The Landscape Park of Vyšší Brod

The Landscape Park of Vyšší Brod was established after the frontier zone and the Communist Iron Curtain had been abolished. Its north border is made of the Vltava River, the south border of the frontier crossing with Austria, the west border of the National Šumava land and the east border of the road leading from Horní Dvořiště to the meeting of roads near the railway station in Rožmberk nad Vltavou.

It is a mountain area at an elevation of 535 metres in the Vltava Valley and up to 1,038 metres on the frontier near Hvězdná. The area has colder climate and inversion character of weather mostly in the Vltava and Menší Vltavice Valley. The geological foundation is made of Palaeozoic ages granite. The southwest part is drained by the Danube River. It influences climate changes. It was possible to grow vine plants and hop-plants at an elevation of 850 metres in the past. The forest covers two third of the whole area. There are mostly clusters of spruces and local admixture of other wood species. The extensive growth of beech woods can be found in the National land of Medvědí Hora (Mount Bear) and Uhlířský Vrch (The Coalman´s Hill).

There are three places which have the status of the National Land in the area of the Landscape Park. The National Reservation of Čertova stěna-Luč (The Devil´s Wall-Luč) in the area larger than one hundred hectares is contiguous with those three places on the north border.The boulder river bed called Čertovy proudy (The Devil´s Streams) was made by the Vltava River. There is the green tourist and cycle trail leading from Loučovice to Vyšší Brod on the left Vltava river-site. Relict pine-woods and a registered plant - heath (Erica carnea) grow on rocky slopes above the river. Broken stones are overgrown with birch-trees and many species of mosses and lichens. There are clumps of alders and beech woods in alluviums of the Vltava River. Hippochaete hyemalis and Rosea pendulina originally from the Alps belong among restored plants.

Rašeliniště Kapličky (The Peat-bog of Kapličky) has the status of the National Reservation. It was established in 1992 and broadened up to 72 hectares. There are mainly pine-trees (mostly Pinus rotundata). The peat used to be mined from today´s meadows and then used for heating. There is a little pond in the bottom part of the reservation. There is a wide range of rare species, for example, Pinguicula vulgaris and Pedicularis sylvatica. Along the south border there is the red tourist trail leading from Kapličky to Krásné Pole, and the blue tourist trail leading from Kapličky to Lipno along the northwest border.

Medvědí Hora (Mount Bear) has the status of the National Reservation. It was established in 1992 in the area of 82 hectares. Flowery beech woods with local admixture of sycamores are registered. On the top there are rocks with typical vegetation including fir-trees and rare species of lycopodium (for example Huperzia selago). There are many plants which use a bigger supply of light under leafe trees during spring. Along the west border there is the blue tourist trail leading from Kapličky to Lipno. The east border is contiguous with a cycle trail leading from Krásné Pole to Loučovice.

Uhlířský Vrch (The Coalman´s Hill) has the status of The National Coutry Monument. It was established in 1992 in the area of 16 hectares. Particularly beech woods and Luzula namorosa are registered. The rocks and ferns (Asplenium trichomanes) are also interesting. The characterization of beech woods corresponds with wild plants found on Medvědí Hora (Mount Bear). Along the south border there is the red tourist trail leading from Krásné Pole to Vyklestilka. But the most valuable parts of the reservation are not seen.

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Further information:
History of the Vyšší Brod Region
Vyšší Brod
Lipno
The Devil's rock face, attempts to navigate through Devil's torrents
Šumava National Park and Reserve