Popel

Popel is a 652-metre basalt hill in the Lusatian Mountains (Lužické hory) of northern Czechia, rising about 1.5 km east of Kytlice near the village of Falknov, now part of the Kytlice municipality. It's a modest but distinctive summit in a border region shared with Poland and Germany, familiar mainly to hikers exploring this quieter corner of the range.

What kind of hill is it?

Popel is one of several volcanic remnants scattered across the Lusatian Mountains, a landscape shaped by Tertiary-period volcanic activity. As the surrounding sedimentary rock eroded over millions of years, harder basalt cores like Popel were left standing as isolated hills. The summit itself is a rocky ridge with a few small outcrops, covered in beech forest, while the lower slopes — resting on sandstone — carry mixed coniferous woodland. The origin of the name is debated: older regional guides trace it either to the German "Asche" (ash, referring to old charcoal-burning or clearing practices) or to "Esche" (ash tree), suggesting ash trees once grew on the slopes. Neither explanation is definitively confirmed.

The surrounding area: Falknov and the Bělá valley

Falknov sits on the upper course of the Kamenice river, roughly 7 km north of Nový Bor, and today forms one municipality together with Kytlice, Dolní Falknov, and Mlýny. The village has a notable glassmaking history: a glassworks operated here for generations, shaping the local economy until it closed in the mid-18th century. Afterward, residents shifted toward crafts tied to glass finishing and refinement, a trade that long remained part of the area's identity.

On the flank of Popel lies the wooded valley of the Bělá stream, home to the Bělský rybník pond and two small waterfalls (Bělské vodopády) — one of the more scenic natural spots nearby. Popel is flanked by two neighboring hills, Hřebec (549 m) and the more prominent Javor (693 m), together forming a kind of natural amphitheater around the Bělá valley.

Why visit

Popel appeals to travelers who prefer the less-trodden parts of the Lusatian Mountains — a beech-topped summit without the crowds of the range's better-known peaks, easily combined with a walk through the Bělá valley to see its pond and waterfalls. The area also lies within reach of Bohemian Switzerland National Park, making it easy to build into a longer regional itinerary.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Popel? The hill reaches 652 metres above sea level.

Where exactly is it located? About 1.5 km east of Kytlice, in the Lusatian Mountains, near the village of Falknov (today part of the Kytlice municipality).

Where does the name come from? It's uncertain — older sources link it to either the German word for ash (from historical burning or clearing) or to the ash tree, said to have once grown on the slopes.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The Bělá stream valley with its Bělský rybník pond and two small waterfalls (Bělské vodopády), as well as the neighboring hills Hřebec and Javor.

Is there anything historically notable in Falknov? Yes — the village was once home to a glassworks that operated until the mid-18th century, after which locals turned to crafts centered on glass finishing.