Poland Road Trip – Part 1

Poland Road Trip – Part 1

Poland, we had you in our sights the minute we crossed The Channel on 23 May 2018. You were our destination for a tour that would take us on a journey around your World War 2 memorials and a whole host of other surprises that we would unravel as we went along. On 16 June, we crossed your border at Bad Makau in Germany and immediately a crazy buzz throbbed across the street that welcomed us into your embrace. What joys would you offer us as we sought out your highlights, your cultural personality and unique characteristics?

Part 1 of our Poland tour saw us flirt with the Czech Republic border to the southern reaches of the Silesia region and then north-east towards our mid-trip goal of Warsaw. What a start it was and we found ourselves slowly, gracefully falling in love with you and your landscape.

Zagan and The Great Escape

I’ll be honest, our first Polish stopover happened to come from a pin on Search for Sites for no other reason than it was close by and we always like to find somewhere we can ground ourselves when we arrive in a new country and this spot seemed perfect. After the jubilation of finding an ATM and a Tescos we were thrilled to find our ‘home’ was Stalag Luft III – the Prisoner of War site that is famed for its Great Escape, immortalised by the 1963 film. What a find we had stumbled upon. A museum, a reconstruction of the 104 Hut from where the escape plan of 1944 unfolded and the ‘Harry’ tunnel deep in the woods for you to visit. What an incredible memorial to the men who lived, survived and died in this camp.  As always a very humbling experience. (51.596976 15.293282)

On the flip side, we had the additional joy of having a US Army training exercise in the field behind us giving us the chance to get up close and personal to Chinnooks and Apache helicopters – happy boy with big toys. For two days we settled our feet on Polish soil with a complete bang, satisfying the boy within.

Heading south-west to the Lakes

We love water and our tiny, eclectic campsite on Lake Czocha was amazing especially with the heat-wave we were experiencing. The Kayak got his first trip out and a short cycle away was one of Poland’s famed castles and with its lakeside view, which made for an awesome visit – even if our tour guide only spoke Polish. The pictures were lovely none the less. (51.032488 15.292713)

Not more than 45 minutes away we found ourselves a super ‘mini-farm’ campsite where we had to sit out a couple of days of storms. Still we made the best of it. (51.030694 15.381793)

Wang Church

Now who would have thought that a Norwegian wooden, stave church would have found itself in the deep south-west of Poland? Still it’s true, this magnificent church that originates in Valdres, Norway was brought over to Poland in 1842 and is one of the most popular tourist sites in southern Poland. There are a couple of nice campsites near-by and the road up to the church is narrow although very doable with a motorhome/RV. There’s a coach park which is the only suitable one for longer vehicles and costs 20PLN (£4.00) for 2hrs.  Driving down to the valley floor you will go through Karpacz, which is a buzzy ski resort, offering you the chance for summer and winter activities. We never really considered Poland as Ski destination. There’s a couple of campsites; one in town and another just five minutes on the outskirts, which is new and beautifully designed. Camp 66 has 39 hardstanding pitches with full facilities all for 45PLN per night (exc EHU) with an ACSI discount even in the high season, equating to £9 per night. (50.793705 15.769937)

Coloured Lakes and Swidnica’s Church of Peace

Trip Advisor has its place for sure and with a bit of research I came across some reviews of Poland’s Coloured Lakes hidden in the forest.    Old quarry pits that mined for pyrite closed in 1925 and they were filled in with water and over time, Mother Nature has taken her role in creating chemical reactions from the rock beds below. Each one has a different colour; purple, yellow, azure and green and although not the largest lakes or breathtaking thing we’ve ever seen, they were a very charming diversion. There is the possibility of camping up in the Forest, just a five minute walk to the lakes. It’s a primitive spot, although for 30PLN (£6) it looked ok. If you just want to park up for the lake walk, then it’s just 10PLN (£2). The hiking up to the azure lake is a tough one and not disabled friendly, so do make sure you have good footwear and are fit enough to do this walk. (50.82966 15.973466).

Moving on to Swidnica, a city in the south-west region of Poland most famous for its Church of Peace, a UNESCO site. There are only two of these churches left and are the largest timber framed Religious buildings in Europe. This 17th century church was built under very strict regulations; it had to be constructed within 12 months, not have a bell tower and be made from only natural materials. So their three hundred year history is a remarkable testimony to the character of the craftsmen. Inside the building the opulence defies the external simplicity as the Baroque artwork and is breathtaking. A stunning building worth the small entrance fee (1PLN – 20p).

Owl Mountain and Hitler

Deep in the Sudetes Mountains you will find a dark secret that is over 70 years old. Owl Mountain may well be a beautiful rolling landscape that appeals to hikers and sports enthusiasts, although there is something more sinister about this region. Hitler has had his hand in these precious lands and so yet again we find ourselves adding another jigsaw piece to our World War 2 education.

Owl Mountain is renowned for the Riese Project, which was a huge Nazi undertaking back in 1943 to construct a network of tunnels. The tunnels, dug out by Prisoner of War inmates, many of whom perished in appalling underground conditions, were never actually finished and with the end of the war came the end of the construction – with it dying their true purpose.  There are rumours that the tunnels which have the guise of underground cities, were to store Hitler’s gold bullion and treasures – a somewhat controversial suggestion or that there were there to store arms and build a super bomb. We can continue to surmise their role in Hilter’s master-plan, although today these tunnels have been secured and opened up to the public by way of a memorial to the thousands who lost their lives. With kilometres of rock drilled away to create these tunnels, you walk through them trying to understand their mystery and conjure up your own interpretation of their place in Europe’s evil perpetrator.

Of the seven tunnels three of them are open to the public; We visited the Complex Rzeczka  (also known as Walimskie Drifts) near Walim, where there is a cemetery to honour those who died creating the tunnels. It is a very well thought out tour for 45 minutes although you will need an audio set for the translation. It gives you a great experience of the conditions the prisoners had to work in and leaves you to ponder on their purpose. For 16PLN per person you can join the tour and 12PLN for an audio set. (£5.60 all in per person).  Complex Ozówka is the other major tourist destination, which we believe offers a similar tour although is a larger tunnel.

A completely unique perspective of Hilter’s World War influence, which we were not expecting. We found a super free spot at the foot of the mountains just 10 minutes drive from the Rzeczka. (50.661201 16.478901)

Stołowe National Park – geological gorgeousness

After the sinister military experience and I must admit rubbish weather, we craved some fresh air, warmth and natural beauty. And so as we arrived at the Stołowe Mountains and the sun came out we knew we were in for a treat. This had been one of my ‘must see’ destinations as I researched this lovely Silesia region. We did consider by-passing it as the weather was really miserable, although I was determined to see this geological masterpiece, unique to this area. So we chanced our luck and were duly rewarded.

The mountains in this region are not akin to their angular relatives across in the Alps; they are more curvaceous, undulating and soft, with forests and acres of golden wheat fields caressing the landscape. It just warms your heart and forces you to submit to its beauty, which we did with ease.

Camped at an eclectic site just on the edge of the National Park, we were in a good position to travel in with the van and we had two main destinations in our sights. (50.40903 16.381647). One was the Labyrinth at Blędne Skały and the other was the forest at Szczeliniec Mały just outside Karlów. The geology here is just incredible and I have never seen rock formations like it, well not this side of the Atlantic anyway. Boulders that look like they have been thrown together by some giants playing tiddlywinks, which is now a safe playground for us to hike through and have a great experience. Both centres are easy to reach with a motorhome and with road tolls, entry tickets and car parks, the whole day only cost us £16. A fabulous experience, which we have shared more detail about in our blog. Click here to find out more about this fabulous place.  For an instant visual, check out our video below.

 

Wrocław – Poland’s 4th largest city

I give you fair warning here! Worcław will make you run out of superlatives as you try to describe its beauty – now firmly on our Top 5 favourite cities. The Silesia capital that stole our hearts has just been awarded Best European Destination 2018 – so it’s easy to understand the attraction that this place must have to win such an accolade. Aside of the aesthetic brilliance of this place after the tragedy of the 1944 – 80 day Siege, this city has soul, grace and resilience at its core. It is the truest example of a Phoenix rising from the Ashes that we have ever seen. 70% of this city was demolished both on purpose and due to battle and yet it has returned to its former glory with an artistry that simply demands your admiration. The main square looks like something out of a Disney film and is the real heart of the city and yet all around its islands, waterways and parkland you will find untold treasures just waiting to delight you. With mulitmedia fountains that dance to Madonna or Chopin, artwork that expresses liberation and over 300 gnomes, Wrocław has everything and it deserves more than a day to really understand its rebirthing from World War terror. We stayed at Wrocław Camping about 5 miles from the centre, easily doable with bikes or trams.  Not cheap, by Polish standards at £20 pn, although very secure. (51.0757781 17.089353)

Read more about our visit here and check out our video below for our highlights.

Łodz – Capital of culture

After the high of Wrocław, sadly Łodz (pronounced Wooge) just didn’t do it for us. You know sometimes how you just don’t feel a place? Well this is Łodz for us. It is a city built on its historical textile industry that has since disappeared. In its place, regenerated factories are now museums, restaurants and shopping malls. Deeper into the veins of the city, you will find Europe’s second longest commercial street reaching nearly 3 miles in length, which is beautifully pedestrianised. Piotrkowska Street offers you elegant buildings with intricate facias and all the shops you can imagine. This main artery though just felt a bit depersonalised and the culture and creative art, just didn’t match our expectations. The street art that we did find, was amazing, although the artistry that we hoped for really didn’t materialise.

Camping here is also tricky – there are no campsites within or close by. So we found a couple of car parks to stop in over night; one in the south about 8 miles away at Rzgów (51.663888 19.489379) and the other only 3 miles north of the town, outside a parkland and cemetery, (51.80521 19.440807) which was super convenient for catching a tram straight into town for just 50p per person covering a 20 minute journey.

Poland has been a lovely surprise so far. I had so few expectations although the diversity of the landscape and the depth of the recent historical scars make for such a profound trip. Someone has just described our World War memorial visits as a pilgrimage and I hadn’t really thought about it in that way before, although it is feeling a bit like that. It seems so much more than just a road trip and a real journey if that doesn’t sound too twee. We have been able to blend some of our beloved ‘off-the-beaten-track’ routes, with nature, history and cities that cry out for your understanding and compassion and not just a fleeting visit.  We are looking forward to the second chapter  of our Polish adventures unfolding and our minds expanding in tune. 

Stołowe National Park Poland

Stołowe National Park Poland

Stołowe National Park is a hidden gem, tucked away in the south west corner of Poland on the border with Czech Republic. And you could be forgiven for looking at the Polish map and conveniently by-passing it both with your wheels and your eye as it seems a long way south. After all the draw of Krakow, Warsaw and the Tatra Mountains will undoubtedly entice you. Except you will be richer for the experience if, like us, you put your energies into this Lower Silesea region.

We have been flirting with the Czech border since we arrived in Poland ten days ago and we have taken a slow meander with no particular place to go other than a loose plan in my mind about seeing the Stołwe National Park in the Sudete Mountains. I’d seen pictures of rock formations that fascinated me enough to make this detour to this tiny peninsular south of Wrocław.  Weather, as per norm has proved to be our nemesis and almost influenced a left turn to the north than heading to our southern destination. Although we persevered as the camera loving spirit in me kept a firm eye on my goal.

This mountainous region of Poland is just wonderful. Not dramatic and angular like its Alpine or Carpathian cousins; more gentle, curvaceous and alluring as its topography seems to ebb and flow gracefully mimicking the ocean’s waves. These forest and fields of corn drape over this voluptuous landscape giving it a softness that melts your heart. Yet do not be fooled, these gracious mountains pack a mighty punch at up to 3000ft.  Who would have thought that within their embrace, this Sudete Mountain range would hold such a magnificent geological secret.

Stołowe National Park really does look unassuming as you arrive in the region and I found myself wondering if it had been worth our diversion south. Pretty enough although not the spectacle I was hoping for. Although parked up in our eclectic little campsite in Duszniki-Zdrój overlooking fields of Roe deer we were determined to set foot on this unique landscape and, with a great weather forecast we would be in for a treat.

Stołowe National Park (pronounced Stowlove) is about 10 miles long and in the heart of the forest are 100 million year old sandstone rocks that have been formed in layers, and through erosion, have created the most incredible formations. This landscape is unique in Poland and locals flock here to experience its magic. And I say magic for good reason as the two areas of the Park we visited, transport you into a world of fantasy. In fact The Chronicles of Narnia – Prince Caspian was filmed here. And it is easy to see why.

Area 1 – Blędne Skały 

22 hectares of protected natural beauty known as Errant Rocks would hold for us a memorable hiking adventure, although getting there was an interesting journey before we even donned our walking boots. Heading out from our campsite in blissful ignorance following SAT NAV we ended up in the back of nowhere with our faithful machine having a meltdown. Doing a double-check with maps.me it had, once again, taken us off on a magical mystery tour of the Stołowe Mountains – just not our planned destination. So a point to note if you do this route – when you reach the lovely spa town of Kudowa-Zdrój keep straight on the 387 carriageway – do not turn off left, even if Tom-Tom is screaming at you to do so!!

Reading reviews on t’interweb, I was unsure whether we would be able to reach to this region of the park by camper thanks to the numerous comments of ‘access is via an extremely narrow road’ being mentioned. So suitable doubt was lodged in my mind yet intrepid we always are, so decided to check it out and make an alternative plan B if A didn’t come off. Needless to say, reviews must always be taken with a pinch of salt because it was absolutely fine.

Indeed there is a narrow road, although it is simple one-way, single track road. Access and exit is controlled by way of 30 minute slots that allow you to drive up and down without meeting any on coming traffic. It is well organised and we had timed it beautifully and drove up instantly. The Ticket Office at the entrance, take a small toll fee of 20PLN (£4.00) and off you go. Now I will be honest that the road isn’t the smoothest we’ve been on and the road is punctured with holes and it is a little, what shall I say, bumpy, although we’ve been on far worse in Italy, England Bulgaria. So given that you are only doing 15mph, the road is completely doable and we’re driving a 7.5m camper. The journey takes just 15 minutes and you will be guided into the car park. We arrived at 11.30am after our little SATNAV detour and there was plenty of space for our length of vehicle.  There is no additional parking fee, although you do have another Ticket Office (Kasa in Polish) at the entrance to what they call the Labyrinth, which is 10PLN per person; £2 – a billy bargain for the experience we were about to have.

As we followed the well marked walking boards that protected us from the often muddy ground, I found myself wondering what delights would lay ahead. Whilst I had seen pictures on the internet, nothing can really replace seeing it for yourself – same is true for you as you read my blog. Although I hope words and images might entice you none-the-less.

So how can I describe this playground of geological genius? Imagine being a child again and in one of those mazes where you have to find your way out. It’s a bit like that except surrounded by rocks rather than privet hedges. And the word rocks is really an understatement of the reality. These are formations that reach up to 11 metres high that look like they have been sculptured by a giant not of this world. Sandstone boulders that have been weathered by rain, wind, snow and ice create deep crevices, weird and wonderful shapes that even have personalities such as ‘Hen’s Legs’, ‘The Ship’ and ‘The Gate’ to name just a few. It truly is a geological work of art.  Around every corner you will find yourself looking up, within, around and through as the Labyrinth really does take you on a mysterious tour of its unique world and we felt like we were privileged visitors in a special kingdom – The Land of the Rocks.  And just like that kid who is having a huge adventure in the maze, you will find yourself squeezing through the narrowest of gaps, crawling through low tunnels and clambering over rocks and tree stumps that have somehow found a way to co-exist in this secret world of nature.

Some practicalities 

Having sold this wonderland experience to you, it is worth mentioning some important facts that will help you enjoy your adventure;

 

  1. Good walking footwear is essential and although there are good boardwalks, climbing over roots and boulders are necessary so sturdy shoes will give you a safer experience.
  2. Weekends are going to be busier than week days and coaches do come up here too. So consider this when you visit. Although there weren’t too many on our trip, on a Friday morning in June, if you can avoid school holidays and weekends I think this would enhance your experience.
  3. You need to be reasonably agile and not be holding any injuries as there is a lot of bending, climbing and squatting. Sadly this is not a disabled-friendly environment.
  4. Be cautious if you have dogs and very young children. This is not a great environment for these little guys either.
  5. Some of the crevices are incredibly narrow and means you will often need to take off rucksacks, watch for cameras around your neck as you squeeze through some really narrow gaps. So without wanting to be disrespectful in any way, if you are on the large side, then this may be tricky for you. My boobs just about managed although there was a little scrapage!
  6. The walk takes about 45 minutes and is done in a clockwise direction, so unless someone decides they have to turn around for some reason, then it makes for an easier passage.
  7. It is very shaded in the forest, so on a hot day it will be light relief from the sun; on a cold day, you may need some layers of warm clothing to take with you.
  8. There are toilets at the car park if you don’t have your own facilities.
 

Area 2 – Szczeliniec Mały

Ok so have I got your attention so far? So you fancy more? Well we have more to give you.

I have to admit that having seen the labyrinth I wasn’t sure anything much could top it. Although I was about to be proved wrong. Again my trustee companion Google showed me images of our next adventure and it looked nice enough. A plateau of forest and rock with two viewing platforms on the edge, over-looking the valley. Still those thoughts aside, I have come to learn that low expectations is far better than too high an anticipation of an event or situation. So parked up in a large field, that interestingly you can camp overnight at, we began our trek. There’s about 1km to walk before you get to the actual entrance of the park and you must run the ‘tourist trap’ gauntlet with little sheds offering you their wears, ice creams and scrumptious looking gofry (waffles to you and me) topped with jam or ice-cream.

You arrive at the entrance with the sight of steps; steps, steps and more steps, in fact over 665 of them to be precise. They were constructed in 1804, so in themselves there’s even history in them there steps! A steady if not slightly out of breath ascent, in about 15 minutes brought us to what we thought was the top. A restaurant and resting place afforded us stunning views across the valley into Czech Republic. This could have been our stopping point – although the icing on this veritable fruit cake was literally just around the corner.

With the parting of another 10PLN per person (£2.00) we entered the second wonderland, with the anticipation of Alice and the grins of the Chesire Cat. At first the walkway looks a little similar to Blędne Skały, they certainly look related and of course in geological terms you would expect it to be this way. Although it really doesn’t take long for the landscape to become more dramatic. Crevices deeper, boulders strewn across like bridges making for that perfect Instagram shot if it wasn’t for the railings to stop us. More characters greeted us along the way; the monkey was sublime, the table top, the chicken, all there for our entertainment and the incessant clicking of my camera.

And then there was a sign for The Devil’s Kitchen and with eyes wide open like a child at Christmas we headed down. Down deep into the earth into one of the crevices. And boy did the temperature drop. We were hurring it was so cold. Although somehow this really didn’t bother us partly because of the experience and we really had to concentrate with the steepness of the steps that lay before us. And then as we started to climb back up, with only chains as our support, we got the full scope of this magnificent place and the role that Mother Nature has played in its creation. Either that or there really are giants who are having the greatest of fun with us. This place just got better and better. Every corner we turned there was something new for us to gawp at.

Past the Devil’s humble abode, we were then showered with sunlight as the landscape opened up and huge boulders looking like lego sat in front of us with a viewing platform to climb. Wow this place was just incredible. Surely though this wasn’t what we had seen from the car park in the valley below?  No this was just the warm up show. Two outcrops of sandstone rock that signalled the end of the forest had views across Poland and the Czech Republic. It was just a stunning scene and after the hike to get there and the adventure with the Devil, we really felt like we had had a ‘Famous Five goes on a hiking adventure’ – just that there were only two of us.

And then was simply the descent to master. Whilst it didn’t feel as if there were 665 steps back down, the views were completely different here as we hugged the rock face on the well managed steps and forest paths downhill. So much attention and care has gone into this park and all for £2! The whole experience took us about 2 hours from door to door and we calculated that it was about 5km in total. So a good old stretch for our muscles and our lungs and one I would do again in a flash.

Some practicalities

A bit like our hike through Blędne Skały’s Labyrinth, this incredible walk comes with some health warnings.

1. You must have a good level of health and fitness to attempt this hike as there are no car parks at the top – you have to walk. From the car park in Karłow, it’s a good 2km to reach the restaurants and the Ticket Office, of which a good 1km is those 665 steps.

2. There are some incredibly steep steps up and down through Devil’s Kitchen, which have chains to help you ascend, so this doesn’t lend itself to pushchairs or wheelchairs or really carrying small children. And again although dogs are allowed on leads, as a dog-owner in a previous life, I wouldn’t have wanted to take Fleetwood on this walk with the steepness of the steps.

3. There are toilets at the beginning of the stairway and again at the restaurant at the top.

4. You pay 10PLN per person (£2.00) to enter the park at the viewing point past the steps.

5. On a hot day take plenty of water, on a cold or snowy day take plenty of warm clothing and on both days sturdy footwear is essential as once again you are climbing over tree roots and boulders.

6. Car parking in the area seems to be capped at 20PLN (£4.00 for the day) and there are plenty of them. We parked at Michalówka Restaurant (50.476, 16.33776).

 

Both of these areas of outstanding natural beauty will take your breath way. And whilst you’re in the area, why not visit some of the other hikes around where you can take in the Mushroom Rocks and other sandstone rock formations.  We really can’t recommend enough diverting here and having a couple of days to explore the area. It truly is beautiful and a great way to hop over the border into the Czech Republic if this is your route.  Check out the main Stołowe National Park tourist website here.

In terms of camping possibilities, there are two that we know of in the area, both of which are basic although perfectly acceptable to explore the area;

 

 

Check out our latest video below, to give you a real ‘bird’s eye view’ of our adventures.