Ptasi Kamień / Čihadlo

Ptasi Kamień, known on the Czech side as Čihadlo, is a peak in the Karkonosze (Giant Mountains) with a height of 1,215 metres above sea level, lying in the central part of the Silesian Ridge.

On the border of two countries

The border between Poland and the Czech Republic runs across the peak, separating the Karkonoska Pass to the east from the Dołek Pass to the west. The area on both sides of the border is protected: on the Polish side it lies within the Karkonosze National Park, and on the Czech side within the Czech Krkonošský národní park.

Geology and vegetation

The peak is built of Karkonosze granite, and at its top there is a small rock. The slopes are covered with upper montane spruce forest.

Origin of the name

The German names of the peak are Im Löchel and Vogelstein, and the Czech name is Čihadlo. The Polish name Ptasi Kamień refers to the same motif as the German Vogelstein: a bird's stone.

Nearby

In this part of the Karkonosze, within a few kilometres, are other peaks of the Silesian Ridge, including Śląskie Kamienie and Wielki Szyszak, and closer to Karpacz the viewpoint Śnieżne Kotły and the historic Wang Church.

Practical information

• Location: Silesian Ridge in the Karkonosze, on the Polish-Czech border, near the village of Przesieka
• Access: the peak lies within the Karkonosze National Park; details of trails and access rules are worth checking with the park's administration before setting out
• An unremarkable peak, with no tourist facilities at the top