism at difficulty level ZWB and is also used for fishing in non-trout waters. This lets you distinguish the historical purpose of the canal from the recreational activities described today: one concerns its construction to supply the fishpond network, the other the activities on the waterway.
Cultural and landscape features
There is a bell tower in the centre of Neratov. The Bohdanečská Alej k Neratovu offers another view of the cultural landscape: a landscape description published in 2017 classifies it as a significant landscape feature (VKP). Historically and locally, the avenue is connected with the Opatovický kanál. Alongside the structure in the village centre, you can therefore explore a named landscape feature and its connection to the canal as distinct topics.
The educational trail and the Sumec na suchu game
The Sumec na suchu cipher game is described as an additional activity featuring fish, ponds and pond farming. A Czech Radio article dated 6 September 2023 describes a game route of less than four kilometres that can be completed in about two hours. If you would like to include the game in your plans, check its current availability before your trip.
Length and theme are useful points of comparison for the two routes: the educational trail is about 9 km long, while the game route is less than 4 km and is described as taking around two hours. In terms of content, the educational trail focuses on ponds, dams and water engineering; the game features fish and pond farming in the form of a cipher game.
Discover more destinations: Opatovice Nad Labem, Litošice, Staré Hradiště, Veselí, Živanice, Mikulovice, Strašov, Holice V Čechách.
View the broader travel guide: Okres Pardubice.
