On the outskirts of Prague lies a reservoir park called Přírodní park Hostivař, around which an asphalt path leads you through the forest that overlooks the water. We can take Tram 22 from near our place and be down there in 30 mins. It’s like you’ve landed on a green Mars.
Hostivar becomes steep hills if you wander off the path, but otherwise a circumnavigational walk can take you about 1.5 hours. We weren’t that adventuresome today, but wanted to hike up the hill from the lake to the site of Hradcany Hostivar. This is a plateau that has yielded artifacts to archeologists suggesting an early settlement was established probably more than a thousand years ago. No buildings exist today; they were wooden structures with a an upright fence and look-out towers — akin to American Old West calvary outposts.
But this plateau is a great place for a picnic. When you get there, after a climb that comes after a long walk, you know you deserve your lunch. We relaxed on a blanket, in the shade, and read our books for a while. Lunch was sardines, cheese, wheat wafers, pickles, and yellow pepper. Dessert? Of course: cinnamon chocolate!
The walk out of the park is peaceful, dreamy, and cool under the pine trees. Then a sleepy tram ride home. A gorgeous way to spend lunchtime.
