Ostrý (Osser)

The easiest way is to ascend from the hamlet of Hamry along the blue-marked hiking trail for about 7 kilometres. Along the way, you pass the remains of old mills on the Bílý Stream, until you reach the trail crossroads caled Na statečkutrails, where there used to be a mountain settlement with a farmhouse. From there we climb to the summit of Ostrý. A major tourist attraction is the wooden door that frames a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. If you get thirsty, there is a mountain hut with refreshments on the German side. Above it, there is the top summit with a cross and a wonderful view of the surrounding Bohemian Forest peaks.

The highest-situated castle and the biggest waterfall

And perhaps it was this view that inspired the building of a small guard castle on this very spot in the Middle Ages. The mediaeval castle (end of the 13th), which has been verified by archaeological research, is also known from old documents, legends and pictures, especially from German archives. Today, only traces of the castle are visible – the artificially levelled platform on which the mountain hut now stands, but above all the ditch dug into the rock, which now serves as a passage between the rocks. The state border passes through this ditch, which is a rarity. In the current situation, this means only one thing – part of the levelled platform for the castle belongs to our territory, and the greater part belongs to Germany.

Another unique feature is that it is actually the highest-situated castle not only in Bohemian Forest, but also in the entire Czech Republic. It is also possible to walk to a lookout point about 200 metres from the castle while literally zigzagging along the border line. If you want to see everything there is to see in this part of Bohemian Forest, we recommend continuing on German territory for about 1 kilometre to the top of Malý Ostrý. Along the way, you will pass a modern chapel with a nice historical border milestone with the symbols of Bohemia and Bavaria. If you still have some time during the descent, do not forget to go and see the largest waterfall in Bohemian Forrest in Bílá strž (the White Gorge).