Velenický kopec is a small, cone-shaped basalt hill rising above the village of Velenice in the Ralská pahorkatina uplands. This is a spot for those drawn to quiet, overgrown corners rather than crowded viewpoints - today the summit is completely wooded and free of any structures.

The hill rises 120 metres above the village below, its slopes covered in dense forest and loose stone scree, remnants of ancient volcanic activity. Sadly, no view opens up from the forested summit itself - the best perspective on this cone-shaped hill comes from the meadows at its base. The atmosphere here feels wild and a little mysterious, especially in autumn and winter when the woods fall silent and the hill's forgotten past feels even more distant.

How to reach the summit

• There is no marked trail leading to the top - the old path that once led there has vanished under the vegetation
• The village of Velenice itself is the best starting point, offering fine views of the hill's cone shape from the surrounding meadows

Practical information

• No marked route to the summit exists - reaching the top means walking off-trail across steep, scree-covered slopes
• There are no buildings or viewpoints at the summit

Before 1945, an inn called U Císařského buku stood at the foot of the hill, next to a massive beech tree, with a path leading up to a viewpoint furnished with benches. Today none of this remains - the inn, the chapel nearby, the great beech, and even the path itself have all disappeared, reclaimed by the forest.