Klokočka is a small but remarkably rich nature reserve tucked into the valley of the Bělá stream between the Bělá paper mills and the settlement of Velký Rečkov. It is one of only four places in the entire Czech Republic where the rare Siberian ligularia still grows - a true glacial relic that has survived here since the Ice Age.

The reserve unfolds as a mosaic of fen meadows, wet alder woods, reed beds and sedge stands, all set within the gently meandering floodplain of the Bělá. In spring and early summer the meadows burst into bloom with orchids and other rare plants, while the damp alder groves carry a quiet, almost mysterious atmosphere. In autumn the landscape turns golden, and in winter mist often drifts low over the wetlands - the reserve has its own charm in every season, though the flowering months from May to July are the most rewarding for visitors.

How to get there

• From the Bělá paper mills - short walking trail, approx. 15-20 minutes, easy
• From the Velký Rečkov settlement - short approach along the Bělá valley, easy route

Practical information

• The area is a protected nature reserve - picking plants and leaving marked paths is prohibited
• Because of the sensitive wetland habitats, drier seasons are the best time to visit
• The site forms part of the Natura 2000 network as the Niva Bělé u Klokočky locality

Hidden among the wet alder thickets also lives a strong population of the narrow-mouthed whorl snail, a rare mollusc that, like the ligularia, is a living witness of the last Ice Age.