POLAND by MOTOCYCLE through the Sudetes and Carpathians on two sides of the border - an introduction to MOTOtourism

The place where we gather in the morning and from which we start for the multi-day tour is the Orlen-Kostomłoty station (near Wroclaw). Here we gather and introduce the participants, have a briefing with the Pilot (in this event he will assist the participants each day discussing the routes and following ZA in a baggage car with a motorcycle trailer), discuss the details of the day's route and we set off. 

On the first day of the tour, traversing the so-called Upper Lusatia, we head to our destination - the Saxon Switzerland region - located on the left bank of the Elbe River on the German side, and take the opportunity to visit several attractive places along the Elbe.

Upper Lusatia is a historical and geographical land that lies on the territory of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. The most important city in the area is undoubtedly Budziszyn - the oldest city among the others included in the Union of Six Cities, and also one of the richest. Budziszyn is undoubtedly the cradle of Sorbian culture, a Slavic ethnic group that has inhabited the Lower and Upper Lusatia area since the 6th century. You have probably heard about Lusatia, Bautzen and Meissen in history classes when the times of Boleslaw the Brave were discussed.

After Bautzen, the destination of Dresden with one of the largest collections of European paintings in the world, which is called the Old Masters Picture Gallery. The number of paintings gathered in one place that is the Old Masters Picture Gallery is a staggering vertigo. The origins of the Gallery date back to 1560, when the Electoral Prince of Saxony, Augustus, established the treasury. He was passionate about historical militaria and had amassed a large collection of Renaissance paintings, mainly German. On this basis, a collection began to emerge, which became one of the most important in the history of museums. A place that should be visited by all people even those not familiar with painting. Gathered in one place mainly paintings, but also sculptures of probably all the most important artists of past centuries. Everything exhibited by individual centuries. You can visit for many hours, returning several times to the paintings already seen once, in our plan to enter the courtyard and walk among the galleries.

From there, it's east to Saxon Switzerland National Park and Rathen-Bastei-a unique place. It is a rock formation called the Tower (190 meters above sea level) and a bridge guided through narrow rocks 40 meters above the bottom of the gorge, all surrounded by the Elbe River glistening in the sun. An amazing place on this side of the river.

We will descend into the valley of the Elbe River and along its course, along the edge of the Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland National Park, reach the area of the Czech town of Hrensko, a former settlement of rafters and lumberjacks that once housed timber warehouses, the area's primary asset. The village is stretched along the road and the Kamienice River. It is located in a tight rocky canyon, whose rock walls tower over the village for dozens of meters. It is here, or in nearby, neighboring villages (Mezna, Mezni Louka) that we will stop for the night. Our overnight stay will provide an excellent starting point for tomorrow's trek.

We set off at 8:30, right after breakfast. Today we will take most of the day to admire the Czech side of the land of "Switzerland".

Bohemian Switzerland is an intimate, romantic and still wild land lying on the Elbe River. A basin of natural wonders, unique wildlife and mineral resources. The river, flowing for centuries, has carved a 300-meter deep canyon in the sandstone here, along which stretch plateaus decorated with ravines, untamed streams and overgrown with forests, full of fantastic rock formations: gates, spires, towers, terraces and labyrinths. In addition, sprinkled with the complex history of the border lands.

The first item on the day's agenda (and perhaps the most important) will be a walk, or in fact a trek, to the Pravčická Gate-the largest natural rock bridge in Europe.

Around 1:00 pm we will set off on our motorcycles. We'll drive up to one of the most beautiful viewpoints, Belvedér Viewpoint, hook up with a place called Panská skála, stop for a short tour of a picturesque building called SKALNÍ HRAD SLOUP, whose history dates back to the 13th century, when caves carved into the rock provided shelter for locals. In the centuries that followed, the rock fortress was successively expanded and enlarged. Before 16:00 we will go to the only such place in Europe - a motorcycle club in the cave, to a place called Pekelné Doly. The atmosphere of the place is unique. We will end the day in Liberec - one of the most beautiful Czech cities with a unique atmosphere, where we will go for an evening sightseeing and feasting together.

Our custom is to set off no later than 8:30 a.m., and after breakfast. On the third day, we will leave the land of the Elbe and head towards the Oder River basin, to the Karkonosze - the highest mountain range in the Sudetenland, with its peak Sněžka at the top (1602m).

The first stop on the way - Harrachov (Czech Republic) - a town picturesquely located at an altitude of about 760m above sea level, on the outskirts of which we will visit the captivating Mumlava Waterfall - a very wide cascade 10m high, where water falls from granite blocks creating deep evaporative cauldrons called "Devil's Eyes" at the bottom.

From here along the scenic road 290 towards Bílý Potok and further north to the border with Polish territory. We are quite close to a place shrouded in many mysteries and eagerly visited - Czocha Castle, we will also visit.

After the tour, we will set off through the charming spa town of Swieradow Zdroj, where you may want to stop for a while.

Heading towards Szklarska Poreba, we will pass the so-called Death Turn - a sharp (180°) road bend along with a vantage point over the Karkonosze and Jeleniogórska Kotlina.

In front of us there are also Krucze Skały with two granite towers with a height of 30m, where a vantage point has been placed, as well as the Kamieńczyk Waterfall - the highest waterfall in the Polish Sudetes (27m) - here you need to trek to support the desire to visit, and Szklarki Waterfall (if you will not have enough views of waterfalls and trekking, although this one is relatively close to the parking lot). These places will be perfect as a photographic plein air, and the water falling with a bang will fill us with energy for further wanderings.

If the time is good, the weather doesn't tire us out in Szklarska Poreba we will stop for a while at Leśna Huta for a short educational trail (http://www.lesnahuta.pl/).

The next point on the route is Wang Church in Karpacz. (http://wang.com.pl/)-a must see in these parts.

The road will take a detour around the Ore Mountains Landscape Park from the west and north, directing us to an interesting place - Wieściszowice with its colorful lakes.

We will end the day somewhere near the Walbrzych Sudeten Landscape Park, or across the border in the Czech town of Broumovsko.

Time to move to the Carpathian Mountains....

There are a lot of kilometers in the plan for the day, but before we set off for good on the route towards the Silesian Beskid Landscape Park there is still a gem of the Sudetenland on the Czech side - the Rock Town of Adršpach (Czech Republic).

This place, is a naturally fantastic in its form stone labyrinth carved by the forces of nature, full of unusual monoliths rising to the sky and covered with forest. This reserve, is part of the Table Mountains.

Most of the rocks are sandstone from different geological periods with characteristic mountain vegetation - several hundred interesting species, including: two-flowered violet, alpine coltsfoot or mountain prairie.

After exploring the Rock City for 2-3 hours, we will head to the vicinity of Kudowa Zdroj, to a very special memorial... The Skull Chapel in Czermna, as it is referred to here, is one large communal tomb of the victims of the Silesian wars of 1740-1742 and 1744-1745, as well as infectious diseases of the 18th century. 3,000 human skulls and bones make up the interior facade of the chapel, covering the walls and ceiling. A further 20,000-30,000 human remains lie beneath the floor of the chapel....

We will drive to the Skull Chapel along the Road of One Hundred Turns, which in the Radkow-Karłów section leads along the roads of the Table Mountains National Park and is indeed very winding, as for Polish conditions.

From there, by the fastest possible roads (there will also be a piece of highway) we will move to the Silesian Beskid Landscape Park in the vicinity of Wisla, Szczyrk, Zywiec, where we will stay overnight.

We set off at about 8:30 a.m. Before leaving the Silesian Beskid we will ride in the heart of the Landscape Park around Szczyrk and the main must see points: the Adam Małysz ski jumping hill "Malinka" in Wisła (http://www.wisla-malinka.com/pl/), Kubalonka Pass and the Presidential Castle in Wisła (http://www.zamekwisla.pl/pl/node/22) and from there along scenic roads towards Zywiec.

In Zywiec, of course, a mandatory visit to the Zywiec Brewery Museum (https://muzeumbrowaru.pl/) with its tour - something certainly not only for gentlemen.

Not at all along the main roads (unless the weather gets in our way), wandering a bit among the beautiful views we will reach the bustling heart of the Polish Tatra Mountains - Zakopane. Here, or somewhere in the vicinity, we will stop for the night. Depending on the time of day, weather and desire - we can wander unhurriedly along the roads of the Tatra Mountains admiring the views, we can go to the Slovak Bachledova valley, where we will climb a viewing path set in the treetops (https://bachledka.sk/pl/leto/sciezka-w-koronach-drzew).

In the evening we will enjoy the highland atmosphere in one of the local inns.

If you couldn't make it yesterday, how about today - from Zakopane via Lysa Polana, we'll head to Slovakia's Zdiar for a walk in the treetops. The platforms and walkways set high above the trees offer a beautiful panorama.

Through the roads of the Pieniny National Park on the Slovak side and further east, along the beautiful roads of the Low Beskid to the end of the world... Our Polish end of the world - Bieszczady.

Choosing the most scenic stretches of roads on both sides of the border, with many stops for photo sessions and deep breaths, we will reach our destination - the Solina River itself - in the late afternoon. Along the way - if time permits and the weather doesn't force a change - the Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites in Zagorje and probably something else, before we head to our accommodation near Solina.

Today is also our last dinner together, a farewell dinner... It will be Bieszczady and fun.

This is our last day in the mountains together, which is less than a day. We will spend it in a way that is by far the least organized, a bit spontaneous even and dependent on the conditions... Breakfast early, the program of the day will dictate the desire, the weather, will take into account what the region offers, and there is quite a lot to choose from - Bieszczady Motorcycle Stop, Bison Show Homestead, Bieszczady Cheese Farm....

We will finish the joint program somewhere on the roads of the Bieszczady Mountains around noon hours, some of you will probably decide to disconnect already after breakfast, so dynamically, as it is convenient for whom we set off on our returns, individually and in subgroups.