Nemošická stráň

Nemošická stráň is a compact but ecologically rich nature reserve on the southeastern edge of Pardubice, right above the right bank of the Chrudimka River. Protected since 1982, the reserve centers on a steep, roughly one-kilometer-long limestone slope stretching from the village of Drozdice toward the city. It stands as a textbook example of a river terrace escarpment covered in oak-hornbeam forest, a woodland type typical of fertile, lime-rich soils along Central European river valleys.

What grows on the slope

The tree canopy is dominated by hornbeam, elm, and sycamore maple, while the shrub layer includes common hazel, red dogwood, European spindle, and blackthorn. The forest floor is remarkably diverse, and the reserve is best known today for its dense carpets of wild garlic, which blanket large stretches of the woodland in a sea of white blossoms each spring. Alongside it grow several protected and increasingly rare species, including martagon lily, spotted arum, cowslip, and snowdrop. This richness of the undergrowth draws botany enthusiasts to the site, particularly in April and May when the forest is at its most colorful.

Wildlife of the reserve

Nemošická stráň serves as an important nesting ground for songbirds, hosting nightingales along with Eurasian hobbies that hunt insects and small birds on the wing. Among the mammals, visitors may find rare bat species such as the barbastelle, as well as small rodents including red-backed voles. Amphibians and reptiles also thrive here, taking advantage of the mix of sun-exposed slopes and damp hollows. The insect fauna is of particular scientific interest — entomologists have documented endangered species that depend on old, decaying wood, including jewel beetles and rare ground beetles.

A window into deep time

Beyond its living ecosystem, Nemošická stráň is a significant paleontological site. Cretaceous clay exposed along the slope preserves a rich fossil fauna, mostly marine sea urchins and inoceramid bivalves. These fossil-bearing rock layers, known locally for the ringing sound they make when struck, are named after the inoceramids they contain — tangible evidence that the area now occupied by Pardubice once lay beneath a shallow Cretaceous sea.

Visiting the reserve

Because the reserve sits essentially within the city limits, it is an easy destination for a short walk from central Pardubice. Paths run along the slope, offering views over the Chrudimka valley, but as a protected natural area, visitors should stick to marked trails to avoid damaging the delicate forest floor and the habitats of rare species. Early spring, when wild garlic and cowslips bloom, is the most popular time to visit, though the site remains interesting year-round — autumn and winter make it easier to spot the exposed rock formations and erosion features that reveal the slope's geological layers.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nemošická stráň? It is a nature reserve on the edge of Pardubice protecting a steep, limestone slope covered in oak-hornbeam forest above the Chrudimka River.

When was the area protected? The reserve received its protected status in 1982.

What is worth seeing there? The mass spring bloom of wild garlic, several rare forest-floor plant species, and geological exposures containing fossilized marine fauna.

Is the reserve easy to reach? Yes, it lies essentially within the city, close to central Pardubice, making it a convenient destination for a short outing.