Deer rut in Polish mountains

Events of the last few nights inspired me to write this article. It turned out that not only I did not sleep at night - somebody else was awake too. What is more – he was extremly active. Just below our window a stag was walking and roaring loudly. These sounds were not addressed to me but to the potential partner which he was looking for. The roaring did not frightened me because I already had the opportunity to hear similar sounds during mountain hiking – it is called the deer rut.

The rutting period we name the deers mating season in which the males (stags) are trying to entice females (hinds). The stags usually hidden in the forest become noisy and visible. They start calling hinds with the bass roar which can be heard from a distance of several kilometers. The more good-looking male the greater chance of gathering a group of admirers he has.

The deer in the Tatra Mountains, Poland.

Often it comes to a confrontation between two stags. Sometimes they only compete for voices, but from time to time it happens that the males decide to fight and attack themselves with antlers. It is a real treat to observe the fight! Hearing a crack of clashing antlers is also very exciting.

The mating season is very exhausting for deers. Stags behave as if the world did not exist, having only one goal - to find a partner. They forget about eating and lose many kilos during searches and combats. Unfortunately, deers become easy targets for the poachers at that time.

When to listen the deer rut? The mating season takes place from mid-September to mid-October. The deers are most active at night, from dusk to dawn. Their roar can be heard also during the day.

Where to observe the rut? In the Polish Tatras stags often choose the clearings in Kondratowa and Tomanowa valleys. Roaring deers can also be heard in many other places. The first rut I had the opportunity to hear was in the Bieszczady Mountains - I had an impression that deers roar echoed the entire area. The deer I mentioned at the beginning approached the window of our house in the Silesian Beskid. As you can see there is no rule, deers choose wild places in the national parks as well as those which are close to human settlements.

At the end I will tell a story - this situation happened to our friend from the mountain rescue:

[Phone ringing at the office of mountain rescue]

- Hello?

- Good morning. My friend and I have a problem. We are sitting on a tree and next to us the bear is roaring. What shall we do?

- Are you sure that this is a bear?

- Yes!

- Do you see it?

- No, we hear the roars.

The rescuer is looking for recordings of a roaring animal and releases them to the panicked tourists.

- Is that how it roars?

- Yes, just like that!

- It's not a deer but a bear. Don't worry, come down from the tree and continue hiking.

I wish you all successful observations :)

Zakopane sightseeing: Gubalowka – the best view of Tatras

Gubalowka - one of the most interesting view points of the Tatras, easily accessible and therefore, unfortunately, often very crowded. Many tourists ascend the peak using the funicular and go for souvenir shopping or to find restaurant to satisfy hunger. However, I would to write about different Gubalowka - interesting objects in the vicinity of the summit and what you can see from the top because the panorama is one of the best views of the Tatras.

The Gubalowka mountain ridge is full of housing buildings - this is the highest settlement (1122 m a. s. l.) in Poland and it belongs administratively to Zakopane. The largest oject visible from afar is the Radio and TV Tower, nowadays also providing mobile phone coverage and satellite television. The funicular is the most often visited attraction. It was built in 1938 and modernized fifteen years ago. The summit can also be reached by numerous hiking trails leading to Gubalowka from different directions.

You have to go down a few dozen meters from the upper funicular station to see the full panorama of the Tatras. The view covers most of the Tatra Mountains - from the Belianske Tatras to the distant peaks of the Western Tatras. The most conspicuous is Giewont Mountain with its silhouette of sleeping knight. You can also recognize almost every building in Zakopane, the complex of ski jumps and many other objects. Unfortunately it is impossible to see Rysy (the highest mountain of Poland) and Gerlach (the highest peak in the Tatras) from Gubalowka.

One of the worth seeing objects is the monument called Polonia Restituta located near the upper station of the funicular. Two-meter bronze figure shows the resurgent Poland. On the left hand of the woman there is sitting an eagle with spread wings ready to fly. The sculpture was made by Stanislaw Kaniak for world exhibition Art and technology in contemporary life in Paris in 1937.

Another interesting object is a metal cross standing near the Radio and TV Tower. It was commissioned in 1873 by Titus Chałubiński in Kuznice (local ironworks). The cross was founder's public confession of faith and it also commemorates his reconciliation with the family.

Gubalowka is worth visiting at any time of the year because of the spectacular views. I recommend to explore the area in the morning hours to do it in peace and quiet.

Author: Andrzej Śliwiński

Macrophotography: round-leaved sundew

Photographing the round-leaved sundew is not a quite easy thing. But don't be afraid, you do not have to be a professional with years of experience and very expensive equipment for macrophotography. The difficulties lie in the fact the majority of people simply do not notice it ;)

So firstly, you need to locate the sundew – its tiny leaves are almost whole green and it is hard to spot them among the bogs. I have spent more than an hour during a photographic tour on the wetlands before I found the first specimen and took a photograph of it. I must add that it wasn't my first search.

As for the shooting, should you choose the morning time when the light is not too sharp and there are still morning dew drops on the hairy leaves. Under a cloudy sky, you can make use of an artificial light source - a flash or headlamp. A plain white sheet of paper reflecting daylight may also be useful. Of course, interesting pictures can also be taken in the rain - the best is drizzle with tiny water droplets which gather on the leaves. Almost each leaf contains undigested remains of insects - sundew is real carnivorous plant!

You can tak macro photos by almost any type of camera - from small compact devices with often very good macro mode to SLR cameras with special lenses for macrophotography. Most of the following images were taken with SLR Pentax K-3 with the Soviet lens Helios 58mm type M42 attached to the camera with the appropriate adapters and rings for macrophotography.

Where to find the sundew? It can be often found in bogs, marshes and fens. The pictures where taken on the peat bog near Nowy Targ (Lesser Poland). Sundews grow there next to the observation platform, half a meter from the railings.

If you want to learn more about macrophotography and see those amazing plants – you are warmly welcome to our photo-tours and workshops.

Author: Andrzej Śliwiński

Nature reserve - Bór na Czerwonem

Recently we have been discovering the charms of picturesque place which is the Nature Reserve Bór na Czerwonem. It is located in Podhale, Lesser Poland. The place has the true recreational potential - Nordic walking and cross country trails are led here, it can also be the target of a bicycle tour or a stroll. Some come here at odd hours and roam around with a camera ;) However, the nature reserve is primarily the place where extremely interesting species of plants are protected.

The area has been protected since 1925 but it was given the status of a nature reserve in 1956. Bór na Czerwonem is peatbog reserve, in which the raised bogs ecosystem (supplied with rainwater) and surrounding it humid forest communities are protected. This is an example of peatlands typical for Orava-Nowy Targ region. 

The name (czerwone = red) the reserve owes to algae, which in autumn assume a red color. But we can see here many more interesting species typical for the wetlands such as sphagnum moss, Cranberry, cotton-grass, different types of pine or fascinating common sundew. If these names do not say anything to you - just come here and see for yourself what a beautiful landscape they form :)

Kumoterki - traditional sleigh race

Kumoterki - traditional sleigh race

Kumoterki is the name of the sport discipline popular in Podhale region in Poland. The team (a couple and a horse) tries to get the highest score in a sleigh race. Usually a man is teaming and a woman acts as a ballast ;) But sometimes the roles are switched. The oval-shaped track is approx. 400 meters long and the audience is standing around it. 

Another contest is skiring where skiers teaming horses compete. In the second version called ski-skiring one person is riding a horse and a second one - the skier is only trailed. Everything is very spectacular and exciting. 

The competition is preluded by Parada Gazdowska (can be translated as Farmers Parade). It is also some kinde of contest but a bit more static ;) Farmers dressed in the regional costumes ride in the decorated sleigh pulled by bedecked horses. During the parade they are scored by the jury. The referees mark horses, harnesses, sleigh and the owners. It is a great chance to see the traditional highlanders outfit and hear the regional music.

When and where can we watch the contests?

The competitions are held in Podhale region during the carnival. You can watch them every sunday in a different village: Kościelisko, Poronin, Biały Dunajec, Bukowina Tatrzańska, Ludźmierz and others. The best idea is to ask in the visitors centers in Podhale - they will inform you about the dates of the contests. Some information you can also find on the official website: www.kumoterki.pl (only in Polish). 

Mountain insurance in Poland and Slovakia

The mountain rescue in Poland and Slovakia is provided by the Mountain Rescue Service organizations:

1. In Poland there are the Mountain Volunteer Search and Rescue (Górskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe - GOPR) and the Tatra Mountains Volunteer Search and Rescue (Tatrzańskie Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe – TOPR).

EMERGENCY NUMBER: +48 601 100 300

Website: http://www.gopr.pl/ http://www.topr.pl/

2. In Slovakia it is The Mountain Rescue Service (Horská záchranná služba – HZS).

EMERGENCY NUMBER: 18 300

Website: http://www.hzs.sk/

INSURANCE

Poland: You don't have to buy any special insurance at the moment.

Slovakia: You are obliged to buy special mountain insurance policy. Otherwise you will have to cover the costs of your rescue while accident.

Where to buy the policy?

1. Alpenverein, Euro26 Sport are honoured.

2. Some commercial insurances offer the insurance. You may buy it in the office, online or via sms.

3. At the branches of the Mountain Rescue Service. The main office is located in the center of Stary Smokovec (opening hours from 7 AM).

4. Some hotels and Tourist Information Centers provide assistance in buying the policy.

5. At the ticket offices for example to the Slovak Paradise. It is not included in the ticket price, you buy it additionally.

The Tatra Mountain Guide

This time I will write something private. Probably I want to boast a bit ;) So... Finally, after an almost 3-year course, I passed exams and became the Tatra mountain guide. I am so happy, because now I can use all the hiking experience and geography knowledge I have, to show others the small part of the world which are the Tatras.

www.sliwinski-foto.eu 

Who is the Tatra mountain guide? It is a person who loves mountains, has vast experience and knowledge about the region and is entitled to lead private and organised tours. There are several levels of guidance – the first one allowes to lead tours along the marked trails, the others have permission for the climbing routes.

Course. During the course we learned not only the topography of the Tatras, but also about the nature, history and etnography of the region and surrounding area both in Poland and Slovakia. We had lots of lectures, coach trips, hiking tours, climbing and first aid trainings. But it was not enough – the most important thing was our own work.

I am very lucky because my husband is a guide too (the Tatra mountain guide and UIMLA guide) so we could talk about the mountains for hours ;) He also comes from the highlanders family so I had a chance to learn about the local culture and traditions from the inside.

Peolple. During the course I met wonderful people! We all are in different age, come from different parts of Poland, have different jobs and hobbys. But the thing that links us together is the passion for mountains. I am really greateful for the time we spent together.

Future. Maybe we will go for a trip together? ;)

Monika

P.S. Don't hesitate to ask any questions about the Tatra Mountains and surrounding area!

Stork - the sign of spring

Early morning (6 AM), the end of April. We were coming from sunrise photography session. Suddenly such a view apperad to us:

A flock of storks.

After a while we saw a pair:

A pair of storks.

Storks are very popular in Poland. They come here after the winter time and leave us in autumn. Sometimes you can observe them walking through fields (like we saw), flying or sitting in the nest. We even have such a belief in Poland that if the first stork you see in the spring time is flying you will be travelling much that year. When you see it in the nest you will rather stay at home. But what if the stork is walking? It foretells lots of hiking or Nordic walking? ;)

In the Tatra Mountains (next to our home) we can also meet a black stork. It is quite rare and not so social, I mean it leves in a distance from the built environment among trees and bushes. I had a great chance to see it  for the first time this year. 

Shepherding in the Tatra and other Polish mountains

Autumn morning, I'm sitting in the kitchen and sipping coffee. Suddenly I hear gentle buzzing, with time the sound becomes clearer. I look out the window and see a flock of sheep moving along the road towards the nearby meadows. Small bells tinkle hung on the neck of some sheeps. Ah, the owner is leading his herd to the pasture. Grazing season, which traditionally runs from April 23 (St. Wojciech day) to September 29 (St. Michael the Archangel day) is already completed - the sheep descended from the Tatra mountain pastures. Now they are driven only on the foothill meadows.

 

Pastoral customs, traditions, techniques and equipment came to the Polish mountains from the south. They were strongly influenced by Vlachs - nomadic people coming from the Balkan area, who in the early Middle Ages began centuries long pilgrimage to the north. Nomads assimilated with the inhabitants of the Carpathian range and taught them new skills. Pastoral way of life came upon a breeding ground - difficult natural conditions (harsh climate and poor soil) favoured more animal husbandry than cereal farming. Shepherding started to develop in the Tatra and other Polish mountains. 

 

What did the traditional pastoral season look like? Each owner wanted to send his sheep to the mountain pasture for summer. It would entail leaving the household for several months, what was impossible. Therefore the function of baca (the main shepherd) was established – a man to whom farmers entrusted their flocks for summer time grazing. Baca was choosing some helpers – younger shepherds and set off to the mountain pastures owned by the village. Walking to the pastures called redyk could last even several days, depending on how far from the mountains the village was located. On a pasturage shepherds lived in a wooden hut called bacówka. Apart from grazing they were protecting sheep from predators or getting lost and manufacturing products ​​from sheep's milk. The best known are three types of cheese - oscypek, bundz and bryndza. Grazing was terminated with autumn redyk - sheep descent from the mountains. It was a very solemn event, accompanied by singing and music. Then the main shepherd settled up with sheep owners and returned them their flocks. Children welcoming redyk were receiving little pieces of cheese in the shapes of animals. Many traditions and superstitions associated with the pastoral season come from a borderline between religion and pagan beliefs. They are subject of a number of ethnographic research nowadays.

What about shepherding in the Polish mountains today? History of individual pastoral areas and its influence on contemporary sheep grazing caused diversification of shepherding in different regions of Poland. Idyllic view with sheep in the mountain pastures is not as common as it was in the past. Nevertheless we can still meet shepherds or even visit their huts while hiking on the mountain trails in Gorce, Beskids or Pieniny. In some areas (eg in the Bieszczady Mountains) the aim is to renew the tradition of pastoralism.

In the Tatra Mountains, where shepherding had been completely liquidated due to the nature conservation in the 70's, it was decided to restore grazing. Decisive influence had cultural issues - perennial relationship between the highlanders and the Tatras and richness of traditions and customs as its effect. In 1981, shepherding returned in a form of so-called Cultural grazing of sheep and cattle in the Tatra Mountains. What does it mean? Under agreements with the Tatra National Park highlanders can graze sheep on some of the clearings. They must, however, obey several rules including speaking in a dialect, wearing the original highlander outfit, whether be assisted by traditional herding dogs – the Polish Tatra sheepdogs. The are many more requirements, but thanks to them we can learn more about old customs and try products prepared according to original recipes.

Extremely interesting event is the Carpathian Sheep Transhumance organized for the first time in 2013. It is an international project aimed at meeting people involved in shepherding across the whole Carpathian range linked together with an exchange of experiences. This is the traditional wander of shepherds and flocks through the mountain area of the Carpathian countries - Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic. The trail is about 1,200 kilometers long (10-15 kilometers a day) and takes place between May and September. The wander is accompanied by various events.

Dusk, the day is slowly coming to the end. I hear the tinkling sound again ... The sheep are coming back to the pen for the night. 

TEXT WAS PUBLISHED ON LINK TO POLAND WEBSITE.