a rock nature reserve protecting inanimate nature in the Kamienne Mountains, established in 1954
Mountains
a viewpoint over the Lubawka Gate and the Karkonosze on a summit covered by spruce forest
Mountains
Mountains
a not especially prominent peak of the Krucze Mountains built of Permian porphyries, in the Lubawka municipality
Mountains
Churches and monasteries
six chapels and a Way of the Cross from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, today falling into ruin
Mountains
the highest summit of the Góry Krucze, built of Permian porphyries, with traces of a former quarry
Historic sites
an abbot's palace from 1687 in Ulanowice, part of a residential complex with the Church of the Holy Helpers
Things to do in Lubawka: the red rocks of the Raven Mountains, the Kruczy Kamień reserve, a calvary and a palace in Ulanowice. A day plan in the Sudetes.
Lubawka lies in the Raven Mountains (Góry Krucze), part of the Stone Mountains in the Central Sudetes, and they are the main subject here. Start with the Kruczy Kamień nature reserve, established in 1954. It is a reserve of inanimate nature, so it protects rock formations shaped by weathering and erosion, not plants or animals. The Stone Mountains have gentler relief than the neighbouring Karkonosze, but plenty of crags and viewpoints.
The best views come from Krucza Skała (681 m), south-east of the centre. From the top a panorama opens over the Lubawka Gate (Brama Lubawska), the Karkonosze and the surrounding hills, and two hiking trails run nearby, including the green one from Lubawka to Krzeszów. Further south are Sępia Góra, a domed summit with a group of red porphyry rocks on its south-eastern slope, and Bógdał (747 m) between the Valley of Love and the Raven Valley, with red crags on its eastern slope. Pustelnia (683 m) bears traces of an old porphyry quarry, and Skowrończa (707 m) is wooded and quiet, with no marked trails to the top.
The Lubawka Calvary on Holy Hill (Święta Góra) is a set of six chapels and a Way of the Cross from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The stations were installed in 1845-1846, and the chapels are dedicated to St Anne, the Last Supper, the Crowning of Christ, Our Lady of Sorrows, the Holy Sepulchre and the Resurrection. The whole is falling into ruin today, so treat it as a place for a calm walk and history, not for visiting interiors.
The Lubawka Palace stands in Ulanowice, a district of the town. It was built in 1687 as an abbot's residence and rebuilt in the late 18th century. Together with the Church of the Holy Helpers, outbuildings and farm buildings it forms a residential complex entered in the register of monuments in 1980. Sources do not state the palace's present condition or visiting rules, so check before you go.
The easiest way is to build it around the mountains: one summit, the reserve and the calvary at the end. The summits and the reserve are marked as free, so the whole day can pass without tickets. These lists help you choose: mountains in Lubawka, scenic views, nature, free attractions and places for a solo outing.
Nearby are also Krzeszów, Kamienna Góra and Chełmsko Śląskie. They are worth adding to the second day of a trip. If you stay in Lubawka briefly, pick one summit with a view and the reserve on the first day, and leave the calvary and palace for a calm afternoon.
