The highest peak of the Blanský Forest, a pilgrimage place for all inhabitants of Český Krumlov and České Budějovice, offers, in addition to amazing views, education in the highest observatory in our country and pleasant refreshments in a mountain hut.
The elongated silhouette of Kleť (1,084 m above sea level) with its television transmitter is clearly visible from many neighbouring and more distant districts and is clearly the most prominent landmark in the surroundings of Český Krumlov, which is situated almost at the foot of the mountain and is thus an ideal starting point for climbing it.
There are several routes to the summit and different means of transport. Let us try a combination of train and walking this time.
We will use a regional train on the line between České Budějovice and Volary, travelling from Český Krumlov to Holubov (about 15 minutes). The village square of Holubov consists of houses surrounding a fish pond, well suited for swimming (including a slide), and there are two restaurants, too.
From Holubov, we will first walk (for about 2.5 km) to the starting point for the climb to Kleť, which is the car park in the village of Krasetín. Note for fans of easy hiking: the valley station of the chairlift is located in Krasetín, near the parking lot, and the chairlift will take you to the top in 15 minutes. In his book Country in Thought, Ladislav Stehlík writes the following about the chairlift to Klet': "... the yellow cable cars are either for the indolent or for people too tired by old age, ..." However, if you are tempted by the comfort of the chairlift, even this conquest of the peak counts.
A more powerful experience is, of course, hiking. One of the options is to walk directly along the chairlift route, i.e. "under the cableway". This route is the shortest, but at the same time the steepest (elevation 390 m) and in many places passes through difficult terrain (rocks, roots). That is why it is more convenient to follow the green marked trail, the nature trail 'Around Kleť'. It is about 5 km long, passes rather past the contour lines and in particular it will familiarise you with the natural wealth of the mountain at eight stops.
What path should we take to get down from Kleť? Good to know: You don’t need to walk back via Krasetín and Holubov to get back to Český Krumlov, but you can simply walk down one of the marked routes directly to the town. However, especially the final part of the hike (from Kleť to Svornosti Square in Český Krumlov = 8 km) may seem "endless" at times (considering the kilometres already covered).
Just below the peak, the trail will take you to an astronomical observatory, the highest one in the Czech Republic and a world-famous workplace specialising in the discovery and monitoring of asteroids (planets). The second-largest telescope in the Czech Republic (mirror diameter 105 cm) is also operated here.
Other attractions await you at the very top: The 18-m-high lookout tower with battlements, built in 1825 by Josef Schwarzenberg in Romanticist style, is the oldest stone lookout tower in Bohemia. The view is spectacular: you will have the Bohemian Forest, the Gratzer Mountains, the Budějovice and Třeboň Basins, and in good weather, even the Austrian Alps in the palm of your hand.
When you've had your fill of the views, go down a little lower on the road leading to the peak. After about 300 metres you will reach a TV transmitter from 1974 and, with your head bowed back, you can try to estimate its height (175 metres).
The mountain hut, adjacent to the stone lookout tower, is almost a hundred years younger than the tower. You can spend the night there, but above all, after the climb, you can indulge in some of the famous local specialities – garlic soup, bread with lard, pickled camembert cheese, fried cheese and many others.