Nature of the Orlické Mountains
The Orlické Mountains aren’t about altitude. They’re about depth—the depth of experiencing true nature.
The Orlické Mountains are a protected landscape area with diverse nature, encompassing a forested mountain range with picturesque valleys, flower-filled meadows and peat bogs, as well as rare species of plants and animals. The highest peak is Velká Deštná (1,115 m above sea level), a popular destination for hikers. They are formed mainly of Precambrian rocks that originated more than 570 million years ago on the bottom of ancient seas.
A landscape that breathes silence
You won’t run into crowds in the Orlické Mountains. Instead, you’ll have misty forests, blooming mountain meadows, and brooks babbling over boulders for company. It’s a region for those who listen. For those seeking genuine mountain nature without embellishment, yet with a power that stays under your skin long after you return. On your journeys, your companions won’t be only birds and forest animals, but also spiritual places—often with springs of fresh water and a calm space for a quiet pause and reflection. Another refuge along the way will be lookout towers and viewpoints that open up new vistas over broad, forested valleys.
A varied landscape between ridge and foothills
The Orlické Mountains and the Podorlicko region are like a book of stories written by water, wind, and people. From the massive ridge, the slopes descend gently and the landscape breaks into rolling foothills. The ridgelines are covered with spruce and beech forests, partly renewed after the bark beetle outbreak. In the highest areas you’ll see peat bogs, spring areas, and remnants of native dwarf mountain pine. Steep hillsides drop down toward the valleys, hiding valuable beechwoods, boulder screes, and lost ravines. Nature’s beauty is complemented by educational trails that lead sensitively through the landscape and often inform travelers about points of interest along the way. Along them you’ll encounter concrete giants that guarded our homeland in times when we awaited the enemy.
A meadow kingdom of butterflies
Around Orlické Záhoří, on the pastures near Deštné, or in the meadows above Říčky, you’ll see dozens of butterfly species dancing—such as blues, fritillaries, and tortoiseshells. They are proof that local nature still has much to offer. The meadows here are not just a colorful postcard backdrop, but home to hundreds of plant and animal species. Sometimes all you need is to stop. Sit quietly in the grass and watch the nature around you.
Wild rivers and streams
The Wild Orlice or the Zdobnice River rise in the heart of the mountains and hurry down to the foothills over boulders, through gorges, and across wooden footbridges. The most famous of them, Zemská brána (the Land Gate), is a natural pearl that will transport you into another world. The landmark of the whole site is a stone bridge from 1901. It not only crosses the river elegantly, but has also become a symbol of the entire area. After crossing it, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a nature reserve that invites you to walk an educational trail. Crystal-clear water, stone blocks, and the silence of the forest create scenery you’d expect rather in remote corners of the Šumava. But here, there’s no need to travel far.
Nature reserves and protected areas
The entire mountain range falls within the Orlické Mountains Protected Landscape Area (PLA), which safeguards very valuable remnants of primeval forests, mountain meadows, wetlands, and rare habitats with endangered species. On your travels you shouldn’t miss the Bukačka National Nature Reserve, aptly nicknamed the Botanical Garden of the Orlické Mountains. Another place rich in wildlife and diverse flora is the Orlice Nature Park. It includes the floodplain of the Wild Orlice from the boundary of the Orlické Mountains Protected Landscape Area at Klášterec nad Orlicí, and the floodplain of the Quiet Orlice from Mladkov to the confluence of the two Orlice rivers near Týniště nad Orlicí. You can admire the Orlice Nature Park not only on footpaths but also from the saddle of a bicycle. Routes lead through nature, and as you ride along forest and meadow paths you can discover the beauty of old pools, oxbow lakes, and the mysterious corners of wetlands and riparian forests. The Malá Deštná and Velká Deštná area is also exceptional, where you’ll find original peat bogs with typical flora and rich birdlife.
What doesn’t grow or run in the Orlické Mountains
In the Orlické Mountains you (so far) won’t encounter a bear or a lynx. But you might be lucky enough to spot a black grouse, a black stork, or one of the shy deer. The rich fauna also includes salamanders, newts, bats, and birds of prey including buzzards, kestrels, or white-tailed eagles, which have made it as far as here in recent years. Don’t forget that a protected area has its rules. Stick to marked trails, don’t leave litter, protect nature for other visitors.
