Kotelský vrch is a modest neovolcanic hill in the Liberec district, rising just above the village of Kotel. It's a quiet spot for those who enjoy a bit of history mixed with a forest walk rather than crowded viewpoints.

The summit and its immediate surroundings are densely forested, so there's no view from the very top. But near the edge of the woods, the landscape opens up - to the east you can see Ještěd and Jelínka, to the west the Ralská pahorkatina and the Lusatian Mountains. The hill forms the northern continuation of the volcanic Čertova zeď ridge, giving the whole area a distinct volcanic character. It's a pleasant shaded walk in summer, colorful in autumn, and peacefully quiet in winter.

An old Way of the Cross was built here between 1902 and 1904, though today only its remnants survive - concrete posts with empty niches line the overgrown path running alongside an old mining ditch. The path ends at a chapel on the summit, now in a rather derelict state, though a local group, Dubáci from Český Dub, is working on its restoration.

How to reach the summit

• Pod Čertovou zdí junction on road II/278 (Osečná - Český Dub) - fastest access, blue trail Čertova zeď - Kotel, short walk, easy difficulty
• Yellow trail Osečná - Český Dub, passing through the same junction

Practical information

• The summit chapel is in a dilapidated condition - take care when visiting
• The old Way of the Cross is largely overgrown and hard to trace without local knowledge

An interesting detail: the empty concrete posts along the old pilgrimage path once held painted images of the Stations of the Cross - a quiet trace of the devotion once practiced by the people of Kotel.