The developing Jihlávka Bird Park gives the nature theme around Kaliště U Horních Dubenek a specific focal point: it lies between Jihlávka, Horní Dubenky, Kaliště and Býkovec, stretching from Bor Pond to Býkovecký Pond. The park also includes the regionally significant Kaliště Peat Bog Nature Reserve.
Nature and birdwatching
Common snipes, northern lapwings and European stonechats can be seen in the bird park. Sightings are seasonal and not guaranteed. Visitors interested in birds will find a nature experience here that depends on the time of year. The park can be viewed easily from the roadside at its southernmost point, “u křížku”. As visiting conditions may change as the project develops, check the current situation before your visit.
Býkovec: chapel and local history
Býkovec is also among the places mentioned in the project; its landscape lies beside a stream in a mountain hollow on the Studená–Batelov road. The origins of the settlement are traced to a fortress built by a nobleman and connected to a manor farm. A later layer of its economic history is the former manorial mill: it was equipped with a fulling mill for the spinning mill of the Tomáš Novotný company.
A prominent building from the more recent history of the village is the chapel in Býkovec. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title “Mediatrix of All Graces”. It was built from 21 September to 30 November 2009; building approval followed on 9 December 2010. Around 250 people attended the consecration. Students and teachers from the Jihlava Elementary School of Arts (ZUŠ) provided musical accompaniment for the ceremony. The chapel’s construction history, religious dedication and the ceremony itself can thus be considered as different aspects of the building.
Local customs also offer a glimpse into life in Býkovec. An Easter tradition involves men, young men and boys going from house to house in a large group. A specific dated event was the carnival parade on 14 February 2026: it made its way through Býkovec with 65 imaginatively designed costumes. These details represent different forms of local cultural life; the parade is described as an event on that date.
Another nature experience: the riding trail
For those interested in a longer route as well as birdwatching, Býkovec offers another clearly defined point of interest: the green-marked Litohošť–Sosnový les riding trail passes through the village. It is 92 kilometres long and runs across fields and grassy tracks. The two nature experiences are therefore quite distinct: the bird park focuses on seasonal birdwatching and a designated roadside viewing point, while the riding trail offers a marked route across fields and grassy tracks.
Discover more destinations: Milíčov, Hostětice, Ždírec, Volevčice, Kostelní Myslová, Dobronín, Puklice, Mysletice.
For the full travel overview: Jihlava District.
