Polana Mountains - the geological curio

Did you know that the biggest extinct volcano is located in Slovakia? For me it was a great surprise, that there is something so unusual and interesting close to my home. Nowadays the name of this volcano is Polana.

Slopes of the Polana Mountains, Slovakia

The Polana are medium-high mountains with forests, clearings, fields and lovely hamlets. The highest peak is Polana at 1458 m ASL. We named this place Slovak Tuscany ;) You can hike here (lot's of marked trails!), do some cycling trips or simply stay in one place and enjoy tranquility. Maps of the region you can buy in bigger towns or cities like Banska Bystrica.

The Polana Mountains are a geological curiosity. They used to be over 2500 m ASL high stratovolcano which finaly exploded and destroyed thyself. Nowadays we can find there interesting rocks (andesite or tuff - consolidated volcanic ash) and extraordinary rock formations. The mountain range is protected by Polana Protected Landscape Area. 

Waterfall Bystre

At the foothills of the Polana lies a town of Detva known for its folklore. Detva is a manufacturing center of famous Slovak music instrument fujara - shepherd's overtone fipple flute. It has really unique shape. You can see it in Detva museum or during one of the folk festivals which are held here. Some of them are even the international events. 

Detva is also known for its carved and painted wooden crosses which are the decoration of tombstones at local cemetery. They also stand as a roadside chapels. 

Man playing the fujara at folk festival in Detva.

There is (at least!) one more interesting place situated in the vincinity of the Polana. It is the wooden Protestant church from 1726 located in village Hronsek. Its wooden construction with severe interior can hold up 1100 worshippers. The site was enetered onto the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.

I highly recommend this lovely and little known region!

Farm stay, Slovakia, The Polana Mountains. 

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. 

Bieszczady Mountains still magic

Bieszczady is a mountain range in the Polish-Slovak-Ukrainian borderland. The most characteristic element of the region’s landscape are mountain pastures – vast grassy areas above the upper tree line which change their colour depending on the season: from white in winter to green in spring and summer and to red and orange in autumn. The pace of life in the villages in Bieszczady is different – slower…

After several years of absence, we were going to the Bieszczady Mountains being slightly skeptical. During previous visits we saw how mountains formerly considered to be one of the wildest in Poland, became a popular tourist destination. But it turned out that we had to explore the Bieszczady Mountains again and they surprised us;) Coming from Cracow we slowed down entering the snow-covered road in the first village in Bieszczady. White road accompanied us for the rest of our trip. The traffic is small here and we felt as though we were in another world.

Eastern part of the Polish Bieszczady Mountains (with the Bieszczady National Park) is the most visited part. I remember pictures my grandmother showed me - tourists with a huge backpack during multi-day hikes wandering across mountain meadows. Nowadays, you can meet lots of day-trips enthusiasts on the trail. Most often they ascend Tarnica (the highest peak of Bieszczady), Mala Rawka and Wielka Rawka or Połonina Caryńska and Wetlińska. Popularity of the region has grown thanks to the increase of its accessibility - improvement and construction of new roads and the development of public transport. Nevertheless being in the Bieszczady Mountains, you can still find yourself "at the end of the world" ... simply choose the appropriate time and place.

After the summer season Bieszczady become empty and life comes back to its normal slow rhythm. Hiking trails are traversed only by tranquility lovers who come here to contemplate nature… and life too. Shelters become a meeting place of people who share a true love for the mountains. But the one who is looking also for a peaceful summer in Bieszczady shall visit the western part of the mountains. Slightly lower but equally beautiful mountains do not attract so many tourists. One can safely say that still this is wild land. 

Bieszczady is also a way of life. Many people found here a place where their dreams come truth – they run atmospheric farm stays and restaurants, art studios, workshop houses, mountain shelters, horse farms, natural food farms and stores. In these places the doors are open for guests.

One of these places we found by chance. After a few words of welcome we were invited into the house and treated with herbal tea and delicious sloe liqueur. Our hosts are experts in herbal medicine and natural products. They also run various types of workshops to pass on their knowledge and skills to the others. Adults will learn here the ins and outs of baking leavened (sourdough) bread or making liqueurs. Children can try to bake bread rolls or make fancy bracelets. Everything is accompanied by the atmosphere of hospitality and family warmth.

Traditional Lemko wooden cottage

Visiting the Bieszczady you can stay in the mountain refuge – it is a great option for socializing people, who want to make new acquaintances. Second option is accomodation in an antique cottage. Wooden cottages have been restored and furnished anew by the owners, who gave them a unique atmosphere. This atmosphere is also created by the people themselves with their activities, passions, stories ... Interesting may also be stay in a horse farm or night in the barn. During your stay you can also sleep in regular guest rooms, cabins or guest houses. 

It was hard to leave the Bieszczady Mountains - say goodbye to interesting people we met, leave the place where time slowed down. For sure we will visit Bieszczady again soon :)

Useful tips:
- trails are easy and medium-hard
- mountains are generally available during whole year (in winter in some places the avalanche risk may be a problem)
- you shouldn't make light of the weather conditions - snow, strong wind, freezing cold, rain, storms may surprise you even in those not very high mountains
- you can buy maps in local shops, tourist information points, shelters 

Wooden Boyko cottage

Old Jewish cemetery

Herbs

Tarditional wood coal 'factory'

Farm stay in Poland

Villages in Poland are characterized by authenticity - families have lived there for many generations, cultivating role and growing animals, what is rare in many other European countries nowadays. People from the Carpathian villages joined daily activities together with hosting visitors - coming to their place you can take part in tradition, culture or simply a rural life.

If you are searching for authenticity and want to get off the beaten tracks, a rural holidays in the mountains suit you perfectly. In a farmhouse you find hospitality of a highlander family and see how the everyday life the countryside looks like. You can participate in local traditions and even help with a farm work like feeding animals, picking fruits and vegetables, riding horses, learning about herbs or how a farm functions. It is an amazing experience for both children and adults. Very interesting may be also spending a night in a barn, bee yard or on a rancho.

During the farm stay you can taste local food and buy local products. Many of them like milk, breadstuff, vegetables or fruits come from farms own crops and animal husbandries. It is an interesting suggestion if you are leading a healthy lifestyle in harmony with nature. Dreams about a real rest in peaceful surroundings, simplicity, no hurry and closeness of the nature come true on countryside holidays.

Handicraft is still practiced in Carpathian Mountains. Visit local artists’ workshops – it is an occasion to see violin maker’s, blacksmith’s or regional outfit maker’s workshop. You can also take part in artistic workshops, experience a sleigh ride and bonfire or listen to a regional band.

  

Together with Andrzej we have visited many farm stays in southern Poland. In Polish they are called “agroturystyka”. At each farm we were welcomed warmly and people were very eager to show their places. During our visits we have a chance to meet great and people.

WARNING: Unfortunatelly many lodgings that you find in the internet calling themselves “farm stays” lack atmosphere, are situated in noisy area or have nothing to do with farming. The problem is also that very often the best places do not have websites in other languages but Polish what makes difficult for foreign visitors to find them.