Spalava

Spálava is a 663-metre hill in the Železné hory (Iron Mountains) of northeastern Czechia, the range's second-highest summit after nearby Vestec, which sits less than 4 km away. The hill lies within the Železné hory Protected Landscape Area, roughly 2 km north of the tiny village of Barovice, part of the Libice nad Doubravou municipality in the Havlíčkův Brod district, Vysočina Region.

What does the summit look like, and what can you see from it?

The top of Spálava is flat and grassy, typical of the rounded, forest-covered ridgelines that make up the Iron Mountains — there are no rock outcrops or dramatic escarpments here. Open views stretch mainly northward, toward the densely wooded central part of the range. Because beech and ash forest presses in close on most sides, a full panorama is only visible through a handful of clearings.

Did a lookout tower ever stand here?

Yes. A wooden lookout tower stood on the summit during the 19th century, though nothing of it remains today. The hill's history goes back much further: in the Middle Ages it served as a watch post along the so-called Libická route, a trade path connecting Bohemia and Moravia. The earliest written mention of the site dates to 1146–1148, making it one of the oldest documented strategic points in the area.

How do you reach Spálava from Barovice?

A yellow-marked hiking trail loops around the summit, connecting the villages of Velká Střítež and Chloumek. From Barovice, about 2 km to the south, the most direct approach is along local forest tracks that join this trail. The terrain is hilly but not steep, so no special preparation is needed.

What's protected in the Spálava nature reserve?

Less than a kilometre southwest of the summit lies the Spálava nature reserve, 28.91 hectares in size, established on 1 October 2007 by the Železné hory Protected Landscape Area authority and now managed by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR). It protects patches of species-rich and acidophilous beech forest along with spring-fed ash groves, at elevations between 515 and 636 metres. Recorded species include the red-breasted flycatcher, the stock dove, and the Eurasian eagle-owl — a bird that needs large, undisturbed forest tracts to breed.

What is Barovice, and why is it worth knowing?

Barovice is a tiny village of just 43 residents as of the 2021 census, sitting at about 630 metres above sea level right on the ridge of the Iron Mountains, above the springs of the Barovka stream. The earliest written record of the settlement dates to 1556, when it appeared under the name "Bavorovice." Small deposits of actinolite and veins of petrified wood have been found near the village, and another protected area, the Maršálka nature reserve, lies just northeast of it.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Spálava? 663 metres above sea level, making it the second-highest peak in the Iron Mountains.

Is the hike to the summit difficult? No — the approach through forest and meadow is gentle, with no technical sections, and a yellow-marked trail crosses right over the top.

Is there still a lookout tower on the summit? No, the wooden tower that stood there in the 19th century no longer exists.

Is there anything protected in the area? Yes — less than a kilometre from the summit is the 28.91-hectare Spálava nature reserve, protecting beech and ash forest and rare birds such as the Eurasian eagle-owl.

How far is Spálava from Barovice? About 2 km in a straight line, within the Libice nad Doubravou municipality.