Ortel is a striking phonolite hill rising in the Cvikov Hills, standing out from its surroundings by as much as 250 metres. This compact but dramatic summit offers a rocky viewpoint, an intriguing geological story, and a handful of eerie local legends that make it more than just another forested hill.

The mountain formed as a phonolite laccolith (geologists now lean towards calling it a lava dome) separated from the surrounding Cretaceous sandstones. Its southern slope is lined with steep cliffs showing distinctive plate-like jointing, and the ground below the summit is covered in phonolite scree scattered with stone column fragments. The forest cloaking the slopes is mostly beech, sheltering a few warmth-loving plant species, while a relict patch of ancient oak woodland survives on the southeastern flank. In winter, once the leaves have fallen, the summit opens up views mainly to the south and southwest, and a few forest clearings reveal glimpses of Klíč and Jezevčí vrch in the distance.

• From the road connecting Cvikov and Sloup v Čechách (northwest side) — yellow-marked trail, about 1.5 km, easy hike
• From the southwest — a second yellow-marked trail, about 1 km to a junction where it joins the first path, continuing together to the summit

• The southern slope features massive rock walls and old phonolite quarries with 17 marked climbing routes, mostly rated at higher difficulty (grade 7-8+)
• Summit views are limited by mature forest — best visibility is in winter

Legend has it that Cvikov's execution site once stood on or near the summit, and local psychics claim Ortel radiates some of the most negative energy in the Czech Republic, its scree-covered top supposedly artificially heaped up in prehistoric times to conceal a cave or sacrificial shaft inside the mountain.