LET'S EXPLORE POLAND

Copyright 1997 by the AngloPol Corporation

This series will take us through the cities, towns, villages and countryside of Poland, 
as well as give us insights into the rich history and culture of the nation.

Part 14

MORE SOUTHWEST POLAND

THE JOYS OF SKIING

Long slopes of different land configuration, the snow covering the ground for over 100 days during a year, as well as numerous ski lifts and ski trails make the Karkonosze Range a very attractive area for winter sports enthusiasts. The main winter sports centers in the Karkonosze Range are Karpacz and Szklarska Poreba.

Karpacz (ca. 5,000 inhabitants) is a picturesquely situated town at the foot of Mt. Sniezka. About 17 km. from Jelenia Gora it is a tourist and winter sports center and a perfect spa in the Sudety mountains. Here are numerous restful pensions belonging to various institutions and organizations, hotels, private pensions of various standards, restaurants and cafes.

Worth seeing are the Sports and Tourism Museum of the Karkonosze region, an alpine garden, a unique, wooden church of the 13th century moved from Norway to Poland in the 19th century. Fine surroundings and the alpine landscape of the Karkonosze National Park encourage excursions to large post-glacial lakes, called the Great and Small Lakes, to Mt. Sniezka and Sowia Valley.

From December until March excellent weather conditions are favorable for skiing and sledding. The "white sports" enthusiast have at their disposal, a chair-lift (2,300 meters long) running to the Mala Kopa Mt. from which they can take a ski route. They can also utilize two other ski trails, "Liczyrzepa" and "Wilcza," leading to the starting point, or a ski trail, "Zlotowka," which leads down from the shelter "Strzecha Akademicka" to the starting point of the lift. In addition, one can use the whipple ski lifts, ski jumps, sledging routes and bobsleigh slide.

At the foot of Mt. Szrenica (1,382 m), facing the E14 international highway with the Polish-Czechoslovak frontier crossing is Szklarska Poreba (ca. 8,000 inhabitants,) a town situated in the eastern Karkonosze Range. It is the largest rest and tourist center of the area, well-known for winter sports. Here are the renowned glass works and the crystal polishing factory "Julia".

Szklarska Poreba is surrounded by attractive terrains of the Karkonosze National Park and the picturesque postglacial Sniezne Kotly, covered with snow until late summer, the waterfalls of Mt. Kamienczyk and Mt. Szklarska, excellent shapes of granite rocks such as Konskie Lby, Kukulcze Skaly, and other sights. Excellent winter skiing grounds become even better due to the existence of a two-stage chairlift extending a distance of 3 km. as far as Mt. Szrenica and other ski-trails with varying levels of difficulty, such as "Lolobrigida," "Puchatek," the ski jump "Sniezynka" and others.

Ski racing enthusiasts will also find favorable conditions in Szklarska Poreba. The diversified landscape and the microclimate make the snow remain through the end of April, which is longer than elsewhere. Every year in March the international ski Marathon the "Piast Race" with distances of 10, 25 and 50 km. is held there.

LEISURE IN THE SADDLE

An excellent way of getting away from everyday physical and mental stress is through the "vacation in the saddle," organized in horse-riding centers at horse farms. They not only provide riding and jumping lessons, cross-country trips and horse-riding excursions for the advanced learners, but also rides in period coaches, as well. Tourists can participate in St. Hubert's race, organized at the end of each riding season. In winter, sledding excursions including renowned, traditional "kuligs" are combined with many amusements at an open fire.

The main center of horseriding, "Dworzysko" in Szczawno Zdroj near Walbrzych, includes a village styled pension and recreation fields. In the area is a renowned stud-farm. International horse auctions, horse races and horse-drawn carriage races are regularly held there.

Other horse-riding centers with excellent reputations are Wojcieszow, Wojanow, and Milkow near Jelenia Gora, Strzegom near Swidnica and Kamieniec Zabkowicki near Zabkowice Slaskie. Rallies organized by the two main centers, "Dworzysko" and Wojcieszow rank among major attractions.

HEALTH RESORTS

The following spas of southwest Poland have good traditions and enjoy a well-established European reputation: Ladek Zdroj, Kudowa Zdroj, Polanica Zdroj, Szczawno Zdroj, Cieplice Zdroj and Swieradow Zdroj. They offer physiotherapeutic treatment and professional medical care in curing heart and circulatory system diseases, as well as those of upper respiratory tract of the alimentary canal, kidneys and liver.

The picturesque location of spas among wooded hills, beautiful parks attached to bathing establishments and fine opportunities for entertainment make the stay in those resorts pleasant and restful ... and the treatment, effective. The eye-catching surroundings and well-marked tourist trails encourage excursions to adjacent hills and the Table Mountains.

Music festivals of international standing are organized in many health resorts, e.g. the Chopin Music Festival in Duszniki Zdroj in August and the Moniuszko Music Festival in Kudowa Zdroj at the turn of June and July.