Plešivec

Plešivec is a 654-metre peak in the Brdy Highlands, rising above the village of Rejkovice (part of the town of Jince, Příbram district) and the valley of the Litavka river. It is one of the most recognisable summits in this part of the Brdská vrchovina — a steep, distinctive silhouette visible from far away, and a site with an unusually long history of human presence.

How to get there?

The most convenient starting point is Rejkovice itself, right at the foot of the hill, from where a marked trail climbs steeply through the forest to the top. The summit is also reachable from several neighbouring villages — Jince, Běřín, Bezdědice, Lhotka and Lochovice — which makes it easy to plan a loop rather than an out-and-back walk. Visitors without a car should head for Jince, which has a train connection; from the village centre it is only a few kilometres on foot to the base of the climb.

What will you see?

The summit hides one of the largest hillforts of the Bronze Age Lusatian culture in the Czech Republic — a sprawling, roughly 57-hectare fortified settlement dating from around 1300–800 BCE, made up of an acropolis and outer ramparts. In places the stone walls are up to 10 metres wide. The isolated location of the site, together with numerous deposits of bronze artefacts — including a famous hoard found in 1825, containing 32 objects now kept in the National Museum in Prague — has led archaeologists to suggest the hillfort may have served as a sacred precinct rather than an ordinary defensive settlement. Furnaces used for bronze smelting have also been uncovered here, pointing to on-site metal production.

From the hillfort there is a rocky viewpoint known as Čertova kazatelna (the Devil's Pulpit). It is also worth taking a short detour to the north-eastern slope, where a flooded former quarry has formed the so-called Smaragdové jezírko (Emerald Lake) — a small pond notable for its intensely green-tinted water. Another curiosity on the hillside is a balanced rock formation called a viklan, reached via a marked side path.

The summit and its rocky outcrops open up wide views — westward toward Střední Brdy (the former military training area, now a protected landscape), and from some vantage points north-east toward the Bohemian Karst and the Hřebeny ridge.

When to visit?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons — the forest provides shade without summer heat, and visibility from the exposed summit sections is at its best. In summer the hill is popular with hikers and with trampové, Czech outdoor wanderers who have built rustic settlements and camps on Plešivec's slopes for decades — a distinctive piece of local colour worth knowing about if you're planning a weekend visit.

Frequently asked questions

Is climbing Plešivec difficult? The ascent from Rejkovice is steep but short and requires no climbing experience — it's a standard hillwalk suitable for anyone with average fitness.

What is the summit's main attraction? A prehistoric Bronze Age hillfort — one of the largest in the Czech Republic — combined with scenic rock outcrops such as Čertova kazatelna.

Are there other nearby attractions worth combining with the hike? Yes — the Smaragdové jezírko in the old flooded quarry and the balanced viklan rock on the slope, plus the villages of Lhotka and Lochovice as alternative starting or finishing points.

Can you reach it by public transport? The nearest train station is in Jince, from where it's just a few kilometres on foot to the base of Plešivec.