Rathsam

Rathsam is a nature reserve right on the German border, at the spot where the Ohře river meets the smaller Reslava stream, within the village of Pomezná near Cheb. The site sits at the western edge of the Skalka reservoir and covers meandering river bends together with wide wetland meadows shaped by the two watercourses repeatedly shifting their channels over time.

How was the reserve established?

The area first received protected status in 1990 as a designated natural feature, and eight years later, in 1998, it was upgraded to a full nature reserve. The protection exists because of the well-preserved complex of natural water channels and wetland communities here, home to several threatened plant and animal species.

What is the history behind the name?

The reserve takes its name from the village of Rathsam, which still stood in this spot at the end of the Second World War. It was a small settlement of 16 houses with around 80 German residents. After the postwar expulsion of the German population in 1945, the village disappeared, and the land it once occupied gradually reverted to a natural state, allowing today's river-and-wetland ecosystem to develop.

What plant life grows here?

The vegetation forms a mosaic of damp meadows, alder and willow thickets, and patches of oak woodland. Among the protected species found here are several orchids, including the western marsh orchid and the lesser butterfly orchid, alongside variegated monkshood, broad-leaved helleborine, marsh cinquefoil, marsh speedwell, and black rampion. This plant diversity is a direct result of the consistently damp, riverside habitat conditions found throughout the valley.

Which animals can be spotted in the reserve?

The wetlands and old river arms of Rathsam provide important habitat for dragonflies — researchers have recorded more than twenty species here. The reserve is also notable for an unusually rich amphibian population, with ten different species present, making it one of the more valuable sites for amphibians in the wider Karlovy Vary region. This richness of dragonflies and amphibians stems from the combination of standing and flowing water together with varied bankside vegetation, which offers both shelter and breeding grounds.

Where exactly is the reserve, and how can it be visited?

The area lies in the eastern part of the Libá municipality, close to Hohenberg an der Eger on the German side of the border. The reserve borders the Skalka reservoir, which makes the surrounding area a popular destination for cycling and walking trips that combine nature watching with time by the water. As a protected area, visitors are expected to stay on marked paths so as not to disturb the delicate balance of its wetland habitats.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Rathsam reserve? It is a nature reserve protecting a meandering stretch of the Ohře and Reslava rivers along with adjacent wetlands, formally established in 1998.

Where does the name Rathsam come from? It comes from a former German village called Rathsam that stood on this site until 1945, when its residents were expelled after the war.

What species live here? The reserve is known for its rich amphibian population (ten species) and dragonfly diversity (over twenty species), as well as rare plants including several orchid species.

Where is the reserve located? At the western edge of the Skalka reservoir, within the Libá municipality in the Cheb district, right along the German border.