Orlické Mountains

The Orlice Mountains, which are spread at the northeastern edge of the Czech Republic by the Polish border and feature many unique natural wonders and an array of instances of traditional folk architecture have been a protected landscape area ever since 1969. What's more, the Orlice Mountains have been widely outside the attention scope of most tourists and travelers and are thus an excellent tip for a relaxing day-trip or a few-days' stay for all those who crave peaceful walks in a romantic mountain landscape. The area of the Orlice Mountains features a few smaller nature reserves, the best-known of which being perhaps the Bukačka Nature Reserve that was founded in 1954. This beech forest is sometimes called 'the botanical garden of the Orlice Mountains, since there are over 290 species of higher plants out of which 23 are protected, for example the Pseudorchis Albida. Also worth seeing is the Kačerov, Jelení lázeň (Deer Spa) and the U Kunštátské kaple (To the Kunštát Chapel) peat bogs where naturalists can admire a wide array of scarce plants and animals, for example the endangered species of blue butterflies Maculinea Teleius and Maculinea Nausithous. The Orlice Mountains might also draw the attention of folk-architecture lovers since there are many well-preserved log houses, mills (e.g. Langrův Mlýn in the village of Dobré or Vondřejcův mlýn in Valské Doly by Dobruška) and bell-towers. The Orlice Mountains have a lot to offer to lovers of hiking, cycling and winter sports too. Those interested in Czech history will surely be intrigued by the ingenious system of military fortresses which was built in the Orlice Mountains in the years before the Second World War as defense against Hitlerian-era Germany. We recommend to combine a visit to the Orlice Mountains with a trip to the Broumov Projection that features many enthralling rock cities as well as historical sights.

www.orlickehory.ochranaprirody.cz