Kościeliska
Valley has many enthusiasts. It's considered as one of the most
beautiful Tatra vales, full of natural richness and historical
memorials.
We start our trip
at Kiry. We can leave our car, bike or bus on one of many paid
parkings here. Kiry have excellent transport connection to Zakopane
and surrounding villages: Witów, Chochołów, Czarny Dunajec. Many
restaurants, guesthouses and Tatra National Park info boards are
placed. at valley's exit. Tourists can also hire a cab, which will
transport them from the valley's outlet, far into Pisana Clearing.j.
Kościeliska
Valley entrance (TPN territory) requires payment, which is charged on
place. The walk towards Ornak Hall Shelter goes along Kościelisko
Stream at first. After passing Niżna Kościeliska Brama, also known
as Kantak Gate, we enter wide clearing – Wyżnia Kira Miętusia
where cultural sheep grazing is being held. We can try sheep milk
products (cheese, żętyca) in local huts. After a while, we reach
the point where the trails spreads: black on Przysłop Miętusi
(Regle Path fragment), red through Adamica on Czerwone Wierchy, and
our own trail, facing Ornak Hall Shelter (specifically on Mała
Polanka Ornaczańska). After not so long, through the vale bottom,
green and black trails go together, but before Zbójnicka Chapel, the
black one goes right, towards Kominiarski Przysłop, Lejowa Valley
and Chochołowska Valley.
We, however, go
to Stare Kościeliska. Formerly it was a very lively place. It's
because there were mining and steel industry buildings, forester's
lodge, later tavern and small shelter of count Władysław Zamoyski
located here. Today there are no traces left after those monuments.
The only exception is blast furnace foundation ruin, indicated by
memorial board. Yet, it is worth paying attention to tree types: dune
pine or strong lime tree by which we can spot far-away Bystra (2248 m
MASL), the highest Western Tatra peak.
On the southern
end of Stare Kościeliska, we find trail branching: black one leads
to Mroźna Cave, blue, labeled in year 1892 by Mieczysław Karłowicz,
to Stoły Clearing. Right after trail turns to Stoły, we go through
Pośrednia Brama Kościeliska (so called Kraszewski Gate), and
shortly pass the place by descending trail from Mroźna Cave. Here we
can meet resting tourists and use the toilets.
Our next stop is
Pisana Clearing. Besides wooden benches and tables, where you can
take a rest, there is also cab's final stop. Because of visual
valors, Pisana Clearing region is very popular among tourists, who
usually take souvenir photographs here. Limestone rocks, visible here
and there, are exceptionally impressive, with massive Kominiarski
Wierch rising above the clearing and Kościeliski Stream, writhing
nearby. Behind the clearing, after crossing the small, wooden bridge,
we pass Cracov Gorge entrance, which ends with a cave known as
Dragon's Cavity. The yellow trail leads inside the gorge. We go
further down the Kościeliska Valley bottom, we pass Wodna Cave under
Pisana exit, Mylna Cave descent and also, in Wyżnia Kościeliska
Brama region, trail start leading to the caves: Raptawicka, Obłazkowa
and beformentioned Mylna. From this point the valley expands slightly
which means we're entering glacier-transformed terrain. Soon, on the
right side, in forest, Wincenty Pol Cross and Smytna Valley outlet
should be visible on the elevation. After 10-15 minutes we reach
trail divergence. The black trail starts here and leads to
Smreczyński Pond in 30 minutes. Our green trail turns left, leading
through Tomanowa Valley to Ciemniak (Czerwone Wierchy). If we want to
arrive at PTTK Shelter on Ornak Hall, we should go straight the
yellow trail, which leads to Chochołowska Valley through Iwaniacka
Pass.