Naučná stezka Zlatý kůň
Quarry Na Kobyle
Massive pinkish Slivenec limestones which were mined in the quarry used to
build the peripheral area of the limestone cliff of Zlatý kůň. Slivenec
limestones created together with cliff Koněprusy limestones during Variscan
orogeny a compact, uneasily foldable unit. Older limestones of the lochkovian
formation and silurian limestones of the požár formation were slided onto this
unit from north. This slide took part along a distinctive defect – Očkov
rearrangement. Length of the slide is estimated to approximately 1 km. The
slide area of the tectonic structure is distinctly shown in the upper part of
northern quarry wall. Some karst phenomena were uncovered through mining. The
cave Zlomená sluj has its upper floor developed according to the slide area of
the Očkov rearrangement. In the cave Chlupáčova sluj important discoveries of
mammal bones from the last interglacial age were made (cave lion, hyaena, bear,
steppe horse, rhino). Stone tools and bones of wild animals from the older Stone
Age belong to one of the oldest man traces in the territory of Český kras. On
the quarry wall at the adit estuary there is a commemorative board which reminds
on karst explorer Jaroslav Petrbok (1881–1960) who devoted himself to the
research of Chlupáčova sluj. Abandoned quarries provide refuge to many rare
plants and animals. On moister places arises endangered dandellion Taraxacum
bavaricum which does not grow elsewhere in the territory of Český kras. Its
occurrence here is enabled through the fact that there is not a deeper soil
layer at the bottom of the quarry which therefore does not grow over (so called
blocked ecological succession). This fact is also supported by the visitors of
the territory who tread down the green. At the end of summer blossoms here
gentian Gentianopsis ciliata.
Overgrowing quarry walls with frequent rock terraces are a suitable nesting
place for the most frequent falcon beast of prey in Czech republic – common
kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) – as well as for Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo),
the biggest European owl.
