Mountains
the fourth highest peak of the Sudetes with a boulder field on the summit and the ruins of an emperor's monument
Mountains
the fourth highest peak of the Polish Karkonosze, with a PTTK mountain hostel on the northern slope
Mountains
Mountains
the highest summit of a massif in the Karkonosze Mountains, with a guesthouse that was once Chancellor Bismarck's residence
a granite peak of the Karkonosze Foothills with rock formations right above Sobieszów
a granite peak of the Karkonosze Foothills with rock outcrops and lower montane forest on its slopes
Mountains
a peak between Szklarska Poręba and Jagniątków, on the route of two mountain trails
a hill of gneiss and granite gneiss at the eastern end of the Kamienicki Ridge in the Izera Mountains
Mountains
a forested peak of the Karkonosze built of granite, with small rocks known as Paciorki
Mountains
a summit of the Śląski Grzbiet ridge, 1090 m above sea level, with a granite boulder field and the red trail below the top
Mountains
a 593-metre peak with cliffs above the Kamienna valley, at whose foot the Szklarka stream forms a ravine with a waterfall
Mountains
a peak of the Karkonosze Foothills made of Karkonosze granite, formerly called Trzy Jawory (Three Sycamores)
a granite summit of the Karkonosze Foothills, 604 metres, on the trail linking Piechowice with Michałowice
a granite summit above Jagniątków with closed adits from a post-war uranium mine
Mountains in Piechowice range from 578 to 1,509 m above sea level. Compare the heights and choose a hike to match your fitness and your plan for the day.
Wielki Szyszak reaches 1,509 m and is the second peak of the Polish Karkonosze. The border with Czechia crosses the summit. The peak used to be called Wielkie Koło, while the name Wielki Szyszak belonged to the neighbouring hill, now known as Śmielec. The ruins of a monument to Wilhelm I from 1888 lie on top, and there is no marked trail to the summit.
Second place goes to Łabski Szczyt (1,471 m), between Szrenica and the Snowy Cirques. A PTTK hostel stands on its slope. Third is Śmielec (1,424 m) on the Silesian Ridge, called Velky Šišak in Czech and Große Sturmhaube in German.
The Karkonosze Foothills offer lower and calmer peaks. Grzybowiec (751 m) is the highest in the massif between Piechowice, Sobieszów, Jagniątków and Lower Szklarska Poręba. Płoszczań (747 m) was once called Breiteberg, and its slopes are covered in lower montane forest, with clearings on the northern side. The hills Łagodna (676 m), Świerczyna (665 m) and Sośnik (650 m) make up more links of this chain. Below 610 metres remain Piechowicka Góra (604 m) and Szklarz (593 m), and in the Izera Mountains Mały Ciemniak (578 m), built of gneisses and granite-gneisses. Szklarz drops in cliffs above the Kamienna valley, and Bucznik (about 670 m) has small rocks called Paciorki.
Information about trails varies, so check it for each goal. On Świerczyna a blue trail runs along the northern slope from Piechowice through Michałowice to the pass below Śmielec, and on the southern slope a black trail leads from Jagniątków to the PTTK hostel below Łabski Szczyt. Below Ostroga (1,090 m) the red trail links the hostel at Łabski Szczyt with the crossroads below Wielki Szyszak, but it passes beneath the summit, so you have to turn off to reach the top. For Mały Ciemniak, sources give no marked routes, and no marked trail leads to the summit of Wielki Szyszak.
Under Sośnik, uranium ore was briefly mined in 1954, but the adits are closed. Near Szklarz you will find the gorge of the Szklarka stream and the Szklarka Waterfall, and near Sobiesz also Chojnik Castle. A good complement is the Snowy Cirques below Łabski Szczyt.
Views are collected in beautiful views in Piechowice, and routes for solo hikers in Piechowice solo. The whole town is described on the Piechowice attractions page, and other mountains of the region are in the Mountains section.
