We left on Friday and drove to Szlarska Poreba. We left two cars there and one car in Karpacz, which will be where we finish the trek. It rains quite hard on our way to the towns, but lets up to a drizzle by time we hit the trail. The first day is a one hour and forty five minute hike up into the mountains. We arrive at the “shelter” where we will stay. All along the trail are these “shelters”. They are more what we would call a lodge. Our lodge was built in 1780. You can book a room from 4 – 10 people. The accommodation is very nice and basic, but the lodge itself is amazing. They each have a restaurant and bar, and the feeling of Alpine ski lodge. We have a wonderful evening eating, drinking Polish beer that we have carried up the hill (we are so cheap) and talking.
Day two, we hike for eight hours. We start paralleling the ridge. Much of the surroundings remind us of home. Part way through the day we proceed uphill and then walk along the ridge which is the actual border between Poland and the Czech Republic. Beautiful views and a number of large rock piles that Tim and the kids love to climb. In the late afternoon we stop at another lodge and have a wonderful Polish dinner, Pierogi, Bigos and Falsolka (a bean dish). We finished up our hike at another lodge that has an incredible view. Our lodge is up on the hill, there is another lodge below us at the base of a cirque next to a little lake. Another good evening finishing the beer and Buffalo Grass Vodka (will explain when I get home).
Our last morning we depart and hike for several hours down to Karpacz. We spend a little time exploring the town and then have dinner at a very nice restaurant. Almost all of us had pork ribs cooked in beer, which were fantastic. A well deserved meal after hiking over 30 kilometers. After dinner, Tim did a ropes course with rope bridges and zip lines. He enjoyed it.
It is an absolutely beautiful area! Thank you Beata for planning this weekend.
~Jeff & Karen~
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