Žákova hora, Mountain summit in Žďárské vrchy, Czech Republic
Žákova hora is an 810-meter summit in the Žďárské vrchy hills of the Czech Republic, with slopes entirely covered in forest and designated as a national nature reserve. The mountain sits within a rolling landscape of dense woodland in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.
The area received official protection as a national nature reserve on December 31, 1933. In 1954, the Ministry of Culture issued further regulations that have shaped how the forest and its surroundings have been managed ever since.
The name of this summit traces back to a local legend about monastery students who disappeared on its forested slopes. Walkers passing through the trees today still hear versions of this story from people in the surrounding villages.
Two marked hiking trails lead to the summit: a red route from the village of Číchov and a green route from Herálec. Both paths wind through dense forest and are clearly signposted, making navigation straightforward for most walkers.
The summit sits directly on Europe's main watershed, which divides water flowing toward the North Sea from water flowing toward the Black Sea. Near the base of the mountain, an artificial canal links the Svratka River across this divide, creating a rare hydrological connection between two major drainage systems.
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