Natural monument Vystrkov

Natural monument Vystrkov is a small but striking protected site in South Bohemia, Czech Republic, established to preserve a stony, largely untouched stretch of the Lomnice river channel together with its banks. It lies roughly one kilometre southeast of the village of Smetanova Lhota, part of the municipality of Karlov in the Písek district, and covers around 2.5 kilometres of the river valley south of Karlov Castle.

What is Vystrkov and why was it protected?

The site was declared a natural monument in December 1985 by the district national committee in Písek, with the protection taking legal effect on 1 February 1986. The purpose was to safeguard the Lomnice river's natural, rocky bed in something close to its original, unregulated state, along with the plant and animal life that depends on it. Unlike many rivers in the surrounding countryside that have been channelled or straightened over the decades, this stretch of the Lomnice has kept its wild, stone-strewn character.

What does the landscape look like?

Inside the protected area, the Lomnice flows over and between boulders and rocky ledges, giving the stream a rugged, almost mountain-torrent appearance even though the surrounding terrain belongs to the gentler uplands of South Bohemia. This uneven, rock-filled riverbed creates a variety of microhabitats — quiet pools, fast riffles, and shaded undercut banks — that support a richer mix of plants and animals than a typical, more uniform lowland stream. The banks themselves are lined with moisture-loving vegetation typical of shaded river valleys, and within the wider protective buffer zone around the core monument grow plants including a monkshood species from the buttercup family and lilies characteristic of damp, shaded slopes.

What wildlife can be found here?

The clean, oxygen-rich, stony water of the Lomnice favours species that are sensitive to pollution and habitat degradation. Among the recorded fauna is the edible frog, an amphibian closely tied to clean ponds and watercourses, and the common kingfisher, a bird that hunts small fish and invertebrates in clear, fast-flowing water. The presence of both species is a good indicator of the healthy condition of this river ecosystem, preserved precisely because the area has been shielded from development and channel regulation.

How to visit Vystrkov

The natural monument sits in a quiet, sparsely built-up part of the Písek district, within the Lomnice river valley near the village of Smetanova Lhota and the historic Karlov Castle. It suits visitors looking for an unhurried encounter with nature — watching birds and amphibians, or simply walking along a stretch of river that has been left largely as it always was, away from the busier tourist trails of South Bohemia.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Vystrkov natural monument protect? It protects a roughly 2.5-kilometre, naturally stony stretch of the Lomnice river channel and its banks, along with associated vegetation in the surrounding protective zone, including a buttercup-family monkshood species and lilies.

When was the protected area established? It was declared in December 1985 by the district national committee in Písek, with the protection taking effect on 1 February 1986.

What animals live in the reserve? Recorded species include the edible frog and the common kingfisher, both indicators of clean water and a well-preserved natural riverbed.

Where exactly is Vystrkov located? About one kilometre southeast of the village of Smetanova Lhota (part of the municipality of Karlov, Písek district), south of Karlov Castle, in South Bohemia, Czech Republic.