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DE The Main Sudeten Route - A Hike through History and Nature
AttractionThe journey through the mysterious Sudetes begins in charming Świeradów-Zdrój, a place known for its healing powers and historic architecture. The Main Sudeten Route is a 440-kilometre route full of contrasts, beautiful landscapes and treasures hidden along the hiker's path.
Starting the Adventure
Starting from the "Pearl of the Sudetes", as Świeradow-Zdrój is often referred to, you face the adventure of a lifetime - conquering peaks, reaching picturesque valleys and moving back in time through the rich history of the region. The trail leads through Mountains Izera, the Karkonosze, the Sowie Mountains, all the way to the Bieszczady - although let's focus today on the early stages.
When hiking the moderately strenuous hills of the Jizerské Mountains, you can admire not only the countryside, but also unique stone formations, such as the Jizerské granite, famous among geologists, or pebbles that remember the last ice age. Along the trail, you will come across peat bogs, nature reserves and ancient spruces, which tell stories of ancient times.
Main Sudeten Route - Route through the Jizera Mountains
The trail has its own distinct rhythm, consisting of stages like chapters in an exciting travel story. We will examine the course of the route in detail, so that every lover of mountain expeditions can get a foretaste of the adventures awaiting on the Main Sudeten Route.
1. Shelter on Stog Izerski
Starting from the cultural heart of Świeradów-Zdrój, the trail takes us through the beauty of the Jizera Mountains. The first stage to Shelters on Stog Izerski is marked by steep hills, but rewards hikers with picturesque views. The landmark is the "Izerski Głaz" ("Izerski Boulder") - a stone in which nature seems to have recorded its artistic break. Among the spruce forests, every breath brings freshness and the feeling of conquering mountain paths.
2. Jizera Glade
We then traverse the stage to the Jizera Glade, an untouched, wide expanse where the past intertwines with the present. It is here, at the summit of "Świeradowiec", that you can deviate from the main trail to admire the panorama of the High Kopa massif or the Krkonoše Mountains. Although such a reflection will prolong the hike and increase the distance, the visual experience will fully reward this extra effort.
3. Crossroads under the Kopa
We continue to the Crossroads below Kopa, which is like a mountain junction where the red trail crosses the yellow trail. Most travellers stay on the red trail, but some will decide to explore the yellow trail, which will take them to new and unexpected corners of the Sudetes.
4. Crossroads under the Jizera Humps
The fourth stage is the Crossroads under the Jizera Humps - a symphony of peaks built of Krkonoše granite. Again, we may be tempted to deviate from the trail and conquer any of the three peaks: Front Kopa, High Kopa or Golden Den. Such walking variants will enrich our trip considerably, but will also add to the already not inconsiderable effort with an increased sum of approaches.
5. Crossroads below Zwalisko
These stages lead us to the next one, the Crossroads below Zwalisko. At the "Jizera Humps" point, we have a geological story carved into the rocks, and the "Mine Quartz 'Stanislaw' provides a nostalgic glimpse into the days of the old industry. Deviating from the main route allows you to get closer to these places, although again, you have to be ready for the extra kilometres.
6. Crossroads under the High Stone
The final stage leading to the High Stone Crossroads is the symbolic culmination of the initial section of this route. The High Stone Shelter is not only a refuge for tired hikers, but also an observatory of the Sudeten landscapes. Deciding to reach the summit of Wysoki Kamień is like an epilogue to this part of the trail, which, although it prolongs the hike, remains in the memory like a perfect chord ending a wonderful symphony.
Anyone choosing to hike at least a section of the Main Sudetic Trail gains the opportunity to experience all these attractions. It is worth bearing in mind that the incentives to explore the branches of the Main Trail are numerous and, although not compulsory, will certainly offer a wide continuum of experiences - from a deep connection with nature to the satisfaction of the conqueror. The Main Sudeten Route, although still a long-distance trail, offers a hike without haste, where each stage is an opportunity for personal discovery of the Jizera Mountains.