Rising dramatically from the forested ridge of the Ore Mountains near the village of Kámen, Vysoký kámen is one of the most striking rock formations in the Czech-German borderlands. Jagged quartzite towers up to 20 metres tall pierce the skyline, and from the summit viewpoint at 780 metres you get a sweeping panorama that stretches across the Krušné hory, the Slavkov Forest and the Smrčiny highlands. It is also a protected natural monument and a Natura 2000 site — wild, beautiful and surprisingly easy to reach.

The atmosphere here is rugged and elemental. The dark grey quartzite — coloured by iron-rich hematite and ilmenite — stands in stark contrast to the heather, bilberries and lingonberries that colonise the rocky terraces between the crags. Around the towers spread boulder fields, classic examples of cryogenic weathering from the last ice ages. In autumn the heath turns deep purple and amber; in winter snow fills the crevices and makes the already dramatic rock faces look positively Alpine. Spring brings a burst of life: mosses, lichens and polypody ferns reclaim every crack, and the lichen communities here are considered scientifically important, with species from the genera Umbilicaria, Cladonia and Parmelia among the highlights.

• Village of Kámen, near Kraslice — the rock formation is accessible on foot from the village; trails are short and suitable for families and casual walkers.

• Protected natural monument and Natura 2000 area — please stay on marked paths and do not climb the rocks outside designated spots.
• Open year-round, free of charge.
• Black grouse have been recorded here — bring binoculars for the best wildlife experience.

Four separate inns were built under these rocks for 19th-century tourists — and all four burned to the ground. After 1945 the area fell inside the Iron Curtain border zone and the remaining buildings, including a chapel from 1870, were simply blown up. Today only the ancient quartzite remains, unbothered by history.