Today is a beauty.30 degrees forecast so we will need to be well prepared for our walk today.Sunhats and sunscreen are foreign to me but get used to it.It is hot here in the mountains.
It was my first day using two sticks and how much better that was.I could keep my balance much better.A mountain goat is my new moniker.
Lots of berries along the way and some wildflowers but the main display is over and rowan berries are plentiful.Spruce are the native tree and lots of evidence of storm damage.The foresters are out cutting it up for firewood or milling it.Wooden buildings are popular and the houses are very big so a lot of wood is needed.
We have encounter a few nuns on our trips,a fit bunch it seems.
The end of the descent bought us into a lovely meadow which is a popular film backdrop so we sat and enjoyed the views up to the high Tatras .What a tricky path down.No wonder the people coming up looked exhausted.There were lots of rock steps
Our next stop was the very impressive chalet which was over run by bodies sunning themselves,some sleeping, others were probably recovering.One man was snoring on the bench beside us.By the time walked back to the end of the road we knew why!!!!It took an hour an a half and again no shelter so the bus was a welcome sight when we arrived into Viry.
We should have taken a horse and cart,they were plying the road backwards and forwards along the road as we soldiered on but we did not know that was an option.
Sounds like we did not enjoy it but the reverse,beautiful views and just because we can....I am amazed that we can climb to these heights.We get a few looks,they probably wonder why these old ducks are on the trail.
We were picked up by taxi and driven to a small town called Siwa Polana where we paid our park fees and caught a converted tractor known as Witow- built to ferry passengers as a train.It is a tourist ride but it takes you up the logging road into the National Park and cuts off a big trek along pretty routine tracks.
Cycling is popular here too with lots of bikes to hire.They have bike stands at each end.Not quite the gear of the international set but a fit and active lot the Poles.
The train dropped us off fairly close to the beginning of our walking track.The trails are really well marked here so once you find the track you follow the colors with confidence as they are frequent.
Our trail led us up to the Iwaniacka Pass,1459 meters to climb.We did not have many walking with us today from this side but we had a jovial group at the top of the pass.
We climbed steadily up the valley on a rather rock strewn path to begin with - it got worse but nobody told us that.It was very hot and the track was exposed,very little shade to take shelter in.A gutsy effort was needed and after a couple of hours we finally came out onto a nice pathway which lead to the top of the pass where a grassy meadow offered a place to rest and recover before descending.We had quite a bit of company on the top as other trails joined at the pass.
to negotiate and it took about an hour of negotiating the track downhill.My knees will not forgive me for awhile.We climbed steadily up the valley on a rather rock strewn path to begin with - it got worse but nobody told us that.It was very hot and the track was exposed,very little shade to take shelter in.A gutsy effort was needed and after a couple of hours we finally came out onto a nice pathway which lead to the top of the pass where a grassy meadow offered a place to rest and recover before descending.We had quite a bit of company on the top as other trails joined at the pass.
It was my first day using two sticks and how much better that was.I could keep my balance much better.A mountain goat is my new moniker.
Lots of berries along the way and some wildflowers but the main display is over and rowan berries are plentiful.Spruce are the native tree and lots of evidence of storm damage.The foresters are out cutting it up for firewood or milling it.Wooden buildings are popular and the houses are very big so a lot of wood is needed.
We have encounter a few nuns on our trips,a fit bunch it seems.
The end of the descent bought us into a lovely meadow which is a popular film backdrop so we sat and enjoyed the views up to the high Tatras .What a tricky path down.No wonder the people coming up looked exhausted.There were lots of rock steps
Our next stop was the very impressive chalet which was over run by bodies sunning themselves,some sleeping, others were probably recovering.One man was snoring on the bench beside us.By the time walked back to the end of the road we knew why!!!!It took an hour an a half and again no shelter so the bus was a welcome sight when we arrived into Viry.
We should have taken a horse and cart,they were plying the road backwards and forwards along the road as we soldiered on but we did not know that was an option.
Sounds like we did not enjoy it but the reverse,beautiful views and just because we can....I am amazed that we can climb to these heights.We get a few looks,they probably wonder why these old ducks are on the trail.
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