Article Nature reserve Kobyla
An extensive rock amphitheater in the Bohemian Karst, a paradise for rock climbers and hik
In the immediate vicinity of the popular Koněprusy Caves is the Kobyla nature reserve with an area of 68 ha. The northern part of the area includes the abandoned Kobyla quarry, where mining was stopped as early as 1929. Since then, the walls of the quarry have been almost completely overgrown with dense vegetation, creating a stunning rock amphitheater that creates a natural impression. In the southeast, the reservation includes the wooded slopes of the Kobyla hill. The easiest access is by car, which can be easily parked in the spacious parking lot at the Koněprusy Caves and set off about 700 meters to the east.
Entrance through the tunnel to the Kobyla quarry
The entrance to the interior of the quarry is unusually about 70 meters long tunnel. The well-preserved tunnel from 1914 was originally used to transport the extracted limestone from the crater of the quarry to the narrow-gauge railway, along which it was further transported for processing.
Kobyla quarry - rock amphitheater
The mining revealed numerous karst phenomena, especially caves with significant finds of bones of prehistoric animals. In 1929, mining was terminated and a number of protected plant and animal species took hold in a unique site. Thanks to this, the walls are overgrown and today the whole quarry looks very natural. The overgrown rock walls surround a large flat space and thus form an extraordinary rock amphitheater. Numerous rock steps are a suitable place for the nesting of the Kestrel and even the largest European owl – the great owl – nests here.
Overgrown rock walls
The walls of the quarry, abandoned almost a hundred years ago, have already grown densely and already look quite natural. Thanks to the mining, numerous karst phenomena were discovered, including caves, the most important of which is the Chlupáčova sluj cave with findings of mammalian bones from the last interglacial period.
Paradise of rock climbers
A number of climbing routes of various difficulty are created on the walls surrounding the central area. The place is therefore very popular for climbers. The central space allows for relaxation, camping and meeting family members.
Cave Broken sluj
Zlomená sluj cave is about 20 m long, with paleontological findings of larger mammals, such as: cave lion, hairy rhinoceros, cave bear and others. Currently, 5 species of bats winter here, so entering the cave is not allowed.
Hairy slut
The cave is 25 meters long with the remains of mammals and molluscs from the ice age and interglacial times, there were also archeological finds from the Early Stone Age, which are among the oldest traces of man found in the Bohemian Karst.
Wooded slopes of Kobyla hill
The southern part of the reservation consists of rocky steppe vegetation, a mosaic of thermophilic oak groves, oak groves and sometimes even beeches. In the places of the original pastures, there are fescue lawns overgrown with hornbeam and dogwood.
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