Nature: Zachełmie

Nature in Zachełmie: granite peaks, rock outcrops and an artificial cave left by old mining. Five places for a quiet day in the Karkonosze.

What nature lies closest to the village?

Chełm (483 metres) stands right above the village, and small granite outcrops lie on its eastern slope. It is a peak in the central part of the Karkonosze Foothills, built of Karkonosze granite. You reach the village on the road at its western foot. A peak towering over Podgórzyn Dolny is a good start when you want to see Karkonosze granite up close without a long walk.

Where is the trace of old mining?

The Red Cave is artificial and was created in the 19th century after pegmatites were extracted. It is 3 metres high and 6 metres deep. The portal tags it "Nature" because it is a curiosity visited today like a natural one. It lies near the summit of Rudzianka. It came from the extraction of pegmatite deposits, and what remains today is an underground void, not an extensive system of passages.

Which wooded hills with rocks to choose

Kucznik (577 metres) has rocks below the summit, and the black trail from Sobieszów leads over it towards Podgórzyn Górny, passing Chojnik Castle on the way. Przesiecka Góra (610 metres) has outcrops, cliffs, the Schodki formation and lower montane forest on its slopes. Rudawka (625 metres) lies in the Karkonosze Intramontane Basin, a depression separating the Karkonosze from the Rudawy Janowickie. Across the valley a stream forms the Podgórna Waterfall.

All three carry the "Free" and "Great views" tags, but the sources do not describe the marking of every path, so check a current map before you set out. The full list is in attractions in Zachełmie, the peaks alone on Zachełmie: mountains, and ideas from the whole region in the nature list. Karpacz is not far away. A few kilometres from Przesiecka Góra rises Chojnik Castle, which rounds off the route well.