Along the Ploučnice River for sights and beautiful nature

The Ploučnice cycle path is marked as cycle route No. 15 and leads from the source of the Ploučnice River at the foot of Ještěd to the mouth of the river to the Elbe in Děčín.

The route has a total length of almost 100 kilometres and connects the Liberec and Ústí nad Labem regions.

Děčín – Česká Lípa (by train) – Volfartice – Žandov – Horní Police – Benešov nad Ploučnicí – Děčín

Start your bicycle trip along the Ploučnice River in Děčín, where you can board the train and get to Česká Lípa. From there, take cycle route No. 15, which runs concurrently with the Varhany cycle path.

A very nice cycle path along the former railway track leads to the popular Panská skála. To wander along the Ploučnice, however, you need to disconnect from the railway trail and follow cycle route 15 back to the Ploučnice to Žandov. From there it is possible to make a short detour to Horní Police and visit the beautiful Pilgrimage Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, which has recently undergone extensive reconstruction.

From Horní Police, continue along the Ploučnice River to Dolní Police and through Starý Šachov to Františkov nad Ploučnicí. From there, you will hike up to the ruins of Ostrý Castle and then a very nice descent to Benešov nad Ploučnicí, where you will find a large castle complex in the style of the Saxon Renaissance.

It is definitely worth taking one of the tours and exploring this unique castle. From Benešov, it is then 10 km through beautiful countryside back to Děčín.

o Length of the route: 41.5 km

o Bike type: trekking, gravel, e-bike

o Trip map: