Lisek

Lisek is a hill rising to 759.7 metres above sea level, the highest point in the municipality of Jihlávka in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. It sits in the Vysočina region, Jihlava district, right above the village that took its name from the Jihlava River — whose source lies at the foot of the hill.

How do you get to Lisek?

The village of Jihlávka sits in a shallow basin at 651 metres above sea level, wedged between Lisek and the neighbouring Strážný vrch. The village is reached by a road connecting it to nearby Počátky and other settlements of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. From the village centre, a paved forest road climbs toward the hill, while the final stretch to the old quarry on its slope has to be covered on foot — roughly 300 metres from the road. Worth knowing: the European main watershed, separating the drainage basins of the North Sea and the Black Sea, runs right along Jihlávka's north-western boundary — a small but genuine claim to fame for anyone interested in geography.

What will you see there?

The main draw around Lisek is Pramen Jihlavy, the spring that feeds the Jihlava River, emerging on a meadow at the foot of the hill's wooded slope. It is a productive spring, with water rising in an alder grove at around 680 metres of elevation. From here the Jihlava begins its journey of several dozen kilometres across the highlands before eventually joining the Dyje River.

On the south-eastern slope of Lisek, about 500 metres from its summit, lies a disused, partly flooded quarry measuring roughly 60 by 20 by 15 metres. Granite and migmatite — the rocks forming the core of the hill — were once extracted here. Geologists find the site notable for an exposed fault zone in the quarry walls, with visible striations pointing to past tectonic movement in the area. Today the flooded pit has the feel of a quiet, wild forest corner — a place worth a visit more for its atmosphere than for any tourist infrastructure, of which there is none.

The village of Jihlávka itself is small, home to around 230 permanent residents living in fewer than eighty houses, first recorded in documents in 1356 as a noble estate. Within a few kilometres of Lisek lie further destinations: the historic Chadimův mlýn watermill, less than 1.5 kilometres away, and the ruins of the medieval Janštejn castle, roughly 4 kilometres from the village.

When should you visit?

The area around Lisek is best explored in spring and summer, when the meadow surrounding the Jihlava spring is green and easy to walk across, and the forest paths are dry and passable. In autumn, the hill and the surrounding Bohemian-Moravian forests take on their characteristic colours, making the area an appealing target for a scenic walk. In winter, reaching the flooded quarry and the spring itself can be harder going, as snow and icy forest tracks slow things down.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Lisek? The hill reaches 759.7 metres above sea level and is the highest point within the municipality of Jihlávka.

What is there to see around Lisek? The main attraction is the source of the Jihlava River (Pramen Jihlavy) at the foot of the hill, along with a disused, partly flooded granite quarry on its south-eastern slope.

Can you drive up to Lisek? You can drive to the village of Jihlávka and then along a paved forest road, but the last stretch to the quarry has to be walked (about 300 metres).

What is the quarry on the slope of Lisek? It's a former granite and migmatite quarry, roughly 60 x 20 x 15 metres, now disused and partly filled with water, of geological interest for its visible fault zone.