The peak of Javorná and the springs of Ostružná
This part of Šumava, which is still often ignored by tourists, can be found between the villages of Keply (east) and Javorná (west). It connects directly to the mountainous regions around Železná Ruda and Prášily and offers wonderful views as well as diverse mountain flora. The dominant feature is the ridge of the Javorná mountain (1090 m.a.s.l.) rising about 2 km west of Keply (947 m.a.s.l.). The ridge spreads in a south-eastern direction for about 2 km between Keply and Javorná. The entire mountain is covered in forests. Below the southern hillside are large pastures and a spring of the river Ostružná. The sad fate of the village of Keply (947 m.a.s.l.) is worth mentioning. It used to be a large farmstead. After the war, its German inhabitants were forcibly displaced, the land began to be administered by the army and the farmstead became a part of a closed military proving ground. The original farmstead was completely destroyed and a military property consisting of farm buildings and one multi-storeyed housing unit – a socialist village for all workers on the farm. Change came after the military proving ground was closed and the whole area became open to the public in 1989. The old ugly buildings were torn down and new ones, better fitting into the landscape, were built instead. Several tourist trails cross through here and the interest in the location is slowly rising.
The path to the top of Javorná begins on the parking lot nearby Keply, on the crossroads of tourist trails. A blue marked footpath leads from the lot towards Zhůří. At a timber depot, where it is also possible to park, the path splits from the blue trail and continues west through an unmarked forest path. It is relatively wide, used mainly for timber transportation. We reach a waterworks, from which the path begins to steeply climb towards a large clearing, with meadows with a few tall beeches behind it. From here, the peak is already in sight. On a stick marking the highest peak of the mountain is a case with the peak book and a bench by it. The view is limited only to the northeast. One can go down through the unkept southern slope to a road, which leads to a meadow below the southern slope. Here, beautiful views open to the south, southwest and west, looking onto the border ridge of Šumava with its highest peak Velký Javor (1456 m.a.s.l.). The lengthy ridge of Plesná (1336 m) can also be seen, as well as Polom (1295 m) and Pancíř with an lookout tower (1213 m).
On the meadow south of the peak of Javorná spring the river Ostružná. By following the loud gurgling sound, one can find the relatively strong spring entirely covered by grass. A couple tens of meters further is another spring. From the meadow, it is possible to return back on the blue tourist trail, in places where it borders the Keply wetlands reservation, and then return back to the tourist entry point in Keply.
Entry point: Keply parking lot
Length of the trail: 5 km
Difference in altitude 140 m by a gradual climb
Trail difficulty: Easy