How about a summer holiday to Poland? Okay, maybe not top of your holidays wish-list, but consider this:
- Poland's not all factories, smog and depressed ex-communists
- It has an easily accessible, unspoiled mountain range
- It's pretty damn cheap
If you're a regular visitor to Natives, the chances are you like mountains. So do the Poles! They are serious mountaineers, with a history of climbing clubs and Everest veterans, and it's in the Tatras in Southern Poland that they start.
Although much of the park is accessible for experienced climbers only, the good news is, with most of the peaks at 2000-2500m and a superb network of marked paths, you don't have to be a 'serious' mountaineer to enjoy it.
Any reasonably fit person can totally escape from it all and gaze across quiet, unspoiled mountains in peace and quiet. There are perfect icy lakes and views down into Slovenia, which the park borders. The region has been a National Park since 1950, so if you're really lucky you can see lynx, golden eagles or brown bear.
The skiing in the Tatras is, quite frankly, rubbish. But that's another reason to visit out of season. Where many European resorts are littered with lifts and the terrain has been sculpted to suit pistes, this mountain here is largely untouched and still in its natural state.
Go in low-season to avoid the crowds and the Tatras can offer you a mountain holiday quieter, less expensive, and more beautiful than anything the Alps has to offer.
Getting There/Costs
The best airport for the Tatras is Krakow. Flights are available with Lot and BA from £190. Once in Poland, you will find prices considerably less than in Western Europe. From Krakow, a bus to Zakopane (the Chamonix of the Tatras) costs as little as £1.50 for a two hour journey.
Where to Stay
The only way to really experience the Tatras is to stay in one of the seven official mountain huts, clearly marked on the map. These offer dorm accommodation for around £3, with typical Polish fare like bigos or gulash available for £1-2. Take a bottle of vodka with you (£5 for this Polish essential) to break the ice with your room-mates.
When To Go
The Poles love the Tatras. Historically, they were a place to escape from the polluted cities, but even now Krakovians will often head there just for the day, so if you can, avoid weekends and bank holidays.
Otherwise, although you can walk in May, many of the paths will still be above the snowline, so make sure you have adequate equipment. June through September offer the best conditions.
Essentials
Don't forget that the Tatras are an Alpine range and as such demand respect. Make sure you have all of the following:
- A map of the area. Tatrzanski Park Narodwy shows all of the paths, precisely marked, colour-coded and with estimates of how long each section will take.
- Waterproof clothing - the weather is very changeable. Set out early, because like most mountain ranges it tends to build up in the day and come down in the afternoons.
- A whistle - this might seem cheesy, but better than waiting two days for someone to walk past
- If you have a mobile take the number of the mountain rescue service
- Stick to marked paths
- Take plenty of water
- 'Leave only footprints, take only memories' (ie no litter/fires/souvenirs etc)
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