Stříbrná Huť

Stříbrná Huť is a small protected nature site in the Tábor region of South Bohemia, tucked into the hills between Tábor and Chýnov, within the municipality of Dobronice u Chýnova. Despite covering only a fraction of a hectare, it has held protected status since as far back as 1946, making it one of the older designated nature sites in the area.

Where exactly is it?

The site sits between the villages of Zárybničná Lhota and Dobronice u Chýnova, near a former settlement that shares its name — Stříbrné Hutě, known in German as Silberberg. It lies at an elevation of roughly 420 meters above sea level, only a few kilometers from Tábor, which makes it an easy target for a short countryside walk or a quick stop on a longer day trip through the region.

What is actually protected here?

At the heart of the reserve is a heavily silted, overgrown forest pond called Nadýmač. Open water has largely given way to marsh vegetation, and the pond now serves as a refuge for bog arum (Calla palustris), a strictly protected plant species. The damp margins around the water also support endangered amphibians, most notably the smooth newt and the great crested newt, both of which rely on this kind of shallow, vegetated wetland for breeding.

Why does the pond exist at all?

The name of the area points back to its mining past — the nearby settlement of Stříbrné Hutě was once a site where silver ore was extracted and processed using amalgamation, a method that relies on mercury to separate the metal. The Nadýmač pond itself is thought not to be a natural feature but rather an artificial one, created in connection with a mill race built to channel water to a mill wheel. Traces of that old watercourse are still visible on the ground today, which gives the site an added layer of interest for anyone curious about the region's industrial past, not just its ecology.

Why is it worth a visit?

Stříbrná Huť is a good example of how past human activity — mining and milling, in this case — can quietly give way to nature and eventually turn into valuable wildlife habitat. The slowly silting pond may look unassuming at first glance, but it functions as a small pocket of biodiversity, home to rare aquatic plants and newt populations that have disappeared from many other parts of the region. It appeals most to quiet walkers, casual naturalists, and anyone with an interest in the area's silver-mining history.

How to get there?

The easiest way to reach the site is by car or bike from nearby Tábor or Chýnov, both just a few kilometers away. The surrounding area also has other attractions worth combining into the same trip, including the well-known Chýnov Cave.

Frequently asked questions

What is Stříbrná Huť? It is a small protected nature site in the Tábor region, safeguarded since 1946, centered on the slowly overgrowing Nadýmač forest pond and its rare plant and amphibian life.

Where does the name come from? It refers to the former mining settlement of Stříbrné Hutě, where silver ore was once mined and smelted.

What species can be found here? Mainly bog arum among plants, and the smooth newt and great crested newt among amphibians, both of which breed in the overgrown pond.

How large is the protected area? It is very small, covering only a fraction of a hectare, making it one of the smaller protected sites in the Tábor region.