For decades the Brdy hills south-west of Prague were off-limits: a large military training area closed to the public, with forests that grew wild and roads that only soldiers used. In 2016 much of it was opened and became a protected landscape area, and the hills around villages like Zaječov have quietly become one of the more interesting places to explore in central Bohemia.
The Brdy are a long, forested ridge of old rocks, rising above the surrounding farmland. The forests are mainly spruce and beech, with clearings, peat bogs and streams, and they are full of roe deer, boar and many birds. The region also has an industrial past, as iron ore was mined and smelted here for centuries, and the ironworks at nearby Komárov were famous for their cast iron. Small museums and old buildings tell this story.
Zaječov itself is a small village at the foot of the hills, with a church and a few farms. The roads around it are narrow and winding, climbing into the forest and dropping into valleys, with very little traffic. Some forest roads remain closed to motor vehicles, so follow the signs carefully. Surfaces can be rough and covered in leaves or gravel, especially after rain.
There are no real services in Zaječov, so fill up in Hořovice, the nearest town, which has fuel stations, shops and a château. A picnic in the forest is a good alternative to a restaurant. Onward, the way heads south towards the Šumava, the great forest on the border with Bavaria, where the roads become even wilder and the landscape more remote.