Vltava: Český Krumlov to Zlatá Koruna

Put in at the canoe landing by the U Jatek footbridge, below the five weirs that loop round the old town of Český Krumlov, and float out past the brewery and the last houses. The river soon enters a wooded valley protected as the Vltava u Blanského lesa nature monument, curling under the ruins of Maškovec castle and past Rájov. It ends at the paddlers' landing above the weir at Zlatá Koruna, below the Cistercian abbey founded in 1263.

It is 12.5 km one way; allow about 2¾ hours in a canoe or kayak and 3½ on a paddleboard. The grade is Easy: a steady current, grade I at most, with small riffles and boulders but no weir on the line. Starting below the town avoids the weirs and boat chutes at Konopa, Na Rechlích, U Liry, Mrázkův mlýn and Jelení lávka, and the trip ends before the Zlatá Koruna weir.

No permit is needed, but the crew must not drink, and boating is banned when flood alert level 2 or 3 is declared. This is the busiest paddling river in the country: in July and August expect crowds and inexperienced raft crews, so spring and September are quieter. Watch for the POZOR JEZ boards and land in good time at Zlatá Koruna, where the station is a short walk away. Wear a buoyancy aid and check the conditions before you set off.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap waterways (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.