Židlovská horka (410 m) is a quiet, forested hill near Ralsko that hides an unusual secret - a large crater at its summit left behind by historical iron ore mining. This is a spot for travelers drawn to geological curiosities and the wild, abandoned character of former military land rather than sweeping panoramic views.

The hill takes the shape of an elongated dome running north to south, formed by a basalt volcanic vein that pushed through Cretaceous quartz sandstone. At the summit - likely where two basalt veins crossed - 18th-century workers mined weathered limonite, leaving behind a pit some 7-8 meters deep and about 15 meters across. The whole hill is covered in mixed forest, and the surrounding valleys hold scattered sandstone terraces. In autumn and winter, with the leaves down, the area feels especially remote and untouched.

How to reach the summit

• Jabloneček hamlet - paved road (cycle route 241), then on foot or by bike through the game park entrance, moderate difficulty
• The hill lies in the forest about 0.5 km from the nearest fence of the Židlov game park

Practical information

• The area lies within the former Ralsko military training zone, inside the fenced Židlov game park
• Movement inside the game park is officially recommended only along marked cycling paths - the summit itself is likely not officially accessible
• Nearby, in the Žlábek valley, stand the ruins of the Wallenstein-era Šlapka gamekeeper's lodge

The hill takes its name from the vanished village of Židlov, which once stood about 1.5 km to the west - today nothing remains of the settlement, and the mysterious pit at the summit is the last visible trace of human activity here.