Atrakcje: Zachełmie

Things to do in Zachełmie: granite peaks of the Karkonosze Foothills and the man-made Red Cave left by an old pegmatite mine. See where to go.

Which peaks lie around Zachełmie?

The village lies at the foot of Chełm, a 483-metre granite peak that towers over Podgórzyn Dolny. On its eastern slope you will see small granite outcrops, and at the western foot runs the road linking Sobieszów with Zachełmie.

East of the village rises Kucznik (577 metres), also of Karkonosze granite and with rocks below the summit. The black trail from Sobieszów runs over the hill through Chojnik Castle to Podgórzyn Górny, so the climb can be combined with a castle visit. Further on, between Przesieka and Zachełmie, stands Przesiecka Góra (610 metres) with outcrops, cliffs and a formation called Schodki. South-west of the village lies Rudawka (625 metres), known in sources also as Czerwień, or Rotehübel in German. It belongs to the Karkonosze Intramontane Basin, a depression separating the Karkonosze from the Rudawy Janowickie.

All these hills carry the "Free", "Great views", "Nature" and "Solo" tags. They are low, wooded and granite, so they work as a quiet alternative to the main Karkonosze trails. Kucznik joins the Studnik hill to the north-east, so it is easy to extend the route.

What is underground?

The Red Cave, also called Czerwona Jama, was created in the 19th century after pegmatite deposits were extracted. It is an artificial void, not a natural cave. The interior is 3 metres high and reaches 6 metres deep, so it is more a natural curiosity than a system of passages. It lies near the summit of Rudzianka. Mining left an underground void behind, which is visited today as a natural curiosity.

How to combine them in one trip

A few kilometres away lie Chojnik Castle and the Podgórna Waterfall, which can round off your day. The peaks alone are on Zachełmie: mountains, and the nature sites on Zachełmie: nature. For the wider area read about Szklarska Poręba and Karpacz.