Today the big climb was early on from the centre of Krynica-Zdrój at 587 metres to the top of a mountain called Jaworzyna Krynicka at 1114 metres. Apart from a dip into a valley filled with a modern hotel, spa and conference centre, it was a steady climb uphill through trees until I entered the sweeping, grass avenues of the downhill ski runs. Each side of the runs, snow making machines idly waited for mext winter. At one point I thought I was near the top after a particularly steep gradient. Cable cars coming up at a steady speed from the valley below were levelling out. However, the cable cars were merely dropping into a dip before rising to the final summit. I still had a kilometre or so of uphill to overcome.
Finally at the top ofJaworzyna Krynicka, among hiking groups who had reached the top the easy way in a cable car, I searched for the café. It was closed. So I set off along the red waymarked trails, soon leaving the industrial ski paraphernalia, and almost all the people, behind.
Now on higher ground the trail rose and fell across minor peaks. Occasional breaks in the trees where there were areas of grass or trees had been felled, allowed me to see ranges of wooded hills become greyer with distance. In one place I could see farmland at lower altitudes far to the north. Although mostly pleasant walking in mixed woodland with sunny patches, there were stony sections of track, where the scattered rocks caused my knee considerable discomfort and slowed my pace. Despite yesterday's rest day, the amount of fluid on my knee had not reduced.
A mountain hut made a convenient place to stop for a lunch break. Although no sign on the outside welcomed you in, I opened a few doors and found the canteen area. A few hikers were sitting at tables. Although they served hot food, the effort needed to translate the menu, and the piece of cake sitting beside the serving hatch, made it much easier to point to the cake when the lady serving said something unintelligible to me. She also understood what I meant when I asked for Coca-Cola. The cake was served with squirty cream and blackcurrant compote. I enjoyed this while others waited for some kind of hot food. I took the opportunity of the lunch stop to put on my knee support and swallow an ibuprofen which may have helped in the afternoon.
The trail continued for several more minor summits among the trees. During the day I passed two hiking groups as they rested, one of them obviously on a school outing. As with all the people I met today, there was very little English spoken.
Finally, at a high meadow, I saw beneath me the curving River Poprad, with villages grouped around it, way down, hundreds of metres below me. I prepared myself for a rapid descent. Much of this took the form of a muddy, stoney path with water tricking down it. Both knees felt the pain of holding my weight as I cautiously moved downward, trekking poles ahead of me. Among gaps in the trees I could see the castle ruins above Rytro. Another castle dating from the 13th century, the remaining tower was encased in scaffolding. Eventually I reached a road, steep but with a firmer grip. Then I was crossing the river and heading towards my lodging in Rytro.
My progress was halted by an ice cream stall which obviously needed attention. The lady serving added a mixture of flavoured ice cream to a cone and then weighed it to ensure I received the correct amount, adding a touch more or less to get it exact. Not a practice I had seen before.
My accommodation was above a restaurant where I had a very purple, clear borscht soup with dumplings, followed by "robbers pancakes" with goulash and cabbage and carrot salads.
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