KOCIOŁ
ŁOMNICZKI is the largest postglacial pot of the
Karkonosze
Mountains,
whose edges reach
1300
metres above the sea level, and the bottom
100 metres lower. The
Łomniczka Stream has its source here, creates a gorge and flows
300 metres down many
cascades. On the western wall of the pot, a symbolic mountain cemetery was established,
the only cemetery of this type in
Poland, dedicated to people
connected with the Karkonosze Mountains. In winter, there are avalanches in the
pot, and at that time access there is forbidden. Summer walks are not the
easiest, either. This place has fascinated gold hunters and precious stone
prospectors for centuries. At the entrance to the pot, a hostel was built.
ŚNIEŻKA (
1602 m above sea level). This
is a magical place. Pilgrims' mountain. At its peak, St. Wawrzyniec Chapel was
erected (1861). Śnieżka, according to statistics, is covered in clouds296 days
a year. However, when the sky is free of clouds, the visibility distance
exceeds
100 km.
The average annual temperature slightly exceeds 0 degrees Centigrade. It has even
snowed there several times in July or August. The peak is a strict reserve of
the National Park. Rocks are overgrown with alpine and polar vegetation. There
is a hostel at the peak and a station of the
Institute of
Meteorology
and Water Management with an exhibition of meteorological devices for visitors.
RÓWNIA POD ŚNIEŻKĄ
plateau under the highest peak of the
Sudetes.
At the widest point, it is almost three kilometres wide. This is a very swampy
terrain. Peat bogs as big as
50
metres in diameter can be found here. Because so many
valuable spe
cies of plants have been preserved, a strict reserve was
established here. The Biała Łaba, the Upa, and the Łomnica rivers have their
springs here. At the centre of Równia, also referred to as Biała Łąka, stands the
Lucni Bouda shelter house.
KOCIOŁ
MAŁEGO STAWU
is a charming place in all
seasons, regardless the time of the day and the weather. Kocioł Małego Stawu is
one of the most beautiful places in the
Karkonosze
Mountains.
It is a small mountain lake, surrounded on the south and the west with steep
rock walls and gullies, through which many avalanches fall in winter. Beside
the lake, on the site of an old shepherds' shed, the shelter house
"Samotnia" was built (1670). Nearby, there is the other pot, with a
large pond in it.
PRZEŁĘCZ
KARKONOSKA is the very centre of the
Karkonosze
Mountains (
1198 m above sea level). The
old
Celna Road
lead
s to it.
It can be accessed by car
from the Czech side. On the Polish side of the border, only foot traffic is
possible. During the second World War, the road was built by Polish, French, and
Russian POWs. At the very top of the pass, Polish and Czech shelter houses are
situated.
WIELKI
SZYSZAK (
1509 m
above sea level)
is the highest granite
peak of the
Karkonosze
Mountains (second highest
after Śnieżka). This at the same time is a breathtaking lookout point. It can
be accessed from the east via a path paved with stone slabs. This route was
created in the 19th century, founded by the Schaffgotsch family, which
is famous in the entire region.
SZKL
ARKA
WATERF
ALL at the elevation of
520
m above sea level enjoys remarkable popularity among
visitors to the
Karkonosze
Mountains. The reason for
this is convenient access by car, which we can park at the car park; after a
short walk we reach the waterfall (the entry is adapted for the needs of the
disabled). The waterfall cascades
13.3 metres down. The water feeds the waterfall
in a wide stream and falls through a rock funnel. Kochanówka shelter house is
situated above the waterfall. The entire region is an enclave of the
Karkonoski
National Park.
ŚNIEŻNE
KOTŁY often referred to as "Oczy Karkonosza” (Eyes of Karkonosz) and the
"Hideout of the Mountain Spirit," are among the most popular trip
destinations. As early as in the 19th century, the first shelter
house was built there, but frequent strong storms and lightning strikes ruined
it. Many times redeveloped, these days it serves exclusively as a TV and radio
transmitting station.
After
riding a chair-lift to up to Szrenica, we can travel on a wide and flat road,
easy to walk on even for the least fit tourists, to Śnie
żne Kotły. Amazing
views, the fantastic scent of dwarf mountain pine, and "crystal clear
air" will compensate us for all the effort.
A diffic
ult
stony trail leads to the bottom of the pots. This is a place in which snow is
found even in August. Thus the name of the pots. The two postglacial pots have
200 meter high vertical
walls. At the bottom of the pots, there are 3 small snowy ponds. They are
separated by "Grzęda" – a partition wall of rock. Śnieżne Kotły is a strict
protection reserve.
Extremely rare
alpine and arctic vegetation grows there. Therefore, you are forbidden to stray
from the marked trails. There are lookout platforms over Śnieżne Kotły, from
which in good visibility one can see towns
100 km away. I
n winter, due
to frequent avalanches, the trail leading to the bottom of the pots is closed.
SZRENICA
(
1362 m above sea level) The
peak is covered with granite deforested places ("goloborze"). Its
eastern wall is Kocioł Szrenicki, a favourite place of "paragliders,"
who often take off from this mountain. One can reach Szrenica by foot or on the
chair-lift from Szklarska Poręba.
This
mountain is popular mainly among skiers. SkiArena Szrenica is one of the
biggest ski centres in the Karkonosze and the
Sudetes.
At Szrenica
pe
ak is a p
rivate shelter house. The shelter house is famous for pierogi and
pancakes with blueberries and whipped cream.
HALA
SZRENICKA, located at the level of from 1150 to
1300 m above sea level, is an
alpine peat bog meadow. This is an ideal place for learning to ski and for
recreational skiing, in particular in the March sun. Lovers of nature will find
here many interesting species of plants. Treasure hunters, with a bit of luck,
can find an amethyst among plain stones.
KAMIEŃCZYK
WATERFALL
one of the most picturesque places in the
Karkonosze
Mountains
and the highest waterfall on the Polish side of the Karkonosze. Kamieńczyk
flows out at a level of
1260
m above sea level from Hala Szrenicka and its springs
are i
n a strict protection reserve. From a level of
840 m above sea level, water
flows
27 metres
down in three cascades.
Under the middle
cascade, there is a pit probably dug centuries ago by gold prospectors. At the
foot of the waterfall, there is a natural gorge,
100 metres long. For
safety reasons, entry to Kamieńczyka gorge is possible only with a helmet.
Karkonoski National Park:
http://www.kpnmab.pl/
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