Opportunistic Adventures in Poland 2 - Morskie Oko

Having fallen in love with Zakopane, and loving the cosy, friendly Goodbye Lenin Hostel, when we get back from yesterday's walk Sarah and I book another 2 nights there so that we can spend the whole of the next day doing another walk. There are so many options, but after talking with the staff, who have all been out exploring regularly, we decide to go to Morskie Oko.

Sticking to the budget style of our trip, we decide to use the local buses to get there. There is a stop at the road near to the hostel, and we sort out packed lunches for ourselves then get up and out early in time for the first bus. We have quite a long wait though - bus schedules seem to be flexible here! Eventually the bus arrives though, and we jump in for the winding journey to the car park at the start of the Morskie Oko walk. On the way we see lots of small villages, if you were visiting here with a car I think there would be so many beautiful little off-the-beaten-track places to stay and explore.

Morskie Oko is a lake 8km away from the carpark along a tarmac road. You can travel there much of the way in a horse-drawn cart if you wish, but we wanted to save our money and walk the whole way.

This part of the walk itself is actually pretty boring as its on tarmac road, but the views make up for this fact, and when the avalanche risk is over and the trails reopen there are so many options for proper walking trails - I would love to come back here again for a walking holiday in this area.

The clear road very soon becomes a sometimes slippery, sometimes soggy, snow-covered road. This is more difficult, but much more interesting than just walking along a tarmac road, and the views continue to impress. It really is stunning scenery and we stop frequently to take it all in and revel in the fantastic luck we have had to actually be here.

Not quite my usual hiking gear!

When we arrive at the lake it is breathtaking. A basin surrounded by steep-sided jagged mountain peaks, the lake itself is frozen and covered with a layer of snow. It is spectacular. Although most of the surrounding trails are all closed because of the snow, we still think we have come at the best time to see it looking so pretty. There is even a cabin here where you can stay overnight.

We make our way down to the snow-covered lake shore. It is busy here, with many visitors enjoying the beauty of the place. We find a suitable rock to perch on so that we can keep out of the snow while we relax, and the strong hot sunshine feels just wonderful in the cool crisp air.

My Fly London boots did surprisingly well, and were super comfy. I would still choose a different outfit if I were to do this again though ;)

We eat our lunch, are awed by the views, and we also people watch - we talk about how great it is to see so many families introducing their kids to the outdoors, and we watch lots of groups trek across the frozen lake to get to a trail up the mountainside the other side of the lake. 

Trekkers out on the lake

As time passes and the lake basin warms up, the edges of the ice on the lake get softer. As we watch, we see various people trekking across, or just posing on the edge of the lake for photos, and falling through the ice! It's really funny for the posers close to shore, but we can't help feeling nervous for those trekking further out on the lake. Much as we are curious to see the views from the other side, and to see where the next trail leads, we have no intention of trying it with our inadequate gear. The usual path around the edge of the lake is too covered in snow, with - as we discovered firsthand - many places you call fall through the snow quite far as it actually resting on tree branches rather than the ground. 

We go back to just enjoying our gorgeous spot on the lake shore a little while longer.

The walk back is the same as the way in, though a lot wetter as the day's sun has been melting the snow. On the way back we even see red squirrels playing in the trees, scampering over the tree trunks and chasing each other in circles. So cute, but too tricky to get photos of them.

Sadly we have to leave Zakopane in the morning to go back to Warsaw for our flight home the following day, but we both wish we had more time to spend walking in the mountains. In fact, we have to leave the hostel at 4am in order to walk to the bus station for our 5am bus, but that's not quite the same thing is it? ;)

Opportunistic Adventures in Poland - day 1

My best friend back home, Sarah, has been a bit down lately for a few reasons. There wasn't much I could do from the other side of the world, so what I did do was suggest that we plan a holiday together. We have previously visited Romania together, and this time we picked Poland. Sarah organised the flights as they were much cheaper from the UK, and we thought of a few things to do. 

When we finally got together, we googled a few more things to do so that we could have a bit of a hit list - our idea was to have a list of things to do, but no firm itinerary so that we could be could flexible and spontaneous if the mood took us. Surfing the links, Sarah stumbled across some pictures of really pretty wooden cottages with intricately-carved decorations. They were gorgeous, and she was keen to add this place to the list. A quick check, and we saw that the village was Zakopane, in the Tatra Mountains, and we would easily be able to get there from Krakow which was the first destination on our hit list.

This was to be a cultural trip on a shoestring budget, and we did well packing our city clothes, warm coats and everything else we needed into our cabin baggage so that we wouldn't have to pay the extortionate checked baggage fees (£120 in total for both of us to check a bag - almost as much as the flights themselves!!). Packing small had the added advantage that it would be so much easier to move from place to place during our week in Poland. But it had the disadvantage that when we got to Zakopane, and totally fell in love with the place, we had only city clothes in which to explore the walking trails through the mountains. Still, what the hell - we had comfy boots for walking around sightseeing all day so we would probably be ok, and it was far too beautiful to miss out just because of wardrobe issues.

Not all of the trails were open yet as although the spring thaw had begun there was still plenty of snow, and the avalanche risk was high. Staying in the Goodbye Lenin Hostel, we were lucky to have a great cosy and homely atmosphere, plus some good tips for things to do from the friendly Workaway staff there. 

One gateway into the National Park is really near to hostel - down the long driveway and then across the road, really simple! 

Entering the National Park.

We had a simple trail map supplied by the hostel, along with plenty of tips for which walks were nice (basically all of them!) and we chose a shorter walk of a couple of hours, heading up one of the smaller mountains to take in the views and leaving us some free time in the afternoon.

This particular park had some small pools near the start of the trail that formed an amphibian reserve. The pools were still partially frozen, but were absolutely full of frogs mating and spawning. We had never seen anything like it, it was fascinating.

We carried on up the well-marked trail, which was still big enough for vehicles at this point.

The morning light filtering through the pine trees was very atmospheric,

but sadly huge scars from deforestation were obvious everywhere.

Carrying on, we soon came to the level where the snow was still sitting on the ground. The snow melt made a lot of the clear ground very wet too - I wished I had proper walking boots for grip and waterproof-ness, but my Fly London leather boots were at least really comfortable to walk in.

Despite the snow on the ground, the sun was warm and we didn't feel cold at all.

It was so peaceful and beautiful, and the trail retained its more natural feel while at the same time being really easy to follow, thanks to the coloured markings painted onto trees along the route.

Some bits of the trail were snowy and slippery, some were soggy and muddy, but some bits were completely dry, and very easy going after the snow and mud!

We eventually arrive at the rocky outcrop we had been aiming for, and the views are stunning. I can't capture the beauty with my camera, but it really is stunning. We sit for a while admiring the spread of snowy mountains before us, and I daydream endlessly about having time and money to return and explore properly, spending days exploring the mountains.

On the way back down we take a bit of a short cut off the track to avoid the worst of the mud and snow. This also allows us to see the lovely spring crocuses sprinkled over the hillsides. So pretty.

Back at the road, we decide to walk into Zakopane town in order to explore, see the wooden houses, buy some souvenirs and get some food, before returning to the hostel to plan tomorrow's adventure...

Back to the UK - part 3. Heading for the Hills.

For this little adventure, my brother took a day off work. I had gifted him one of my OS maps, one for the Brecon Beacons, which he visits quite often. They're not very useful for me in Australia and I knew he would use it, so it seemed a waste not to give it to him. In the end it worked out perfectly, as he had a new place to visit in mind, and this was the right map for that.

He planned a walk in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons, within the Black Mountain, near to the dammed glacial lake Llyn y Fan Fach. It's in this area that a friend of his taken a photo of a red kite in flight, which went on to win a national competition to appear on the new OS map of the area - impressive!

Photograph by Gareth Scanlon, https://www.facebook.com/GarethScanlonPhotography/

A fair drive out through the southern Welsh countryside eventually led to ever-tinier roads, before we got to the tiny carpark at Llanddeusant. We followed the track passed an unexpected trout farm, where we watched the fish for a little while. I think James would have liked to take a couple home for dinner, but security was tight!

The trackway upstream of the trout farm

You can visit the lake itself I believe, but we wanted to enjoy a more challenging (though not very technical) walk up the escarpment and take in the views from there, so we followed the path upwards. The walking took us up a steep grass bank, where wooden rails have been erected to divert the footpath to the left to allow regeneration of eroded plants.

Fan Foel (Fan Brycheiniog), the highest peak of the Black Mountain, in the distance

It doesn't seem to take long before we are at the top of the escarpment, drinking in the magnificent views of the rugged countryside stretched out for miles before us.

Llyn y Fan Fach, with the peaks of the escarpment rising up to the side

Walking along the escarpment, with dramatic views beyond

The day is chilly, but some areas are more sheltered from the wind than others. One moment we feel as though our walking pace is keeping us comfortably warm, the next a cruel breeze whips through to remind us summer is still far away. My layers are on and off constantly as my Aussie-accustomed internal thermometre can't work out what's going on. The silly hat is getting a good work out today!

Further along, and we see snow!! After more than a year in Queensland, the snow seems pretty exciting...

James even has a go at making a snowman, although it ends up blind and armless as we can't find anything to decorate it with.

We follow the undulating escarpment ridge, walking over the gentle peaks of Waun Lefrith and Picws Du until we reach the top of Fan Brycheiniog, the highest part of the Black Mountain at 802.5m. We take a little while here to admire the views and choose our return route.

Waun Lefrith

Llyn y Fan Fawr from Fan Brycheiniog with Fan Gyhirych beyond

The trig point atop Fan Brycheiniog

Some of the route has been fairly boggy where the snow has been slowly melting, so rather than walk the whole way at the bottom of the escarpment, we opt instead to follow a path or sheep track that twists and turns its way down from a low point between peaks further back along the escarpment. We head back to where we had seen this path, then follow it down.

Along this route we see the aerial displays of red kites, but my camera battery gives up at this point so I didn't get any photos of these gorgeous birds this time.

Back at the base of the escarpment, we pick a route back to the track by the trout farm where we retrace our steps back to the car. And of course discuss the real ale + pub dinner options for the après walking :)

Back to the UK - part 2. Hitting the Crag

One of the great things about staying with my brother is that he is much better at getting out and about than I am. He has all the gear, he knows people, he has lived there for years and knows where to go and so on. It's ace :)

Rock climbing is always on the agenda when we meet up, and this time was no exception. James gave me space at his house to get some studying done, and then when he had some time we headed off to a nearby crag. Living near the Gower in south Wales, he really is spoilt for choice in this regard.

It was late afternoon after work, so we didn't venture too far in order to make the most of the daylight. We met up with James's friend Joel and Joel's friend Phoebe at the side of the road outside a cute little farm and holiday cottages, and got to know each other as we walked along the cliff paths to the crag we were aiming for. We had a nice little sociable group at the crag, selected by Joel to be kind to beginners as it was Phoebe's first time climbing real rock.

James and Joel were sharing out the gear between them as they would each have a go at lead climbing and setting up the top belay. Having travelled from a Queensland summer to a British spring I was feeling the chill, but my down jacket and a silly hat helped me out...

James knew the area, so he picked out the first route to lead, and Phoebe had her first go at belaying in trad style climbing while I supervised and gave tips - all her previous experience has been at an indoor rock climbing wall.

When it was my turn I was too cold to take off my warm jacket, so I was very cautious not to rip it on the sharp rocks. It meant my climbing wasn't too great at first, but the stiffness from the cold and my current extra heaviness wasn't helping that anyway!

Phoebe is much slimmer, and she does yoga. Despite not being very experienced at all she moves so gracefully over the rock and looks like a real climber in her balance and the fluidity of her movement. If she enjoys climbing and keeps at it, I reckon she could get really good really quickly. Joel and I watch her with good-natured envy, calling up suggestions for hand- and foot holds if she ever looks a bit stuck. She does brilliantly well, and when we catch up with her afterwards she is really buzzing with an excited climbers high. Awesome!

It's great being out here, and when I'm not climbing or belaying I just soak up the views and relish the peacefulness of the outdoors.

Joel leads a climb, and my brother James goes up to check out his ropework at the top belay before I second the route. It begins with a bit of an overhang so I have to finally remove my warm jacket in order that I can focus on climbing without worrying about ripping anything. I definitely don't have as much strength as I would like, but my technique is still there and I find the overhang section a fun challenge rather than an impossible obstacle. I feel great to have accomplished this early crux in the route, but there are no photos until much higher up, as James and Phoebe had been busy watching me and forgot (I think they were as surprised as I was that I managed it as well as I did!).

Carrying my trainers - my feet were getting way too cold in just my rock shoes, and scrambling back down to the base of the crag was getting tricky!

Inevitably, the light eventually deserted us and we packed up our gear. I particularly enjoyed the sunset, soaking up the magnificence of the slow descent, painting the sea and rocks a deceptively cosy shade of peachy orangey pink. Tropical sunsets are very quickly over - the sun just kind of plops out of sight with very little fanfare, so I made the most of this display before we got back on the path to cars, arranging where to meet for some real ales and a pub dinner before going our separate ways. Marvelous :)