Kožlany is a small town on the high, rolling plateau north of Plzeň, and if the name rings a faint bell it is because Edvard Beneš was born here in 1884. The man who would become Czechoslovakia's second president, and who led the government in exile during the Second World War, grew up in a farming family in this quiet corner of western Bohemia. A memorial in the town marks the connection.
The country around it is wide and open, a patchwork of big fields, scattered woods and villages built around a pond and a church. To the south, the land drops towards the deep, wooded valley of the Berounka, which loops and twists its way towards Prague through some of the prettiest scenery in the region. Castles perch above it here and there, and the river is popular with canoeists in summer.
Riding up here is calm and rewarding. The roads cross the plateau in long, gentle curves, with surfaces that range from good to bumpy and patched, and traffic is usually light. Dropping down into the Berounka valley gives you something more interesting, with tighter bends and short, steep descents through forest. Watch for tractors and for gravel at junctions, and be ready for village speed limits, which are enforced.
As a photo stop, the appeal is the sense of space: big skies, golden fields in summer, and the gentle geometry of Bohemian farmland. Fuel and food are available in Kralovice nearby and in Plzeň, a short ride south. If you have time, Plzeň's brewery, birthplace of the original pilsner lager, is a worthwhile detour, though best saved for after the ride.