Fojtecký Wetland is a small but ecologically remarkable nature reserve tucked away on the western edge of the Jizera Mountains, near the village of Fojtka. It preserves rare wetland vegetation and wet meadows that have survived largely undisturbed, making it a haven for protected orchids, butterflies and amphibians.

The landscape here is gentle and rolling, transitioning from the drier Žitava Basin into shallow, waterlogged depressions crossed by the Radčický Brook. In summer, dense stands of sedges and bulrush dominate the marsh, dotted with the delicate white flowers of bogbean, while the surrounding meadows burst into bloom with early marsh orchids in spring. The atmosphere feels surprisingly wild given its unusual neighbor - a modern golf course that surrounds the protected area on all sides.

How to get there

• Village of Fojtka - accessed via the reception of Ypsilon Golf Liberec, easy walk, about 15-20 minutes
• A boardwalk connecting golf fairways allows partial passage across part of the wetland

Practical information

• Public access is restricted, as the reserve lies within a private golf resort
• Entry is only possible through the golf course reception in Fojtka village
• The area is protected for its populations of bogbean and marsh cinquefoil
• Other approach paths are closed to visitors

Interestingly, despite the golf course opened in 2006 right next door, the wetland still supports colonies of the scarce large blue and dusky large blue butterflies - species increasingly rare across Central Europe.