Lady Brompton bike tour ~ Czech Republic

Join us on our Czechia bike tour along the famous elbe cycling route visiting castles, vineyards, wineries, charming towns and the Bohemian fairytale landscapes around Kokořín before cycling into the heart of Prague.

🚴‍♂️ ‘Czech’ out the cycling route here:
https://tinyurl.com/3pupa5kz
(St. Thomas Winery is not included as we took a ferry across to the other side from the village Velké Žernoseky)

🎵 Music from Free Music Archive:
Robert John, Crowander, Goodbye Kumiko, Alex Productions, Pavlove, Gregor Quendel, Jan Mörgenson, Danny Bale, Nadie Sabe. Thank you so much! 🙏

🎼 Copyright-free classical music: Smetana – Moldau. 🎻

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[Music] Door Den. We are on our way to the Czech Republic to finally start our bike tour along the River Elba cycling route. I highly recommend getting a Czech train, by the way. So classy. Oh, hello there, my dear sweet Lady Brmpton. Since we’re touring with a toddler, we also brought along the Moody cargo bike. Its front basket folds out to carry a child seat. Very handy. And the whole thing still fits on the train. We’re starting our bike tour at Nadalabm. Jesus, that’s a fancy map. There we are now, cycling along the famous Ela cycle route, which winds pastels, charming towns, vineyards, and wineries. Later on, we’ll be veering off the cycle route, getting a bit more adventurous as we explore the bohemian paradise of Kukurin before eventually riding into the heart of Prague. Now, before we get started on this bike tour, I do want to mention that Google Maps has no bike navigation in the Czech Republic, and I hate Google anyway. So, go ahead and download mappy.com. It’s actually a check navigation app. It’s free. It works offline. It tailors your route to your cycling style, and it even shows the elevation, which I find really useful. Okay, enough of that nerdy shite. As soon as we leave Nadlm and join the Elba cycle route, it’s so quaint. [Music] Aoy there, Fisher boys. I love this riverside charm and all the tiny cute little details. And as we cycle along, I do wonder, can we swim in the river, Ela? Yes. Yes, we can. So long as you don’t mind sharing it with rats. But if you do prefer a pool, lucky for you, check has you sorted. But first, we need to find the perfect spot to get rid of this dead body we’re shleing around. The rubbish bag is actually a super lightweight toddler hiking backpack, I swear. And down below, we have all the other things tiny human needs and a cooler bag on the back, which is a luxury. And for Lady Brmpton, we have the usual setup. A dry bag looks sack on the back and the messenger bag up front. Let’s get back on the trail, shall we? Now, one of the first places you’ll want to visit is Berg Shrekenstein, a castle perched at top a 100 meter cliff overlooking the river Ela. The name Shrekenstein literally translates to scary rock. Well, after cycling up that scary rock, you might want to kill yourself. Oh, how convenient. [Music] These helmets were supposed to strike fear into the hearts of enemies, but I can’t help but find him absolutely adorable. He looks like a medieval big bird. There is a lovely hike, which I wasn’t really expecting, up through the castle ruins to the very, very top of that scary rock. And let me tell you, the views are well worth the climb. [Music] Oh, look. Apples. Everywhere you look, there’s fruit just waiting to be picked. Whoops. Still delicious. With all the fruit growing here, it’s no surprise this region has such a rich wine- makingaking history. It goes all the way back to 1143 when monks were sent here by the king to plant vineyards. Got to love those monks. Cheers, lads. Let’s hop on this tiny wooden ferry across the Elba to visit a winery that’s a local favorite. [Music] St. Mass Winery is so charming and genuine. You can really feel the love the family puts into their work here. They even offer tours if you book in advance. But for now, let’s have our own little mini wine tasting. Ah, it’s just water. Relax. We had such a lovely time here with the locals and their dog, Monty. But now it’s time to hop back on the little wooden boat and head to our next stop. You can really feel the South Moravian vibes here at Miku Lancovi’s Little Wine Tavern. She even brought out a box of toys, which of course were immediately destroyed. Ah, that hits the spot. [Music] Here we are at the town of Lita Maritz. Actually, I don’t know how you pronounce it. Hang on a second. Leto Majetta. Jesus, I got that so wrong. [Music] Anyway, we’re here to get some money, which I advise that you do as well. And of course, grab some of that delicious fruit. This time, sadly, we’re paying for it. Look at these beautiful psychopaths. Jesus, we are spoiled. spoiled rotten with all these paved gorgeous pets. But don’t we all yearn for a bit of adventure? Off we go, sir. You know, I’ve cycled thousands of kilometers on Lady Brmpton, and to this day, I haven’t had a single puncture. [Music] A bit of downhill action there. So anyway, yeah, she’s conquered it all. From sharp gravel to mud to even glass, these schwalba marathon plus tires are invincible. Lady Bee is a beast. Tickles. But alas, even beasts deserve a rest, and this campsite is the perfect place for it. The cabins are spotless and have everything you need, plus a few cute little extras. And there’s even a swimming pool. They also have a surprisingly excellent wine selection. Perfect for the sunset. Or is that the moon rising? Ah, who cares? Cheers. [Music] Look, we’re here. Wow. Who’s that? Definitely recommend a hike up to these sandstone sculptures called Devil’s Heads. A fella named Levi carved a whole series of these about 180 years ago, and you’ll find them scattered all through the forest. Never seen a stone getting stoned before. [Music] Wow, look at those sandstone cliffs. And not even that dead body bag can ruin these views. [Music] If you’re going up a steep hill, my usual go-to is the Brmpton stomp. And if that doesn’t work, I go for the headbanger. Now, I don’t know about the physics of this one, but it does actually work. Try it out. Holy fairy tale. Oo, let’s have a look inside. [Music] Coarin Castle was originally built in the 14th century. You can still see the medieval stone walls and the narrow little windows for shooting enemies. The romantic style that you see today came about in the 19th century when the castle that was then a ruin and also known as the cursed castle was finally renovated. A Where’s your beak? There are so many steep hairpin curves leading downhill. And I’m even easing the brakes ever so slightly cuz the speed of Lady Bee flying downhill is absolutely mental. [Music] What’s this? Ooh, a lavender bouquet. And you just leave your money there. Love the trust in humanity. Next stop, a swim at Lake Harris off. One thing we’ve noticed on this trip is how few tourists there are. We mostly just heard Czech being spoken. Oh, and there’s an awful lot of goulash and sausages. But you have to try the horseradish. [Music] Let’s cycle with the speed of Superman to our next stop, Melnik. Famous for its wine and for the stunning views from the castle terrace. Let’s go have a look. Jesus. If I lived here, I’d absolutely 100% turn into a raving alcoholic. I’ll just be sitting here sipping my wine. Sorry. You’re listening to classic radio. And as the elbow flows into the mold, we invite you to float along with smitten the mold. The ride from Melik to our campsite feels almost too good to be true. Like it was designed by a cyclist. Smooth paved paths just for us winding through the landscape. [Music] At the end of a beautiful treelined avenue, you’ll find Chatau Park. It’s actually the largest landscape park in central Europe. From the meadows heavy with the perfume of wild flowers to a tiny bee sipping on the sweet neck top. It’s so idyllic it’ll make you sick. [Music] This certainly feels less idilic. But even in this hoarder’s junkyard, I mean campsite, there’s a strange melancholy kind of beauty that lives here. Feels like a scene from The Last of Us, basically with a load of wild animals roaming around. [Music] The cabins are simple but have all the essentials. Fridge, electricity, clean sheets, though we always sleep in our own sleeping bags. Time for everyone to unwind. Hi, can I have a go? [Music] [Applause] [Music] Dinner’s ready. [Music] Jesus. Sitting on your porch at nighttime is great fun, isn’t it? It’s like a nature documentary except for the mosquitoes. Good morning. We’re on the last stretch of our tour heading straight into the heart of Prague. After all that lovely sunshine, it has rained. But god, I love the smell of the air after it rains. The paths are smooth and scenic with lovely luxurious spots to pop into along the way. And then just like that, the Prague skyline opens up before us. To be honest, I definitely could have made more of an effort to film beautiful Prague, but I just couldn’t be ared because my heart was in the beautiful Czech countryside. And on that note, cheers, Lady B, and thanks for joining us. Until the next time.