Article River Otter

The Vydra is interesting because it has no specific source. The river officially originates in the Modrava at the confluence of three breathtaking Šumava streams: Modravské, Roklanské and Filipohuťské. From this point (at an altitude of approximately 980 m above sea level), it bears the name Vydra.

The main source of the Vydra River collects water in the marshes under the Luzný hill near Březník and is called the Luzenský stream. The length of the stream from this source to the confluence with the Křemelná stream is 23 kilometers. The main stream between Modrava and Čeňková pila is 12 km long.

The Vydra's independent journey does not take long. At Čeňkov Pila it flows into the Křemelná and together they form the Otava River.

Wandering around Vydra is not just about walking, it's about perceiving with your senses. The sound of roaring water, the scent of damp forest, moss and peat will perfectly cut you off from the daily hustle and bustle.

The Nature Trail, about 2.5 km long, begins at the rear parking lot in Modrava, which leads along the Vydra River to the Hradlový most. The trail runs through unimproved forest and meadow terrain, through wetlands on a gravel path, and is intended exclusively for hikers. Information boards are installed along the nature trail.

Once you set off downstream, the river begins to show you its greatest charms. The path is romantic and very diverse, but with challenging steep sections in places.

Because the path passes through the heart of the Šumava National Park and in places even leads through the first nature protection zone, there is a strict ban on entering outside the marked paths and cyclists are prohibited from entering here.

The otter is beautiful in every season. In the spring, when the snow melts, it is at its wildest, roaring for miles. In the fall, the surrounding deciduous forests turn golden, creating a beautiful contrast with the dark water.

The route ends at a unique wooden bridge with granite pillars, 72 m long and 3.5 m wide. The bridge was built over a weir on the Vydře River at the beginning of the Vchýnice-Tetov Navigation Canal in order to capture logs floating freely on the river and direct them into the navigation canal. Wooden gates were installed in the connecting beams between the pillars to capture the floating wood, which is how the bridge got its name.

From the Hradlový Bridge, a comfortable path leads along the Vchynice-Tetovský Canal to the road bridge over the Vydra River.

The most popular and visually most rewarding part is the section between Antýgl and Čeňková Pila. The educational trail of the same name runs through it, following the red tourist mark. It is about 7 km long, leads along a paved path with a gentle descent and is ideal for both families with strollers and leisurely hikers.

After a 1.5 km walk, you will see the Klostermann Bridge. The original footbridge was replaced by a new arch bridge in 2012.

The bridge, which is thirty meters long and two meters wide, was built on the site where a footbridge over the Vydra River already stood when Karel Klostermann lived.

The Vydra River bed is literally strewn with giant granite boulders. The wild stream of water carrying sand and pebbles has carved fascinating circular depressions into these boulders, called giant pots.

On the slopes of the river canyon, you can also admire the impressive stone seas – rubble fields created by frost weathering.

After a 3 km walk from Antýgl you will find Turmerova chata, the only oasis of civilization in the middle of the wilderness. Turnerova chata is a stylish log cabin where you can have refreshments and also stay.

After a 1.5 km walk, we can see a metal cross on a large stone with the year 1877, as a reminder of the attack on a commercial passenger carriage.

After another 400 meters, there is an unusual device built into the hillside where you can listen to the sound of water. It is said that the writer Karel Klostermann often went to this place near the Kramlov mill and listened to the sound of the Vydra River.

At the very end of the route, where the Vydra River meets the Křemelná River, stands the historic Čeňka sawmill and the functional Vydra hydroelectric power plant from 1912, which is now a technical monument. There is also the Šumava Energy exhibition.

Tourists usually end their hike in the settlement of Čeňkova Pila, where there is a parking lot and a bus stop.