Henzlička

Henzlička is a modest, forest-covered hill in the Vysočina region whose real draw isn't a view from the top, but the mining history buried in the ground beneath it and a cluster of scenic pools nearby.

Where is Henzlička and how high is it?

At 692 metres above sea level, Henzlička is the highest point within the cadastral territory of Havlíčkova Borová, a small municipality in the Havlíčkův Brod district of the Vysočina region. The hill sits right on the historical boundary between the former Havlíčkův Brod and Žďár nad Sázavou districts, at the northern edge of the Křižanov Highlands (Křižanovská vrchovina), part of the wider Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area. The nearest landmark is the small settlement of U Janáků, from where a forest path leads up to the summit.

What's the mining history behind this hill?

The ground around Henzlička has been mined since medieval times. Miners extracted iron, nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc ore here, with activity continuing into the 19th and 20th centuries. That industrial past left a visibly man-made landscape: old spoil heaps are still scattered through the surrounding woods. Once mining stopped, the flooded pits left behind became a set of small pools now known as the Ranská (or Borovská) pools — today one of the more interesting natural features of the area, and arguably a bigger draw for visitors than the summit itself.

How do you get there?

Henzlička itself lies off the marked hiking network, so reaching the actual summit means following a forest track or using a GPS map — the easiest approaches run through the woods from the road toward Vepřová or from the U Janáků settlement. The Ranská pools are far more accessible, reached via a marked red trail that loops past the old Cihelna (brickworks) site and the Podhorský pond. That makes the pools a better bet for a family walk than the unmarked summit.

What's the nature like around Henzlička?

The hill falls within the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area, known for its patchwork of forest, wet meadows and exposed rock formations. The former mining ground has since been reclaimed by forest and now supports plant and bird species typical of this kind of wooded, semi-wetland terrain. Because the summit itself is wooded and unmarked, it isn't really a viewpoint — its appeal lies more in the geology and history underfoot than in any panorama.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a marked trail to the top of Henzlička?

No. The summit lies outside the official trail network, so getting there takes a map or GPS rather than following waymarks.

How high is Henzlička?

692 metres above sea level — the highest point in the Havlíčkova Borová municipal area.

What are the Ranská pools?

Small bodies of water that formed in flooded former ore-mining pits near Henzlička, reachable via a marked red trail.

What was mined here historically?

Iron, nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc ore, with mining activity dating back to the Middle Ages and continuing into the 19th and 20th centuries.