Bieszczady
The Small Loop of Bieszczady
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About this route
A difficult, long route that is the equivalent of the Great Loop of Bieszczady for those less physically resistant. It is 100 km of roads among the hills, forests, Połoniny, the villages and also those non-existent nowadays villages. When embarking on this journey, be prepared for strong visual impressions; the passing landscapes are austere and majestic in their beauty, as well as spiritual and cultural experiences, due to numerous tserkvas and sacred places, museums and monuments of all kinds. It is a worthwhile trip.
Practical advices
When preparing for a route, be sure to check the weather forecast. This will allow you to take appropriate clothing and limit your luggage as much as possible. However, it is well known that the weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared if it gets worse. It is good practice to pack a thin rain jacket that does not take up much space.
Before starting the route, carefully analyse it on a map. Consider whether your skills and equipment are adequate for the level of difficulty of the route.
Download the accompanying .gpx file so that you always have your navigation at hand. To make sure your device doesn't fail you, also bring a power bank, charger or spare batteries. If the weather changes, you may find it useful to have a waterproof case for your electronic equipment.
Be sure to take drinks and food with you on long journeys; you never know when you will get hungry. Remember that a shop or restaurant may be located a long way away. We recommend that you stock up on water, isotonic drinks, energy bars and snacks. This will make sure you don't lose the motivation to continue riding.
The absolute basis for safety is, of course, a helmet. Also, prepare yourself technically. Make sure you have adequate lighting on your bike. Pack a repair kit. Spare inner tubes, a pump, a multitool, all of these things can come in handy in the event of a breakdown, which of course you don't want!
Bieszczady
Audiodeskrypcja tekstowa
Route details
Lesko – Polańczyk – Ustrzyki Dolne – Myczkowce – LeskoStart
- 1Lesko0 kmLesko
The most convenient place to start the route is the Aquarius swimming pool in Lesko, at 7 Bieszczadzka Street, where there is a large car park. After leaving the facility, turn right onto Bieszczadzka Street. Having passed the Kmita Castle, the Molotov Line bunker and the Swedish Mound, raised by the soldiers of King Charles Gustav, cross the river by the bridge and turn left. You will pass the villages of Huzele and Łączki. In Hoczew, it is worth stopping at the Museum and Gallery of Zdzisław Pękalski, a contemporary icon writer. He makes them on wood; not only on planks, but also on irregular pieces of wood or wooden objects of everyday use. Past the museum, ride over the Hoczewka River. From the bridge, you can perfectly see the rock thresholds, a local attraction. In Bachlawa, you will pass by the ruins of a church and a cemetery. In Berezka, you may be interested in the ruins of the tserkva, what remains of it are the stone walls. Next, you will pass by Średnia Wieś and Berezka. Continue straight on. When you reach Myczków, you may be interested in the Museum of Boyko Culture. It commemorates the ethnic minority that was displaced during Operation Vistula and dispersed in Poland.
- 2Polańczyk17 kmPolańczyk
From Myczków, you will reach Polańczyk by passing a large intersection with a chapel and a petrol station. The village is famous for its tourist services. You can sit and rest on one of the beaches by the bays of Lake Solina and admire the view of the towering hills above. Further on, the route leads to Wołkowya, and from there to Bukowiec. In the first of the villages, a monument will remind you of the difficult post-war history and battles with Ukrainian nationalists. You will move along the Solinka river valley. Stay on the regional road no. 894, which you will take through Sakowczyk. In Rajskie, you can turn left for a while to visit the ruins of a tserkva and a cemetery. Continue along the loop road to the now non-existent village of Olchowiec. Through Chrewt, Wydrne and Paniszczów you will reach the next loop. It leads to a hill overgrown with dense forest. You will reach Czarna Górna 7.6 km further on. Leave the village to the north, along the regional road no. 896, and rest at a viewpoint in a clearing in the forest. Past the forest, on your right, is the village of Żłobek and further on Rabe. It is worth stopping there at the wooden Tserkva of St. Nicholas and seeing the preserved interior furnishings. Further on are the buildings of Zadwórze and Hoszów, which also attracts visitors with a former tserkva, but only its architectural structure can be admired.
- 3Ustrzyki Dolne70 kmUstrzyki Dolne
When entering Ustrzyki, you cannot miss two places of interest. The first is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Bieszczady Mountains, which is housed in a small Baroque church. It hides a miracle-working image. The second attraction is the Milling and Village Museum. Material relics and knowledge of how to bake bread, the most important food item in history, are stored and presented there. A market square occupies the centre of the town, and there are interesting buildings around it; the Greek-Catholic tserkva and the Museum of Nature of Bieszczady National Park. The layout of the Galician town itself is also noteworthy.
The Bieszczady Museum is a modern exposition presenting the history of the region and its natural wealth. The route continues through Ustjanowa Górna to Ustjanowa Dolna, where you have to turn left behind at the railway stop to Łobozew Dolny. There, continue to the right at a large, characteristic intersection to reach Solina and Bóbrka. The dry side of the great dam is perfectly visible from there.
- 4Myczkowce90 kmMyczkowce
Riding from Bóbrka to Myczkowce, keep to the shore of the lake. Past the buildings of the village, you will find a Soviet bunker on the Molotov Line. In Myczkowce, we recommend a walk on the crown of the dam, which, although remains in the shadow of Solina Dam, still has a crown almost 400 m long. Another undoubtedly interesting site is the Miniature Park at the Ecumenical Culture Centre, where you will find models of temples from the Bieszczady and the Low Beskids, as well as a mini-zoo. After a few minutes, you will reach Uherce Mineralne, where you turn left onto regional road no. 84. This will take you to Lesko, passing the village of Glinne on the way.
- 5Lesko103 kmLesko
Drive through the town to reach the starting point by the swimming pool. Follow the national road no. 84, passing the market square. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit. Your trip ends after more than 100 km. Congratulations!
Attractions near this route
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