Along the Tetmajera and Piłsudskiego streets towards the "Wielka Krokiew" ski jump

We start our brief walk on the Tetmajera street, right by the Villa "Opolanka" which accommodates The Kornel Makuszyński Museum.

The Kornel Makuszyński Museum, Tetmajera 15 st.

Mrs and Mr Makuszyński lived here almost every year while spending their summer and winter holidays in Zakopane, and following WWII they settled here permanently. Many valuable items and Makuszyński's sizable library had perished back in Warsaw during the war. The Museum's present collection is therefore but a fraction of what the writer had assembled during his lifetime. He was an art collector and had many a friend amongst the artists. The museum was established in 1966 from the collections donated by Mrs Janina Gluzińska-Makuszyńska, the writer's widow. The author of 'Matołek the Billy Goat', and a fairy tale about 'The two who stole the moon', or 'Satan from the seventh grade' was socially a most prominent person in Zakopane. Even though he did not pursue any sports himself, he was very much involved and granted his patronage to many organizing committees for the skiing, horse riding, and car rally competitions. Upon his personal initiative, the poorest highlander youth were provided with the skis as gifts. To this very day, every winter The Kornel Makuszyński Memorial called "Matołek the Billy Goat" is held in Zakopane, where almost every highlander kid may take part in the skiing competitions

Branch of the Tatra Museum
phone +48 18 20 1 22 63

From the Tetmajera street we turn right and then start walking uphill along thePiłsudskiego street towards the "Wielka Krokiew" ski jump facility. On the way, to our left we pass the operational HQ of TOPR - the Tatra Volunteer Rescue Service (Piłsudskiego 63a).

The history of TOPR dates back to 1909, while the establishment of the Service is related to Mieczysław Karłowicz, a composer, photographer and a keen skier, and general Mariusz Zaruski. The tragic death of Karłowicz in the avalanche at Mały Kościelec became a direct stimulus for his friend, Gen. Zaruski, to set up the Rescue Service. Presently, TOPR rates amongst the best trained mountain rescue services in the world. Everyone who sets off for a hike into the Tatras should have the TOPR emergency number entered in his mobile phone: (48) 601 100 300 or 985

A few houses up from the TOPR HQ, also on the left-hand side of the street, there is a beautiful wooden villa "Koszysta" (Piłsudskiego 69). In the years 1955 - 1970, Jan Sztaudynger, a writer and popular author of epigrams, lived here. At present, Ms Anna Sztaudynger - Kaliszewicz, the poet's daughter lives in the villa, together with her granddaughter - Ms Dorota Sztaudynger. The villa is a private property.

One of Sztaudynger's most appealing epigrams happens to be dedicated to the Tatra Mountains::
"SKĄDKOLWIEK WIEJE WIATR
ZAWSZE MA ZAPACH TATR"

The "Wielka Krokiew" ski jump facility
Open daily, freely available for sightseeing

The ski jump was built into the natural slope of Mt Krokiew, a part of the eastern arm of Mt Giewont. It was built in 1925, to the design of Karol Stryjeński, who envisaged the southern part of Zakopane as a kind of sports parkland. His vision was partly made true, as along the Bronisława Czecha street, which starts at the very foot of the ski jump facility, Central Sports Centre is located, including - right next to the "Wielka Krokiew" - the three smaller ski jumps, a swimming pool, an ice racing track, Plato soccer grounds, and some cross-country ski runs. The "Wielka Krokiew" ski jump is one of Zakopane's icons. The World Cup Series ski jumping competitions are held there. Visitors may take advantage of the chairlift to go to the top. The slope may also be climbed on foot (in about 15 minutes)

From the foot of the "Wielka Krokiew" ski jump we can turn left along the Bronisława Czecha street, and passing by the facilities of the Central Sports Centre, get to the John Paul II roundabout (in 10 minutes). We may also choose to turn right and follow the Droga pod Reglami pathway to get to one of the scenic Sub-Alpine valleys. The nearest one is the Dolina Białego valley.

The Dolina Białego valley
A very scenic trail, short and quite easy (iced over in winter). The Dolina Białego valley cuts deep into the hillsides spawning from the Wielka Krokiew massif (in the east) and the Suchy Wierch (in the west). The trail runs along the Biały Potok [Whitewater Stream], which in several places cascades down a series rapids (hence the name - whitewater) into the deep potholes, or the so-called evorsion hollows resulting from the whirling movement of water. As a point of interest, to our left we pass by the two adits to the tunnels, in which the Soviet scientists did some prospecting for uranium in the 1950s. We may finish our leisurely stroll next to a scenic waterfall (about 30 minutes from the mouth of the valley), or continue the hike along the yellow trail into a much steeper terrain all the way up to where it meets the Ścieżka nad Reglami pathway. Not far from here are pretty characteristic rocky outcrops called "Zameczek", as they do look reminiscent of the castle towers and battlements. At this point we may choose to either turn back along the same trail, or continue hiking along the Ścieżka nad Reglami pathway (be that towards Kalatówki - to the east, or to the Polana Strążyska glade - to the west). The distance to be covered from the mouth of the valley to the junction of the yellow trail with the Ścieżka nad Reglami pathway is approx. 3 km, which may be covered in about 1 h 15 minutes.