What is it about peaks that makes us want to climb them? Walking the hills around Dobra, one gets far from the madding crowd - until reaching the summit.
Above: view from our bedroom - visible is the peak of Mogielica (1,174m above sea level). The only peak in the immediate vicinity of Dobra that I've not yet walked up, so it's got to be conquered. Over 20km there and back, whole lot on foot. All the way up, I meet just two people. I get to the top and there's 40 people maybe more up there.
Above: view from the platform at the summit (visible in the top photo); a scary climb to the very top, rewarded by spectacular views.
Right: the High Tatras, some 50km to the south-south west of Mogielica. Snow is still visible, despite the +30C heat. The sky is clear and low humidity means one can see very far in all directions. Looking north-north west, a fellow sight-seer on the platform reckons she can see Nowa Huta, Kraków's industrial suburb. Quite possible; I can see what looks like a huge white cooling tower in the far distance.
Above: houses between Jurków and Dobra, nestling among the lower slopes of Łopień. Once again - no retouching of sky, but maximal use of polarising filter to give the effect of looking at the scene through polarising sunglasses.
Above and
below: agriculture is done traditionally. A horse-drawn wagon brings the hay down to the barns; a girl takes two cows to pasture. I think there is a role for EU agricultural subsidies being used to keep farming traditional. In the UK, the countryside has long ago been turned into one great big agri-factory.
Above: view from our bedroom - visible is the peak of Mogielica (1,174m above sea level). The only peak in the immediate vicinity of Dobra that I've not yet walked up, so it's got to be conquered. Over 20km there and back, whole lot on foot. All the way up, I meet just two people. I get to the top and there's 40 people maybe more up there.
Above: view from the platform at the summit (visible in the top photo); a scary climb to the very top, rewarded by spectacular views.
Right: the High Tatras, some 50km to the south-south west of Mogielica. Snow is still visible, despite the +30C heat. The sky is clear and low humidity means one can see very far in all directions. Looking north-north west, a fellow sight-seer on the platform reckons she can see Nowa Huta, Kraków's industrial suburb. Quite possible; I can see what looks like a huge white cooling tower in the far distance.
Above: houses between Jurków and Dobra, nestling among the lower slopes of Łopień. Once again - no retouching of sky, but maximal use of polarising filter to give the effect of looking at the scene through polarising sunglasses. 
Above and below: agriculture is done traditionally. A horse-drawn wagon brings the hay down to the barns; a girl takes two cows to pasture. I think there is a role for EU agricultural subsidies being used to keep farming traditional. In the UK, the countryside has long ago been turned into one great big agri-factory.
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2 comments:
Watch out, the sun is pernicious these days and in the mountains UV index is much higher than on lowlands.
Lucky you, Małopolska will be the coolest province in Poland in the coming week and Warsaw will be melting in the Saharian heat - daytime highs are to hit up to +34C. Still far better than in Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia or Hungary where temperatures have reached +38C and the hot spell is not yet over and is about to continue for at least a week. Snowfalls, frosts, floods, boiling heat - what else can we expect this year? I think we haven't had any whirlwind yet (perish the thought)....
Enjoy the climb!
O it was hot. Still, floppy hat, long sleeved cotton shirt, long cotton trousers, and as much mineral water as I could carry did the trick. Plus extra salt and magnesium in the diet to prevent cramps in leg muscles.
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