Hořehledy

Hořehledy is a natural monument (přírodní památka) situated west of the village of the same name, which forms part of the town of Spálené Poříčí in the Plzeň-jih district of the Plzeň Region, Czech Republic. The protected area sits at coordinates 49.6041°N, 13.6455°E, in the valley of the Mítovský stream, a left-bank tributary of the Bradava.

What does this protected area preserve?

The site was designated to safeguard remnants of floodplain forest and wetland alder swamp along the Mítovský stream valley. This is a fragment of the kind of natural riverside wetland ecosystem that was once common along smaller watercourses in the Plzeň-jih region but has become increasingly scarce. Wetland alder groves form a distinctive habitat where groundwater stays close to the surface for most of the year, favoring plant and animal species adapted to consistently moist conditions.

Where exactly is it located?

The monument lies right next to the village of Hořehledy, itself one of ten constituent parts of the town of Spálené Poříčí. The village spreads across the western slopes of the Kokšín hill (684 m above sea level), roughly 3 km east of the Spálené Poříčí town center, above the valley of the Bradava river. According to local historian Davídka, the village's name derives from a nickname given to early settlers who, living higher up on the slopes of Kokšín, "looked down" onto the lower-lying Poříčí area — hence Hořehledy, loosely meaning "those who look from above."

What does the landscape look like?

The Mítovský stream valley around the reserve has a character typical of smaller watercourses in the southern Brdy hills — narrow, partly forested, with surviving patches of floodplain vegetation along the streambed. The Mítovský stream itself is 9.3 km long with a catchment area of 32.5 km², rising at an elevation of about 675 m northeast of the village of Chynín, in the forests of the southern Brdy. It flows onward toward the Bradava river, into which it empties as a left-bank tributary, passing near Hořehledy along the way.

Is it worth visiting?

This isn't a conventional tourist destination with visitor infrastructure or marked attractions — it's primarily a site of natural value, appreciated by those interested in botany, birdwatching, or simply a quiet walk through wetland woodland. The wider area around Spálené Poříčí also offers hiking and cycling opportunities across the southern Brdy hills, with the village of Hořehledy serving as a convenient starting point for exploring the Bradava valley.

Frequently asked questions

How does a přírodní památka differ from a nature reserve? It's a Czech nature-protection category typically covering smaller areas with a specific, precisely defined natural value — in this case, remnants of floodplain forest and alder swamp.

Is Hořehledy a village or a protected area? Both — the name refers to a village that is part of Spálené Poříčí, as well as to the adjacent natural monument.

How do you get to Hořehledy? The village lies about 3 km east of the Spálené Poříčí town center, in the Plzeň-jih district.