Hamrštejn Nature Reserve is a small but remarkably rich woodland enclave perched on a rocky spur above the Lusatian Nisa river, right on the edge of Liberec. At the top of the hill stand the romantic ruins of the medieval Hamrštejn castle, surrounded by a forest full of rare, heat-loving plant species rarely found elsewhere in the region.

The reserve covers the rocky promontory of Zámecký kopec (375 m above sea level), encircled by the Lusatian Nisa river and bounded by a short saddle crossed by the Liberec-Hrádek nad Nisou-Žitava railway line. The terrain is varied — steep slopes, rock outcrops and mixed deciduous forest create the feel of a wild, quiet corner close to the city. In spring the forest floor is carpeted with liverworts and martagon lilies, in summer the woods offer welcome shade, and in autumn the surrounding hills glow with color.

How to get there

• From Machnín (part of Liberec) — hiking trail, approx. 30-45 minutes, easy difficulty
• Alternatively from the Liberec-Děčín railway line, along the northern slope of the hill

Practical information

• Protected area — collecting plants or fungi is prohibited
• Home to protected fire salamanders and common European vipers
• Managed by the Liberec Regional Authority

Thanks to its connection to the warmer Lusatian region and centuries of medieval deforestation, Hamrštejn preserves plant and fungi communities that are otherwise rare along the entire Ještěd-Kozákov ridge.