Pieniny

Back from a nearly week-long foray into the Polish mountains, first non-business trip far beyond Warsaw since November 2024. Given my health-related tribulations, I feared how my lumbar spine and other vulnerable parts of body would endure the strain, but to my surprise, they got on well with it, much better with work-related sitting several hours a day. Over five days I cycled 120 kilometres and hiked 50 kilometres, with elevation gain of almost 3,000 metres in total, a quite something.

On the first day I took my new bike for a first ride longer than 50 kilometres. Velo Czorsztyn, a cycling trail around Jezioro Czorsztyńskie, at times is challenging, as one needs to cycle uphill. The section on the northern shore of the lake is most picturesque and flattest. All in all, one-third of the route is enchanting, the remaining kilometres are to be covered to reach the enjoyable spots.

On the second day I drove to Nowy Targ, to climb Turbacz, the highest peak in Gorce. The ascent involved change in altitude of some 650 metres and took me a bit more than two hours. I hiked with hiking sticks, which is an absolute game-changer. My arms were a bit sore after the hikes, but splitting the body load into four limbs brings a tremendous relief to the lumbar spine. The view from the top of Gorce turned out to be impressive, yet my expectations had been inflated by those claiming panorama of Tatry is break taking. It has not taken my breath away.

On the third day I took a break from major strain, drove to Nowy Targ and took a train to Zakopane, a town I had, shame to admit, never visited before. I considered getting there by public transport only, yet in provincial Poland combining two connections is a risky exercise. But even finding trains is a bit of an exercise, as Google shows you services you can choose from, but does not divert you to specific railway operator. As a result I got there by Luxtorpeda fast train operated by Koleje Małopolskie (PLN 7.20 for a single ticket) and returned by Polregio service (same ticket price). In the very town I have not understood what makes it a tourist hangout. Unless somebody explores Tatry mountains, there are very few reasons to spend holidays there.

On the fourth day the bike came into more intensive use, although the Velo Dunajec trail was shorter and easier than Velo Czorsztyn. The route runs also in a wilder area and is far more scenic, especially on bright, sunny days in warm part of the year when greenery is lush.

On the fifth day I did not have to get anywhere to start out a hike, as my lodgings was next to a tourist trail. I climbed to conquer Trzy Korony and Sokolica – two highest peaks in Pieniny. Although the hike was not long – less than 15 kilometres in total, it involved elevation gain of almost 900 metres, at times with steep ascents. Hot and humid air made this trip most tiresome of all.

After the recent election some have posited not to visit regions where Mr Nawrocki won. I am not into such forms of punishment. In Krościenko nad Dunajcem where I had an accommodation the newly elected president received 69% of votes in the run-off, while in nearby Szczawnica only 55%. I would hazard a guess by merely looking at locals around and on standard of housing, one could guess (with a margin error of some 10 percentage points) whether the local community was in favour of Mr Trzaskowski or of Mr Nawrocki. 

Worth also mentioning provincial Poland follows a different clock than large cities. On June evenings streets of Warsaw are full of people. The market square (note the excess concreted over area) in Krościenko nad Dunajcem at 8:34 p.m. was empty.

The foray was the first long-distance trip for my Skoda Octavia since November 2024. I strived to drive as economically as possible, however conditions (rain on my way to Pieniny, aircon on my way back, hilly landscapes along the way, traffic jams near Kraków) were not conducive. I made it there and back without filling up and the “low fuel” gauge went on after 967 kilometres. The car computer is accurate with respect to actual appetite for petrol. I am quite satisfied with it. In flat terrain, drier and cooler weather and lower speed (I drove 105 kmph on expressway) the engine consumption could drop even below 4 litres per 100 kilometres.

Workation

The word above has been underlined by the review tool as incorrect. The blend of work and vacation has emerged relatively recently, with remote working becoming increasingly popular. And until recently I had not been fond of combining travelling for pleasure without taking days off, as I believed if I venture somewhere, I should make the most of the sites I visit and not taint them with workplace-related stress and rush.

My approach changed after I hit it off, romantically, with my girlfriend who has her second flat (inherited after her grandparents) in Wisła.

The second trip to the resort was longer – we set off on Saturday, 15 October, early in the morning and returned on Sunday, 23 October in the evening. Thus we enjoyed almost 2 weekends there, plus we both took a day of on Tuesday 18 October, to make use of the spell of the Indian summer.

Weather-wise, the timing was perfect. On both weekends temperatures topped at more than +15C (though not always with sunshine) and at the beginning of the working week afternoon highs were close to +20C.

To the right – a snap from Transbeskidzki Szlak Konny, somewhere between Leśnica and Wisła Malinka. Note on higher altitudes trees had shed leaves and the path might be slippery.

On Monday afternoon we took an afternoon break from work and cycled into Dolina Białej Wisełki, close to the spot where Czarna Wisełka and Biała Wisełka converge ahead of a dam. The photo was taken around one hour before the sunset, with sunrays marvellously illuminating the landscape.

On Tuesday, in full sunshine, we wandered from Żabnica, through Hala Borawska, Hala Lipowska, Rysianka and Romanka, back to Żabnica – we covered 19 kilometres on foot and scaled the elevation gain of 878 metres. With excellent visibility, one could see summits of Tatry, including the highest peak – Gerlach.

The highest mountain we climbed was Romanka, 1,366 metres above sea level. From the top of it, one could discern the city of Żywiec in the distance. By the way – can anyone advise how to get rid of that blot from the eye of my camera?

Another before-sunset view, from the peak of Ochodzita, overlooking Koniaków, one of those villages in Beskid Śląski where more than three-fourth of residents vote for the ruling party…

On Saturday before the departure we ventured to Cieszyn. The town, called also the Polish Vienna has some impressive sights, with Cieszyńska Wenecja (the Venice of Cieszyn) being the most popular one, whose existence I discovered… during the last weekend.

Cieszyn has a proper mountain hill from which a panorama of the Czech part of the town can be observed. We crossed the border, sensed two cultures intermingling, bringing back memories the early days of the pandemic, when border between Poland and the Czech Republic was closed.

On the last day in the morning we took a bicycle ride of nearly 20 kilometres across rural areas. With the proper optical zoom I would take a pic of the wildlife approaching human dwellings, a sight rather uncommon in the capital.

Looking forward to the next trip there, probably after Christmas.