Slanisko u Škrle is a small but remarkable nature reserve on the edge of the village of Škrle near Bílenec, protecting one of the few salt-marsh habitats in the Czech Republic. It's a fascinating patch of land where salt-tolerant and dry-loving plants have found a rare refuge together.

The landscape here is gentle and open - a slightly south-facing slope above the Chomutovka river valley, where dry, species-rich grasslands meet damp floodplain meadows. In spring and summer the reserve blooms with salt-marsh specialists like sea plantain, while in autumn golden asters add colour to the scene. It's a quiet, almost steppe-like place, best suited to nature lovers and botany enthusiasts rather than those seeking dramatic views, since this is primarily a botanical reserve rather than a scenic overlook.

How to get there

• From the village of Škrle - short easy walk on flat terrain to the reserve's edge
• From nearby Bílenec - along a field track by the Chomutovka valley, easy route

Practical information

• Protected since 2002, listed in the Central Register of Nature Conservation under number 2173
• Part of a larger Natura 2000 site covering 9.96 hectares
• Home to critically endangered plant species such as sea plantain - please stay on marked paths

Interestingly, conservationists have even relocated rare plant populations, including Cnidium dubium and a sedge species, into the reserve to help them survive in this unusual salty microhabitat.