You can ask why so poetic title? The hill Bořeň is not by far the highest one in the Czech Central Mountains (Czech name: České středohoří), but is surely one of the most expressive hills there. Bořeň is national nature reserve since 1977. Under the hill in the north-east is situated Bílina town.
Bořeň is a popular destination for hikers and rock-climbers. It seems black, due to the broken relief its rocky phonolite face that is only scarcely wooded. Most of the wood is in the middle part and under the hill.
Surrounding village inhabitants enjoy themselves with guessing what the hill is like. Look at the north hillside reminds a lying lion, south a mammoth head and west a giant head. Also thanks to this characteristic distinguished Bořeň from more monotonous hills round about.
Bořeň is a favorite place for rock-climbers because of its geomorphological structure. You can’t find better hill for rock-climbing in the surroundings. Unfortunately what is positive for rock-climbers is negative for nature conservationists. They are fighting against rock-climbing on the hill Bořeň, because it causing rock erosion. Erosion slowly devastates local flora and fauna and changing whole face of the hill.
In the south-west under the hill Bořeň you can find unusual geological and hydrological phenomenon – detritus stream. Stream is the name for some place, where the underground water comes freely out on the Earth’s surface. Detritus stream springs at the foot of detritus deposit that covers tightly the base. Rainwater streams downhill inside geest and springs at the foot of them. Detritus stream is not permanent. It wears off in the drought period and after the rain renew again. Rainwater, which runs through the detritus, filter it selves and in the end phases could be drinkable.
This location has also really interesting fauna. From the zoological view is Bořeň eminent with various avifauna. On this location was found 92 kinds of birds. 22 from that amount are listed in register of specially protected species.
I was found there some of the smallest animals (reptiles and arthropoda) for example: Oedipoda coerulescens, Chorthippus brunneus, Gomphocerippus rufus, Chorthippus paralellus, Rhynocoris iracundus, Trypocopris vernalis, Argiope bruennichi, Arguis fragius and Coronella austriaca. Is admirable, how many life forms you can find on so inhospitable place.
Floristically is the location special due to its steppe thermophillic plant community that becomes domesticated in the south side of the hill. Local conditions as higher temperature and relatively low precipitation amount are suitable for this type of plant community. It is also windy in the south, because there are missing natural wind belts. Weather conditions helps to the natural erosion local rocks. So the hillsides are covered with stone-argillaceous detritus, here and there are compact debris fields. I was found there a lot of plant species, for example: Pinus nigra, Allium senescens subsp. montanum, Stachys recta, Verbascum lychnitis, Aster alpinus, Dianthus carthusianorum, Scleranthus perennis, Centaurea stoebe, Fragaria vesca, Sorbus aucuparia, Hieracium schmidtii, Hieracium pilosella, Festuca pallens, Eryngium campestre, Thymus praecox subsp. praecox, Potentilla arenaria, Cirsium arvense, Euphorbia cyparissias, Stellaria holostea, Sedum telephium, Pseudolysimachion spicatum, Rosa canina, Achillea millefollium, Prunus spinosa, Galium glaucum, Rumex acetosa, Aurinia saxatilis, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Hypericum maculatum, Viola tricolor, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Campanula rotundifolia and one lichen Hypogymnia physodes.
So if you will come in Czech Middle Mountains, don’t forget to visit hill Bořeň. There is always something to admire.
