Pstruhovec – a forest bog pond near Částrov

Pstruhovec is a small but botanically important nature monument in the Pelhřimov district, in the Počátky area of the Vysočina region, within the cadastral territory of the village of Částrov. The protected site covers just 1.32 hectares, making it one of the more modest nature reserves in the region — yet one with real ecological weight.

What makes Pstruhovec worth protecting?

At the core of the site lies an oligotrophic forest pond with gradually peating, waterlogged edges. This type of nutrient-poor, acidic wetland habitat supports plant communities typical of bog and mire environments — increasingly rare in the intensively farmed landscape of central Bohemia.

The pond's shoreline hosts a notable population of round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), a small carnivorous plant that survives in nutrient-poor, acidic conditions by trapping and digesting insects. The presence of this species is significant enough that it is one of the main reasons the site was granted protected status in the first place.

Alongside the sundew, the reserve is home to other wetland specialists: bog arum (Calla palustris), bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), and marsh cinquefoil (Comarum palustre). Nature surveys also list alpine snowbell (Soldanella montana) among the species recorded here — a plant more typically associated with higher, montane terrain, whose presence underlines the unusual microclimate of this small peat basin.

Why is the shoreline zone so important?

The littoral zone of the pond — the narrow band where open water meets land and marsh vegetation takes hold — is what makes survival possible for the plant species listed above. It is precisely in this zone that the specific moisture and chemical conditions required by bog specialists are maintained, conditions that are extremely difficult to recreate once lost. The reserve's small size shouldn't be mistaken for insignificance: this kind of habitat has been steadily disappearing across Central Europe due to land drainage and intensified forestry, which makes every surviving fragment valuable for regional biodiversity.

How to get to Pstruhovec

The reserve lies close to the village of Částrov, in a quiet, sparsely built-up part of the Vysočina region in the southern Pelhřimov district. The surrounding landscape is typical of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands: gently rolling terrain, coniferous and mixed forest interspersed with meadows and small water bodies. Because the bog ecosystem is fragile, visitors are encouraged to stick to marked paths and observe the pond's edge from a safe distance rather than approaching the water directly.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

The wider Počátky area and the Vysočina region as a whole are known for a patchwork of small nature reserves protecting bogs, ponds, and forests, and Pstruhovec is one of many such pockets in this part of the Czech Republic. It's a rewarding stop for anyone interested in botany or nature photography looking for a quiet, lesser-known destination away from crowded tourist trails.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pstruhovec? It is a small nature monument — an oligotrophic forest pond with peating edges — located in the municipality of Částrov in the Pelhřimov district of the Vysočina region.

How large is the protected area? The reserve covers 1.32 hectares.

What plants can be found here? Most notably round-leaved sundew, along with bog arum, bogbean, and marsh cinquefoil.

Can visitors swim in the pond? No — the site is protected because of its sensitive bog habitat, and visits should be limited to observing from the shore along marked paths.