About this place
Údolí Říčky (Říčka Valley) is a nature reserve tucked into the southern edge of the Drahanská Highlands, within the Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area, just south of the village of Ochoz u Brna. The reserve itself lies within the municipality of Mokrá-Horákov, roughly 13 kilometers northeast of Brno, in a hilly, densely forested landscape typical of this part of the region.
What kind of reserve is this?
The protected area was declared in 1990 and covers 141.27 hectares stretched along both banks of the Říčka stream. The stream carves a narrow, ravine-like valley through the limestone terrain, and this waterway is the defining feature around which the entire reserve is organized.
Why was the area protected?
The reserve was established to protect a combination of natural forest and forest-steppe vegetation that supports warmth-loving plant and animal species uncommon elsewhere in this part of Moravia. Equally important is the area's karst landscape: caves, underground passages, and sinkholes that make the valley one of the more significant geological sites in the wider Moravian Karst region.
What caves are found in the valley?
The most notable underground feature is the Ochozská Cave system, with roughly 1,750 meters of documented passages — one of the longer cave systems in this part of the Moravian Karst outside its better-known core area. The valley also contains the Hostěnické propadání, a sinkhole where surface water disappears underground and continues as part of a subterranean stream network.
What archaeological significance does the area hold?
Pekárna Cave, located within the reserve, is recognized as an important archaeological site tied to the reindeer-hunter period of the Upper Paleolithic. Traces of human settlement found there show that people were active in the Říčka Valley thousands of years ago, long before any documented history of the wider region.
What does the valley's landscape look like?
Forest covers the valley's slopes, with surviving pockets of forest-steppe vegetation in places — a remnant of what was once a more open landscape. The limestone bedrock favors warmth-loving plant species that don't typically thrive in dense Central European forests. The combination of a moist valley floor along the Říčka stream and drier, sun-exposed slopes creates a mosaic of habitats that supports a wider range of species than either environment could on its own.
Where exactly is the reserve located?
Údolí Říčky lies within the municipality of Mokrá-Horákov, in the Brno-Country District, South Moravian Region. Its approximate coordinates are 49.243°N, 16.746°E. Proximity to Ochoz u Brna and to Brno itself makes the reserve an accessible destination for visitors interested in both natural scenery and karst geology.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Údolí Říčky reserve established? The reserve was declared in 1990 and covers an area of 141.27 hectares.
What caves can be found in the valley? The main ones are Ochozská Cave, with about 1,750 meters of passages, and Pekárna Cave, known for its archaeological finds from the reindeer-hunter period.
What is the Hostěnické propadání? It's a karst sinkhole in the valley where surface water disappears underground and joins a subterranean stream system.
What larger protected area does the reserve belong to? Údolí Říčky lies within the Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area, in the southern part of the Drahanská Highlands.
How far is the reserve from Brno? It lies about 13 kilometers northeast of Brno, within the municipality of Mokrá-Horákov.
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