    
Mountains and Dales
If you love mountains, you absolutely must come to Poland. The Carpathian
and Sudetan Mountains gird the south of the country. There are ten national
parks here. Ramblers' walks are perfectly laid out and you won't see any
hamburger stands, asphalted roads or walled-off gardens. All you need
is a backpack full of food, good boots, and a bit of daring.
 The
Tatras
The highest range in the Carpathians is the Tatras. To appreciate their
beauty there's no need to scale the summits, a stroll along one of the
valleys will suffice - perhaps the Koscieliska Valley, the Chocholowska,
or the Rybi Potok. The Polish Tatras are divided into two groups - the
High Tatras and the Western Tatras. The High Tatras are for the more experienced,
but once you've traversed the Orla Peræ (Eagle's Path), climbed
Koscielec, Swinica or Rysy (at 2,499m the highest peak), you'll want to
come back again and again.
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Here you'll see the highest waterfall in Poland - Wielka Siklawa
(70m) - and scotrs of enchanting post-glacial lakes with emerald
and blue surfaces. The largest , and at the same time the most easily
accessible for tourists, is Morskie Oko (34.9 hectares), but with
a little more effort you could see the watery miracles of nature
called Dolina Pieciu Stawów (the Valley of Five Polish Lakes)
and the Gasienicowa Valley.
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The Valley of Five Polish Lakes
Photo(C) Dariusz Zarod
photoagency.com.pl |
The Western Tatras are safer and more accommodating, there's more space
and greenery, not to mention the caves and potholes. With a stroke of
luck, you will see protected animals such as the alpine marmot and kozica
(chamois) on any trail in the Tatras. In the mountains, people still continue
the century-old custom of greeting passing travellers. On the way, you
can take a break in peaceful spots amid the mountain pines or in grand
mountain lodges.
The
Beskidy, Gorce, and Pieniny Mountains
Valley of the Dunajec
Photo: www.poland.gov.pl |
The Carpathians also have other ranges. The rounded hills of the
Beskidy and Gorce, with their gentle slopes covered by forests,
will please those who prefer long, tranquil strolls. In the Pieniny
Mountains, you can take part in a raft trip down the beautiful valley
of the Dunajec. Narrow, wooden poles are lashed together in fives
to make rafts that are steered by Highland rafters. For over a hundred
years they've been carrying tourists along the impressive route
through the heart of the Pieniny. The river goes round three colossal
bends in the space of 15 km, winding through the narrow gorge between
the mountain slopes.
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The
Bieszczady Mountains
In contrast to the Tatras, an undisputed asset of the Beskidy and Pieniny
is the fact that the trails are less frequented by tourists, especially
in autumn. The Bieszczady Mountains, a range in the Eastern Carpathians,
are also gorgeous at this time of year. In September and October, the
beechwood slopes turn red and the high poloniny (mountain meadows) are
even more colourful. The Bieszczady region is the only location in Poland
where such a large area has returned to its primaeval state and natural
balance. The Bieszczady are the realm of large animals: bison, bears,
lynx, wildcats and wolves. Strolling across the meadows in the early morning,
you can see herds of Carpathian deer or a solitary elk; falcons, hawks,
buzzards and golden eagles wheel in the sky.
Horse-riding
Most of the ramblers' tracks, whether on the coast, round the lakes or
over the lowlands and mountains, can also be traversed by bike or on horseback.
There are close to 5 thousand kilometres of cycle paths laid out in Poland.
They lead through natural landscape and national parks, they circle lakes,
they climb the coastal dunes and the mountain summits, run along river
valleys and cut through interesting towns and cities.
Photo: www.poland.gov.pl
It's even more exhilarating to see Poland from the saddle. Riding is
very common here and no wonder, horses have always been close to Polish
hearts. They've served the people of Poland for travel, hunting, and on
the battlefield. Poles were renowned for their riding, and equestrian
skills have a respected tradition in Poland. In olden Poland, the horse
was so popular that its definition in one of the first Polish encyclopaedias
in 1746 said: "Horse - everyone knows what it is like". Today,
Polish stables are famed all over the world. The leading world breeders
come to the Arab horse auctions. A network of stables, riding schools
and private equestrian centres covers the whole country. They are set
ideal riding terrain. There are also trails where excellent treks are
organised, lasting from a couple of days to several weeks. Examples are
the Wilczy Szlak (Wolf's Trail) in central Poland (240 km), the Transjurajski
Szlak Konny (Trans-Jurassic Horse Trail) in the Pogórze (250km)
and the longest - the Transbeskidzki Szlak Konny (Trans-Beskid Horse Trail),
which runs for 600 km. You can cover the Bieszczady National Park on gentle
and resilient Hucul ponies (a wild, indigenous breed). Whether on tracks
or mountain trails, these horses won't be frightened by cars and they
can drink in the pure lakes and streams. Equestrian meetings take place
throughout the year: you might take part in a real hunt. There are also
events transplanted to Poland from other countries: the St. Hubert's Hunt,
cowboy cattle round-ups, or rodeos.
The
Sudetan Mountains
The Sudetan Mountains, in the southwest of the country, are not at all
difficult to climb - you don't so much hike through them as stroll. The
Sudetan region is, without doubt, one of the best-organised parts of Poland
in terms of tourist infrastructure. It's a mosaic of mountain ranges of
divergent character: from the massive Karkonosze through the fantastical
Góry Stolowe (Table Mountains), to the low broad hills of the Izerskie,
Bialskie and Zlote ranges. Here you can admire waterfalls hidden in the
forests and great post-glacial coombs, delve into rocky labyrinths, photograph
mouflons (wild sheep) and find precious minerals. At one time, the Sudetan
Mountains were known as "treasure house of Europe", and the
stones exported from these peaks adorn more than one historic building
in France and Italy. And even today, among the rocks you may come across
rock crystal, agate, amethyst, jasper, garnet, topaz, and nephrite.
The
Swietokrzyskie (Holy Cross) Mountains
The Swietokrzyskie Mountains are among the oldest in Europe. They're
650 million years old and their impressive age is almost tangible. The
peaks are not very high, covered in scree, and overgrown with the preserved
remains of two primaeval forests, the Jodlowa and Swietokrzyska. In the
National Park and the Nature Reserves there are as many as 670 natural
monuments such as trees and stones. You can visit the famous Lysa Góra
(Bare Mountain), legendary location of witches' Sabbaths. Archaeological
excavations have confirmed that centuries ago,this used to be the site
of pagan religious worship dedicated to the Slavonic gods. The Swietokrzyskie
peaks are surrounded by younger rock formations, including limestone,
so there's no shortage of caves and potholes. Here you'll find the most
striking Polish cave, Raj (Paradise).
Poland's mountains guarantee more than purely natural attractions. In
the valleys there are charming towns, settlements and holiday resorts.
Most of them have preserved their old, wooden cottages, and historic churches
(Roman and Eastern-rite). In many places people still keep up their old
traditions. The Podhale and Zakopane, areas neighbouring on the Tatras,
are special in this respect .
Spa
facilities
What's more, in the Polish highlands there's no shortage of popular European-class
spas with curative waters. In the Pieniny region, there's the attractive
Szczawnica, and Szklarska Poreba, Polanica and Kudowa Zdrój in the Sudetans.
Health-giving springs that are hidden in forests and parks are freely
accessible - all you need is a cup or a bottle. One very special spa is
Polanczyk in the Bieszczady region, situated on a peninsula and surrounded
on three sides by the waters of Lake Solinskie. The climate is very mild
here - the great distance from the Baltic and the Black Sea means that
it's the most continental location in Poland. Here you can get treatment
for respiratory and nervous disorders. Polanczyk is also a big centre
for water sports - anyone exhausted by the Bieszczady hiking trails can
climb into a sailing boat, canoe or motorboat, or strap on some water-skis.
The water in Lake Solinskie is pure; you can bathe and swim safely.
Source: www.poland.gov.pl
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