E3 in Poland: Some Comments

A couple of memories of the E3 in Poland. Firstly there were a lot of forested mountains to cross. Among the trees, almost hidden by them, were outcrops of granite and gneiss. Practice for mountain and rock climbers even though not excessively high.

Secondly there was the history. The magnificant forts of Srebna Góra and Grodno. The German Spa towns with the old pump house at Lądek-Zdrój and the flowers of Szczawno Zdrój.

Thirdly there were the chapels, churches, crosses and shrines. Evidence of the commitment to faith of the Polish people. 

Mushroom pickers were much in evidence at this time of year (September).

Waymarking was generally good. Except at the very beginning and end the E3 followed the blue waymarks. However, signs and waymarking was not perfect and a gpx track, App or map is needed to navigate the route. Most nights accommodation was available and although I wild camped a few nights with nore effort this could have been avoided. There were no official campsites on the route as far as I know.

Wojcieszyce to Jakuszyce: Day 166

Rain meant I put my waterproofs on and just kept walking through the dark forest, as a result I reached Jakuszyce rather quickly.

Not having seen any evidence of the breakfast promised on booking.com I ate food from my own supplies and shocked myself by successfully using the apartment's posh coffee machine for a morning cup of "kawa". Then, just as I was about to leave, a man appeared with a boxed breakfast. It later became my lunch.

Leaving the village I looked back to see the houses of the settlement folded into the landscape. Like so many of the villages hereabouts it formed a strip down a valley, that itself was trending downhill. Soon after the rain began. Based on the forecast I knew it would be heavy so quickly put on my waterproofs. After an easy walk to the first village the first climb of the day began. After a steady but steep ascent I reached a group of rocks outcropping among the trees. A feature I now recognised as typical of the area I had been walking through. There were crude steps cut in the crystalline rock followed by steep metal steps that led to a fenced viewing area. Climbing up I was careful, fearing a slip on the wet, lichen covered stone. My efforts gave me little reward. As I expected, rain and clouds meant that all I could see was a large boulder balanced on the top and the tree tops beyond.

After the rocks my route was kind to me, with generally good tracks I made fast progress. A chocolate bar I had bought earlier gave me extra energy. I skirted the top of the village of Kopaniec, otherwise it was a day among the trees. Although mainly conifer forest today, occasional beech and birch beside the trail had overnight become tinged with yellow. It reminded me that astronomical Autumn started two days ago. Heavy rain meant I worried it would permeate the dry bags in my rucksack, in the event everything was fine but I was glad that crucial items like my passport were double bagged.

Eventually I reached a road where my long enjoyment of the blue route came to end. Now I followed green waymarks to the Czech border. First, there was my second steep climb of the day. Rising straight up the mountainside, tree roots formed a natural if irregular staircase. They kept the soil and rubble together that otherwise would be eroded by the passage of feet and the action of water, currently streaming down the hillside as the rain continued at a slightly gentler pace. There was a sharp, clean smell, reminding me a little of chlorine. Maybe it was from the wet spruce trees.

I briefly explored a few abandoned buildings that might have been the top of a quarry on my map. A little after I was pleased to find a shelter with benches and a tables to enjoy my lunch. Unfortunately the turf roof was not completely effective at keeping out the rain but better than sitting eating on the side of the trail.

Signs had given contradictory distances to Jakuszyce, where my hotel is. One said two hours the next two hours forty five minutes. However my feet soon ate the distance on a good road, tarmaced in part. I briefly diverted to see a small, back, artificial lake. The sign had said "Water Drawing Point". Trees reflected nicely in the water with pleasing symmetry.

Reaching the hotel I was surprised I had achieved the 26.7 kilometres coming from my accommodation last night at 3.9 kilometres per hour with a 950 metre elevation gain. As I was tired the previous day, despite its shorter distance, this was unexpected. The hotel was modern and posher than expected. Bicycles were prominent in the porch area, there were many tracks for mountain bikes in the area and cyclists seem to form a good slice of the hotel's summer clientele. As I walked down the corridor to my room at the far end, lights progressively came on as if leading me into a time tunnel in a science fiction film.

After the buffer dinner I sampled the Polish vodka as tomorrow I would be in the Czech Republic having completed the Polish part of the E3. The barman gave me a shotglass of glass(?) vodka and a traditional one, which was slightly brown, presumably aged in barrels. The traditional one was my preferred choice, slightly sweet. I hoped my sampling of their merits did not have adverse effects tomorrow. 

Jezioro Pilchowickie to Wojcieszyce: Day 165

A beautiful morning, partly by water.

My surroundings in the first few hours of the day were beautiful. The warm, low sun lit up leaves on the trees, cast shadows across my path, and made the river to my left sparkle through the trees. After leaving my camping spot on the forested valley side, the first water I could just about see was the River Bóbr, which feeds the reservoir I saw yesterday. It had cut a deep channel in the wasteland left by the receding water caused by the low level of the water in the reservoir. A side path marked with a blue triangle took me to a group of rocks. There were crude steps and a short ladder to a fenced area on top of the outcrop where one could see a little over the trees. Low clouds drifting in the valleys.

Blue waymarks showed that the gpx track on my GPS was incorrect. As Mapy.com confirmed the route headed inland over fields, a more open landscape which I appreciated as among woodland the distance I could see was limited. It took me through the edge of Barcinek. From all the private property and "you are being monitored" signs together with barking Alsatians I assumed wealthy people had houses there. 

Returning to the trees I reached another dam on the River Bóbr, or maybe it was a very tall weir, as a large amount of water was pouring over the wide sluice gate in a spectacular fashion. Looking down the river from a footbridge over the weir it looked as if too much water was flowing over the gate for the modest sized river beyond. Above the weir was another reservoir, this one full of water.

Leaving the water and trees behind I crossed fields to the village of Rybnica. Mapy.com showed a castle, which I climbed up to on a crude and steep path. Among the trees on the hilltop a few walls remained of a ruined Schloss. After returning to the fish ponds below I continued on my way to Wojcieszyce, which inevitably involved crossing another ridge, although one that included the sight of distant horizons over extensive ploughed brown fields.

As I had plenty of time I stopped at a restaurant for a late lunch before heading for my accommodation. My lodgings proved difficult to enter as it was locked. Eventually a lady arrived, unlocked and quickly left  I returned to the same restaurant in the evening, there was another in the opposite direction but this would require returning along a busy road without a pavement in the dark. I decided not to risk it.

Dziwiszów to Jezioro Pilchowickie: Day 164

A day walking through farmland and woods ending at a reservoir.

After having made myself breakfast I left my accommodation and followed the road as it rose steeply through the narrow strip of houses that formed the village. Rejoining the blue route I continued gaining height through grassland until I crossed the ridge and dropped into the next valley. From there it was a winding path through the forest to reach another collection of rock outcrops hidden among the trees called Okole.

One outcrop had wooden stairs and a platform so that you could admire the view over the trees. However today you could not, as the mountain was in the clouds and there was intermittent light rain. I met the Polish hikers that I had encountered yesterday, apparently the landlady at their accommodation had assured them the view was spectacular. 

Then it was downhill to the village of Chrosnica. On the way farm dogs on the loose barked at me aggressively. Inevitably other hills followed, with some confusing trails. Sometimes I was in forest other times in farmland with huge fields of ploughed, brown earth. In one area there were bundles (or fagots) of alder branches presumably cut for use in traditional fencing. I passed through a number of villages but with a complete lack of cafes or shops. One village did have a church of particular interest. Although the church was modern, the original one had burnt down, it still had an ancient stone gatehouse.

As it added variety I was looking forward to walking around the reservoir of Jezioro Pilchowickie. First I spotted an iron railway bridge above the water level. The bridge was fenced off and the railway line abandoned. It ran along the side of the reservoir and was of a broader gauge than usual. There was even a train station, its windows boarded up but otherwise ready to receive trains.

Trees hid much of the reservoir, when it was visible I could see a large expanse of earth as the water level was very low. This was possibly because they were working on the dam that dated from 1903. Beside the dam the map showed a restaurant. I was expecting it to be closed due to the activity on the dam, so I was pleased to find it open. As I was camping tonight I decided on an early evening meal and ordered chicken schnitzel with potatoes and salad.

The blue route I was following ran along the top of the dam, but was closed due to the maintenance works. So instead I followed the yellow route to where it crossed the river below the dam. Then it was uphill on a green route until I could rejoin the blue route. This diversion was also helpfully marked with yellow and black tape by the Polish walking association. There were a lot of angry signs presumably telling you not to do something. I do not think I violated any of the instructions, unintelligible to me being in Polish, but was pleased to leave the area as my route continued to take me around the reservoir.

Seeing a convenient flat spot in a small valley I have pitched my tent. Although it is close to the path, and I usually like to hide among the trees, I doubt if anyone will be walking this way tonight.

Shronisko PTTK Szwajcarka to Dziwiszów: Day 163

Today there were fields of grass as well as woods, I walked with two Polish hikers for the last kilometre or so.

Overnight much rain fell, battering my tent but fortunately unable to get in. Breakfast was scrambled egg with tomato, cucumber, cheese and ham in the cosy dining area of the mountain hut. I later learnt from a fellow hiker that Szwajcarka, the name of the hut, meant a Swiss woman. There must a reason somewhere. Near the hut is a small building with a picture of Wanda Rutkiewicz painted on. A Polish mountain climber who practiced in the area, she was the first woman to climb K2 and the first European woman to climb Everest.

After leaving the hut and trees of the mountain there was easy walking through the villages of Trzcińsko and Radomierz. The latter had an observation tower, which looked like it was once part of a churvh, but it was only open Saturday. All the villages today were ribbon developments, scattered houses stretched in a corridor around a road. After Radomierz the trail climbed into low hills.

Beside the trail today were large fields of grass, interspersed with copses and larger areas of trees; oak, birch and conifers. I saw one herd of cows today but generally the fields are empty except for maybe a few round bales of hay. A large tractor pulling a huge trailer loaded with these bales passed, I stepped off the road to make room for him.

Just beyond the top of Komano there was art piece by (according to Mapy.com) Magdalena Osak entitled "Into The Blue", or Droga w Błękit. It feature old shoes on a piece of painted wood. A little later there were a series of four carvings which included Mary and Jesus. This put religious themes in my mind, I recalled fragments of hymns, songs and psalms. The red berries of hawthorns and rosehips reminded me of Jesus's blood being spilt in Catholic iconography, and also that the year was moving towards its end, only to be reborn again next spring.

I came across a ruined farmhouse. Trees were growing within its walls and around them. Nature reclaiming it's own. That it was once a farmhouse was confirmed by two Polish hikers I met. One at least had good English. He also confirmed that the people were picking wild mushrooms in the forest and not some other type of fungi, better that artificially cultivated mushrooms he thought. He said it was a tradition going back to communist times when food could be limited. Pointing out the city of Jelenia Góra in the far distance to the south, with a tall chimney at its centre, he said the name meant "Deer Mountain", but that when the area was part of Germany it was called Hirschberg (which also means "Deer Mountain").

I left them at the top of the village of Dziwiszów where I had booked accommodation, they had arranged to stay at a place a little farther on. When I knocked at the Agroturystyka, the place I had booked, the elderly lady did not seem to be expecting me. Leaving me she returned a few moments later with a man and then showed me to my room. There is a kitchen shared with other guests but I seem to be the only one staying here tonight. At the local shop I bought a jar of meatballs in tomato sauce plus some extras and materials for breakfast. I heated the meatballs at length in a pan to make sure they were cooked, which meant that it was several minutes before they were cool enough to eat.

Kamienna Góra to Shronisko PTTK Szwajcarka: Day 162

Today there were several large outcrops of granite hiding in the forest.

On my way out of Kamienna Góra I walked along John Paul II street. The former pope is widely revered here, there was a small shrine with his photo. At the edge of town I was greeted by the a cloud of red hawthorn berries, the leaves had gone but the berries remained to brighten a dull day.

My walk to the first vilage of Pisarzowice was fast and easy over grassland. Diverting through the village I found a shop open and despite a good breakfast I bought an ice cream and a slab of cheesecake for lunch. Although there wss grassland at first, for most of my day the route was through forest, going up and down hills. In my memory the walk was a bit of a blur as one hill of conifers looked much like another with occasional beech, birch and rowan, the latter scattering its red berries on the trail. At times I was on good gravel roads but at others I was navigating steep trails moving from rock to rock, tree root to tree root. On one such descent I slipped on the gravelly substrate, while it was a collapae in slow motion, I have bruised my arm and backside. If only I had been using my trekking poles I might have avoided it, but I was being lazy and had not taken them from my backpack.

Being Sunday people were out walking, a few looking for mushrooms, most were heading up to the large granite outcrops that stood among the trees. Similar to the "tors" on Dartmoor, except they were surrounded by tall trees and stunted birch trees grew from crevices and flatter areas of the outcrops. Being partially hidden by the forest they rather lost their dramatic effect. Neverthless they atttacted couples and families out for Sunday hike, and also a few rock climbers who I spotted from the helmuts on their backpacks. Ocasional covered picnic tables made suitable lunch spots. I found a picnic table of my own for lunch with a panoramic view.

To lead me to a selection of these outcrops the blue route was rather circuitous, adding kilometres to my day but eventually delivering me to a spot a short distance from Shronisko PTTK Szwajcarka. It was close to yet more granite outcrops and I visited the nearest where I climbed onto a fenced area and admired the view. Thankfully the warden of this mountain hut spoke English so I was able to say I wanted to camp here and latter his assistant took my order for dinner (bigos, a stew with chorizo in, and pierogis with blueberries inside). In the dining room with me were a group of ladies, maybe friends meeting here to catch up on the latest news. At times the conversation was conducted in hushed tones. I almost told them there was no need to speak quietly as I had no idea what they were saying in Polish. Later a couple with a dog arrived, the dog barking at me without any cause. I left for my tent as it began to rain.

Szczawno Zdrój to Kamienna Góra: Day 161

Steep climbs this morning, then by a pithead this afternoon.

The hotel was busy rearranging tables for an "event" this morning, the event manager shook my hand. Perhaps he thought I was the client, whereas I was trying to get breakfast. I managed to get scrambled eggs and coffee while a large group sat down nearby. They looked like three generations of the same family complete with bearded uncles. Maybe at the hotel for a wedding?

Leaving behind the flower bordered roads and fountains of Szczawno Zdrój I climbed through its suburbs into wooded hills. I knew there were two round, steep hills rising above the surroundings whose summits the E3 crossed. The first was the highest and after a bit of wandering around the blue route took it "head on", rising straight up through the trees. Loose stones and dirt slipped beneath my dusty feet, if it has been wet and muddy it would have been near impossible. Tree roots substituted for steps in places, but mainly it was hard work. Sweat dripped down my face and I had to keep mopping my brow with my now damp handkerchief to avoid sweat hurting my eyes.

Finally, I reached a clearing at the top. Numerous people were there having arrived by an easier track. There was an enormous cross made of metal bars which complimented crosses of a more tyical size with religious writings on, lower down the hill. More interesting was an old stone tower which had been converted into a tourist feature. Inside there were vending machines where I bought a Mars Bar and Coke. I smiled as it reminded me of my working days when a Mars Bar and Coke would be offered as an incentive to get a job finished. Possibly there was a way to reach the top of the tower, among the various aerials and dishes, but I felt I had climbed far enough.

The next mountain was slightly lower but also hard work with no reward at the summit, making me wonder what my incentive was for climbing it. The trees meant there was no panorama to admire.

After the two mountains I descended to Gorce. An old coal mining town, I knew that the pithead, the tower with the winding wheel to lift men and coal out of the mine, had been preserved at a museum. I diverted to see it but unfortunately the museum was closed. I had hoped to learn more of Silesia"s history as a coal mining area, however I was not unduly upset as I was short of time having been delayed by the steep climbs.

Another hill, more gentle this time took me to Czerny Bór, a large village where I bought an ice cream. Then it was gently undulating land by housing, through conifer forest and finally beside large brown fields, ploughed and tilled for seeding.

Kamienna Góra has the typical central cobbled square with mounds of flowers but most of the town.has a slightly depressed feel. I dinned at a restaurant which did not look too attractive outside in its dark side street but was bright and busy inside with local couples and families. Food was more than adequate.