Karkonosze

The two-week period off work is drawing to a close, time is up to share some snaps from a yet another foray to Dolny Śląsk and to Czech Republic. It has been a long-awaited trip, taken after 11 months without holidays (chasing the promotion, getting things done in my previous position, then shaking down in the new role), a time which has borne brunt on me and left me in deep fatigue.

Although places where I stayed were familiar with me, I aimed to conquer some new venues located higher above sea level. The first surprise on my was the paved over trail from Szklarska Poręba towards Szrenica. Cobblestone was laid here in 2025 in pursuit of making it accessible to the disabled and childminders with prams. I am in two minds about the development. On one hand more visitors might take it, on the other, it has lost part of its character.

Flat or nearly flat are most trails on top of Karkonosze. Here a shot from a brisk trekking between Szrenica and Śnieżne Kotły, some 1,400 metres above sea level. Note dwarf flora typical for such altitudes. High above temperature was 10 Celsius degrees below +25C recorded at that time in valleys.

Śnieżne Kotły is a rocky basin famous for snow lingering in northern crevices even until July. This year, despite snowy winter, the range of snow strips is far smaller than average which means what was there on 25 May might have melted by now.

When snows melt, Nordic skiing routes close to Jakuszyce become perfect cycling trails. Here, one of the landmarks one can pass – a rundown stone processing plant between Szklarska Poręba and Jakuszyce. Those are just ruins, but without them the area would lose part of its charm.

Cesky Raj (literally the Bohemian Paradise) is nature reservoir full of rock formations, located some 60 kilometres from the Polish border. Breathtaking, worth visiting over a longer weekend, since the formations are scattered around several spots in the area and some have historic castles on top of them.

Harrachov, a village known for ski-jumping competitions and being a skiing resort, in the summer is not a major attraction. Trails in forests east of it are enjoyable, yet boring. Note the central spot of Harrachov was anything, but chock full of people (on a working day in late May).

I (proudly) shy away from having an account on Instagram, but can tell you the building close to the Pravcicka Brana is an exemplary “instaspot”. You march uphill a few kilometres to snap this picturesque edifice, look around and tick it off as “popped by”. Some visitors (including me) also take hats down to builders who erected this building in a place with virtually no access from a regular road.

The very Brana (in English, a gate) is an amazing natural rock formation, here clumsily snapped by me, as I had set sharpness on a mountain in the distance which resembles a dormant volcano. Pay attention to trees growing on top of rocks, proving might of the nature.

Zamek (castle) Chojnik is a venue to which the ascent was the shortest, with elevation gain of mere 300 metres. Strong wind has precluded me from scrambling up the castle’s tower, but from a terrace beneath it, one can contemplate the panorama of Jelenia Góra: Sobieszów in the foreground, Cieplice Śląskie Zdrój further behind, the city centre in the distance.

For a dessert, another proper climb, to Śnieżka (literally: the snow hill), the highest peak of Karkonosze, 1,602 (some sources quote 1,603 or 1,605) metres above sea level. Started out from Karpacz, on altitude of 700 metres above sea level and amble with green and then blue trail, to pass by all scenic mountain huts on the way towards Śnieżka. Samotnia (literally: hermitage) is the most legendary one, located in a basin, photographed (by me again, clumsily) from above, with a pond next to it.

Strzecha Akademicka (literally: scholars’ thatch) further up the trail looks the least splendid of the huts en route to Śnieżka, maybe for that reason I did not witness crowds hanging around outside it.

Dom Śląski in turn looks much better on photographs. As one approaches it, the yellow facade strikes with sleaziness. The past-German spirit of the place of spoilt by solar panels (OZE-srOZE) on the roof. To the left – a proper 4WD pickup in a place, where its presence and use is justified. Toilet payable, PLN 4 (or CZK 30) with cash only.

The last snap is one of several views from the top of Śnieżka. The summit is free of clouds or precipitation only for some 60 days in a year and in mid-May there was some fresh snow there. I consider myself lucky, as the weather was fine enough not to put on a jacket kept in a rucksack just in case.

Off to Wrocław in business tomorrow. The upcoming three weeks will be bring travels to places located between 350 and 600 kilometres from Warsaw, hence I am likely to be sick of moving about for a while.

Two months, same weather

The long early-May weekend marks the first moments this year, when temperatures rise markedly above +20C (today’s high expected to hit above +25C), bringing the first intimations of summer. The weather thus has partly broken out of awful early-spring stability in which it was stuck for two months.

Let's take a look at weather stats for Warsaw for the past two months.

Average temperature in March stood at +7.8C, while in April at +8.6C This was the lowest amplitude between the two months ever measured (in 1977 it was 1.0 Celsius degree with mean temperature in March of +5.4C and +6.4C in April).

The charts below present highs, low and daily means for each day over the last two months. Some volatility is visible, but trend lines are only gently upward, proving the observation of weather getting stuck in early spring mode. The trend line showing day-time high has moved upward by a mere 1 Celsius degree over two months (both in transitional period between winter and summer).

 

For grumblers - the spells of best weather were observed on:
- 14 - 15 March (Saturday and Sunday, highs of +18C and +19C, plenty of sunshine),
- 5 April (Easter Sunday, full sunshine, high of +21C),
- 18 - 19 April (Saturday and Sunday, highs of +18C and +20C, partly sunny).

Sadly, there has been an awful deficiency of rainfall. Total precipitation in both months reached only 9.3 millimetres, which makes it the driest March & April period in Warsaw since records began.

Now make the use of the clement weather before it cools down and then hope shortfall of precipitation will be made up for and that summer will not bring deadly heat waves.

Into the mountains for a long weekend

Back from a very intense, nine-day holidays (with only three working days taken off) spent in Wisła (free-of-charge accomodation) and around. In terms of physical exercise, it was a demanding time.

On Saturday, 27 April we had warm-up bike trip south of Wisła, with some significant elevation. 32 kilometres cycling done.

On Sunday, 28 April we girlfriend ran across the mountains west of Wisła, while I kept her company on my bike. Except for uphill sections, when I had to manhandle a bike, a piece of cake. 24 kilometres covered.

On Monday, 29 April, we drove to the Czech Republic with bikes and did a 27-kilometre trip, including an ascent to more than 1,000 metres above sea level. I am falling in love with Poland's southern neighbour even more.

On Tuesday, 30 April we went on a 22-kilometre climb to Skrzyczne, which is the second-highest peak in Beskid Śląski. Due to temperature topping at around +25C, this was the most exhaustive activity during our stay. The snap shows Jezioro Żywieckie, as seen from the final ascent to the Skrzyczne summit.

The first day of May, as a proper labour day, was the time of rest.

On Thursday, 2 May, again we packed the bikes into the car and went for a 47-kilometre cycling trip into Lysa Hora, which included an 8-kilometre uphill section with elevation of 700 metres. Covering it, either on a saddle, or manhandling, was memorable and splendid views from the peak, 1,368 metres above the sea level, came as a reward.

On Friday, 3 March we drove to Górna Rycerka to take a leisury 16-kilomtre hike into Przegibek and Wielka Racza route. With mere 700 metres of elevation, that was a relatively light expedition, with only some breathtaking views. The one to the right shows snow still lingering on northern slopes of Slovakian mountains.

On Saturday, 4 May we ventures to a cosy historic Czech town, Stramberk, located some 80 kilometres from Wisła. The pics shows the market square (or rather rectangle) visible from the historic castle tower.

History of the town dates back to the fourteenth century, however the wooden huts in the central part for which the town is famous, were built in the eighteenth century and remain superbly preserved.

The town has a hilly landscape and the six-kilometre stroll was full of ascents and descents, abounding in unforgettable panoramas (in the background the castle tower from which the first photo was taken).

On Sunday, 5 May, we took a short (mere 28 kilometres) trip to Ustroń by bike. In nearly flat terrain it brought a nice ending to the calorie-burning weekend.

Back to Warsaw to drown in a daily gring, counting down days to the oncoming Corpus Christi weekend.