The Call of Mogielica

If there's a 'must climb' peak in the Beskid Wyspowy, it must be Mogielica (1,171m above sea level). From the north, there are two routes; the green szlak turistyczny (tourist trail) from Smigly-Rydz pass, and the blue route, which starts from Jurków, the village to the south of Dobra. Eddie and I set off from Jurków at 10:15 and by 12:00 we were at the summit. Eddie has the knack of complaining like mad but in the end proving himself a trooper and setting a cracking pace from the bottom to the top. His endurance amazes me; all on literally one slice of dry white toast and a mug of cocoa.


At the top there's an observation tower (the base of it visible in the shot below); Eddie gets three-quarters of the way to the top of the tower, then his courage gives out. So close and yet so far! I make it to the top (not a place for those afraid of heights) to reward readers with this view (looking east) taken on my Nikon D80 (top) - and yet, somehow, the snap taken on my Nokia N6700 Classic (above, looking north) has some qualities that make it worth sharing too.

Below: On the way down. Note - Eddie's neither carrying a rucksack, nor water, nor a camera and long lens. Dad is doing all of that. We get to the bottom and call in for refreshments at a place called Baranówka, a new thatched log-cabin style karczma that I can certainly recommend. Generous portions, most reasonable prices. Some pierogi, chips, ogórki malosolne, a beer and a coke (six quid) and we're off from Jurków back to Dobra on foot. The lady serving us at Baranówka is impressed that we made it to the top and back down again in three and half hours.

This time last year:
Off to Dobra