Hájek (687 m a.s.l.) is a quiet, forested hill in the Javořina Mountains, tucked just east of the upper part of the village of Šonov. It is a place where dense woodland, a touch of open meadow and the peacefulness of the Czech-Polish borderland all come together in a gentle, unhurried landscape.
The hill is largely covered by forest, with the occasional clearing breaking through the canopy. On the Polish side of the ridge, meadows stretch all the way up to the border line, creating a pleasant open contrast to the wooded Czech slopes. Near the summit on the Czech side, you can still find Střelcova louka — a surviving remnant of once much more extensive grasslands that were largely afforested, mostly with spruce, during the second half of the 20th century. In spring the forest is fresh and fragrant; in autumn it turns to gold and amber, making this one of the most rewarding seasons for a visit.
Hájek is a secondary summit on a small ridge running from the peak of Głowa, and the whole hill falls within the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area.
How to reach the summitThe little Střelcova louka meadow near the summit is a living reminder of the open agricultural landscape that once defined this part of the Javořina Mountains before large-scale afforestation changed the scenery forever.