Poland – the wandering spot

May 27, 2024May 29, 2024

Time Machine: mountain hiking in Poland 1963-1976

Sorting through family documents I came across old hiking log-books (Książeczki GOT PTTK): twelve multi-day mountain treks in southern Poland and one in Slovakia from 1963 to 1976, and a series of day-hikes in Tatra Mountains in 1964 and 1970. Over 1500km and many major mountain peaks hiked. The map traces roughly connect 30-50 waypoints recorded for each set/trek. We mostly followed established hiking trails and used public transportation only occasionally. Many local roads were still quite walkable, some were not even built yet. I remember quite a few names on the map, some viewes and events, but it is all very fuzzy.

List of summer treks and day-hikes 1963-1976

Year		Start	End
1963	Bieszczady	Lesko	Komańcza
1964	Tatry	Zakopane	day-hikes
	Tatry Wysokie	Tatrzanska Lomnica	Stary Smokovec
	Pogórze Przedtatrzanskie-Pieniny	Chochołów	Sromowce Niżne
1965	Beskidy	Ptaszkowa	Ustrzyki Górne
1966	Gorce	Zabrzeż	Rabka Zaryte
1967	Pieniny	Krościenko	Tylicz
1968	Beskid Mały	Skawce	Czernichów
	Beskid Żywiecki	Rycerka Dolna	Ujsoły
1969	Bieszczady-Beskid Ślaski	Lutowiska	Grybów
1970	Tatry	Zakopane	day-hikes
1971	Beskid Wyspowy-Beskid Mały-Pogórze Roznowskie	Wapiennica	Cieżkowice
1973	Góry Izerskie-Karkonosze-Góry Wałbrzyskie-Kotlina Kłodzka-Góry Bystrzyckie	Świeradow Zdroó	Bystrzyca Kłdzka
1976	Beskid Żywiecki	Zwardoń	Ujsoły
1976	Gorce-Beskid Sądecki	Nowy Targ	Rytro

Interactive map

May 17, 2024May 29, 2024

Polska 2024: Zakopane-Zakliczyn

It was family visit, but also remembering hikes in Tatra Mountains some 40-50 years ago. The rocks remain the same making it all look familiar despite big changes in villages and valleys below. I wish I had more time for longer walks (perhaps next time), but in some ways, not surprisingly, I like remembering the way everything was back then.

Zakopane has great location as hiking base and immediate great views of the mountains. Many places to stay and eat. Overdeveloped in my opinion (rentals and restaurants). The weather was good, even if cloudy the first couple of days. We did driving tour on the first day just to look around: Zakopane and Krupówki (main=touristy street), town cemetery, Kościelisko (late lunch=dinner by polish clock at ☞ Gazdówka pod Lasem), Jaszczórowka, Cyrhla, Bukowina Tatrzańska, Murzasichle, Olcza.

Koryto Góralskie (highlander’s trough) = food sampler at Gazdówka pod Lasem in Kościelisko

Next day was all talking, but we managed short local sunset walk on Olczański Wierch. The following couple of days we did two short and very popular walks: to Dolina Białego and Dolina Strążyska. We stopped at Villa Astoria (family history), continued up the Biały stream to Sarni Wodospad (waterfall), stopped for late lunch/dinner ☞ Karczma Biały Potok) and ended the day on Gubałówka. Gubałówka may be over commercialized, but so what – the panoramic view of Tatra Mountains is great. The following day we walked up to Siklawica (waterfall) at the end of Strążyski stream valley, just against north face of Giewont. The weather was great for hiking and the crowd was thin (by Zakopane’s standard). More Polish food at ☞ Javorina.

Tatry Wysokie (Slovakia) at sunset from Olczański Wierch

Scieżka pod Reglami (trail below forest line)

View from Gobałówka

Now we are heading to Zakliczyn via scenic, winding road along Dunajec (River) Valley. Panoramic views from the road of Tatry Bielskie and Tatry Wysokie (Slovakia). The river, lakes/reservoirs (Lake Czorsztyn, Lake Rożnow), castles (Czorsztyn, Melsztyn) and small towns (Stary Sacz, Zakliczyn). Some remnants of the past Małopolska atmosfere still left. Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music and Lusławice house were shut closed = disappointment.