Provincial Gate
Zemská brána is one of the most beautiful places in the Orlické Mountains. The Wild Orlice River breaks through a rocky valley here, creating a dramatic gorge with massive gneiss walls. The river rises in the Topieliska and Czarne Bagno peat bogs in Poland and, over a length of 30 km, winds along as the border with Poland as far as the stone bridge, where the Zemská brána Nature Trail begins. Figuratively, it serves as a gateway to Bohemia.
The valley of the Divoká Orlice River near Zemská brána has been a nature reserve since 1987. The subject of protection is the entire landscape complex, with forest stands on the slopes, meadows in the immediate vicinity of the river, and the boulder-strewn riverbed of the Divoká Orlice surrounded by rock formations.
The landmark of the whole area is a stone bridge from 1901. It not only spans the river elegantly, but has also become a symbol of the entire region. After crossing it, you will find yourself in the middle of the nature reserve, which invites you to take walks along the educational trail. It is marked by the blue hiking trail. The trail is 3 km long and has 22 stops.
Along the way you will pass the Smugglers’ Footbridge. It earned its name in times when provisions and goods were smuggled in the foothills from the borderlands, even though its original purpose was to serve lumberjacks hauling timber from the surrounding manorial meadows. Smuggling ceased after the First World War. The footbridge was later swept away by a flood, and the current structure dates from 2002. Farther on you will find Ledříček’s Rock, about 15 meters high and wrapped in a legend about a robber who helped the poor. There is a small cave in the rock and a forest spring nearby.
You can extend your trip as far as the Čihák mountain lodge or the Hvězda spring. Zemská brána is an ideal destination in any season. In summer it captivates with fresh greenery and babbling water; in winter, with the magic of the frozen river and snow overhangs.