Březina is a nature reserve southeast of the village of Kostomlaty pod Milešovkou, protecting one of the rarest habitats in the Czech Central Uplands - a living peat bog paired with an ancient beech forest. It's a quiet, unusual stop for anyone hiking through this volcanic landscape.

The atmosphere here feels almost primeval - beech trees around 190 years old form a dense, shady canopy, while the boggy clearing below hosts sundews and cottongrass rarely seen elsewhere in the region. In summer, the bog buzzes with insect life and frogs, while autumn turns the beech canopy into a blaze of gold and copper. The mix of dark forest and open wetland gives the reserve a distinctly wild, secluded feel despite its modest size.

How to get there

• Trail connecting Černčice and Lukov - red-marked trail, runs directly alongside the reserve, shared on this stretch with the Březina Nature Trail

Practical information

• Protected area managed by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR), Bohemian Switzerland Protected Landscape Area Administration
• The bog requires ongoing management to prevent overgrowth by birch and bulrush
• Home to 87 vertebrate species, including the smooth newt, common frog, and green toad

The reserve was created in 1969 by merging two previously protected areas, Bukový vrch and Rašeliniště pod Bukovým vrchem, bringing together forest and wetland under one protected roof.