Pustý mlýn

Pustý mlýn is a small nature reserve (přírodní památka) tucked into the Jihlava river valley near the village of Jamolice, in the Znojmo District of the South Moravian Region. Its name — "the abandoned mill" — recalls a water mill that once stood on this spot by the river; nothing of the building survives today, but the place name lives on, now attached to a protected pocket of riverside wilderness.

Where exactly is Pustý mlýn?

The reserve sits on the slopes above the left bank of the Jihlava, at elevations ranging from 229 to 343 metres above sea level, within the Střední Pojihlaví Nature Park. It is one of several small protected sites strung along the river between Mohelno and Hrubšice, together forming a chain of valuable habitats through the steep, winding canyon the Jihlava has carved into the Moravian landscape. Jamolice itself, the village that serves as the gateway to the area, lies roughly 30 km northeast of Znojmo.

What does the reserve protect?

Pustý mlýn was granted protected status on 1 January 2014. The site safeguards a mix of natural habitat types found on the steep, sun-exposed valley slopes — from dry grasslands to woodland patches — along with the rare plants and animals that depend on them. Its best-known inhabitant is the woodland grayling butterfly, Hipparchia fagi, a species tied to warm, open and semi-open terrain that has become increasingly scarce across the intensively farmed Moravian countryside. Pustý mlýn forms part of the wider Střední Pojihlaví Nature Park, which spans roughly 1,500 hectares across the Brno-venkov, Znojmo and Třebíč districts and protects the whole mosaic of microclimates shaped by the Jihlava's meandering course.

How do you reach it, and what else is nearby?

A red-marked hiking trail runs straight through the valley, past the site of the old mill. Heading one way, it leads to Hrubšice and Řeznovice before reaching Ivančice, where a railway station makes a one-way through-hike easy to plan. Heading the other way, the trail climbs toward the ruins of Templštejn Castle, passes the Velká skála viewpoint and the striking Mohelenská hadcová step — a well-known steppe reserve on serpentinite outcrops — and continues via Rabštejn Castle all the way to Kramolín. That makes Pustý mlýn a natural waypoint on a longer walking route stringing together several of the region's nature and heritage highlights along the Jihlava.

Who is this destination for?

Pustý mlýn suits hikers and nature enthusiasts who enjoy quiet river-valley scenery and the chance to spot species that have grown rare elsewhere, away from crowded tourist stops. Don't expect facilities at the site itself — there's no restaurant or dedicated car park right by the reserve — so it's best visited as part of a longer walk starting from Jamolice or Ivančice rather than as a standalone destination.

Frequently asked questions

Is the old mill building still standing at Pustý mlýn? No. Nothing remains of the historic water mill; only the name survives, now referring to the protected valley-slope habitat.

When was Pustý mlýn declared a protected area? It received protected status as a přírodní památka (nature monument) on 1 January 2014.

Which trail passes through the reserve? A red-marked hiking trail connects Hrubšice, Řeznovice and Ivančice on one side, and Templštejn Castle, Velká skála and the Mohelenská hadcová step on the other.

What is the reserve's main natural value? Rare habitats on the steep slopes of the Jihlava valley, home to the woodland grayling butterfly, Hipparchia fagi.