14th july
Setting off again refreshed and rejuvenated, there are still thundery showers but afterwards a beautiful smell of cut pine, and sight of steam rising from the forest, birds of prey hovering over fields.
Headwind again, why is it always a headwind

Arrived at Kutna Hora, which once rivalled Prague until its silver mines dried up.
Has several UNESCO listed sites, including another ossuary, thought this one was decorated using the bones rather than just tastefully stacking them. Quite the goth pilgrimage.
At the campsite I meet a kiwi couple in a camper van, tuned into the cricket world cup final. What a ridiculous ending to a game! To add to the excitement, the radio keeps cutting out at crucial moments.
I can't decide if the england win is the most dramatic of victories of slightly hollow given it is on a technicality after a tie game!

July 15th
Heading north for Mlada Boleslav and the skoda museum. Though it closed at 6 but closed at 5 so didn't need to rush.
Nice section along a river, hopefully a taste of what's to come on the Danube later.

Decided to go to Skoda in the morning tomorrow, so stopped for a goulash and some beers and camped on a hilltop with some old fort earthworks. Panoramic views with the sunset one way and the moon rising the other.



July 16th
Skoda museum, interesting. This factory was started in 1895 by two blokes making bicycles as they were dissatisfied with some they had bought from a German firm. Merged with Skoda between the wars.
Nice selection of historic vehicles and racing cars.
Onwards to Czesky Raj, a region famed for rocky outcrops. And containing lots of castles obviously. Flew the drone around a bit.


July 17th
More rocks.
Started the day by climbing the iconic twin towers of Trosky castle, then some short hikes around Hruska Skala and Besedice rocks, with their mazes of eroded sandstone pillars and such like. That took most of the day so just did 30km in the evening and camped on a hilltop.