[TR] - A Trek in the Polish Tatras

[Trenchfoot]

I saw this TR come up and allowed myself a coffee and good half hour to read it through. Enjoyed it all and much appreciated your efforts in putting up an excellent TR. thanks joester + abs !   

[joester]

i also liked the idea of the ponchos, were they adequately waterproof?

Cheers, Dora.  We had full waterproofs and rucksack raincovers on underneath the ponchos, we just used them as an extra barrier - they just turn you into a walking tent!
 

I saw this TR come up and allowed myself a coffee and good half hour to read it through. Enjoyed it all and much appreciated your efforts in putting up an excellent TR. thanks joester + abs !   

Thanks for that, I'm pleased you took it all in!

[bear.cub]

Epic

[Highs and Lows]

Looks like you had a superb trip, I can also heartily recommend the Tatras to anyone thinking of going there. Well marked trails, conveniently located hostels. Everything from day hikes to multi-day treks, you can even do a bit of border crossing into Slovakia.

Great photos, btw 

[Boothy]

Shame on me for not managing to venture out of Krakow when I went over, the vodka and beer is just so cheap though...

[shudder]

Fantastic trip report Joe, very detailed and informative  .


Has definitely left me inspired, although the sleep deprivation I can handle not sure if I am up for them heights just yet  .


One thing worth noting is when I was looking at organised walks recently the Polish mountains were the cheapest from around £400!

[Cathy]

What a fantastic place for you and Abs to go walking and exploring, I really enjoyed seeing your photos and reading your trip report. Good idea with the humpback rucksack waterproofing 

[sgt_pepper46]

If I'm honest, I'm a little emotional after reading that. Knowing you a little as i feel i do, what an experience so perfect in its nature for you both to have shared.


I'm not going to give my usual blather about excellent grammar and prose etc., as that's already a given. I truly "felt" the emotions you are expressing and a huge well done to you both, especially Abs on those ascents, i can only imagine how intense it must have been.


I sort of feel a little humble after my paltry Hadrians Wall planning earlier this year. Against something so well researched,  organised and constructed as what you have done here. I doth my cap to you sir.


Well done Mr Sawyer, I and I'm sure many others, look forward to next years installment of the adventures.


 

[glovepuppet]

I can also heartily recommend the Tatras to anyone thinking of going there. Well marked trails, conveniently located hostels. Everything from day hikes to multi-day treks, you can even do a bit of border crossing into Slovakia.

I can also vouch for the fabulousness of the Polish Tatras, having been fortunate enough to have visited on a number of occasions.
 
It is a great destination for walkers of all abilities, with plenty of low level stuff as well as some of the precarious paths Joester and Abs have been on! The network is well looked after and in generally good condition, although I would agree the map (as modelled) is really required as opposed to relying on waymarking alone.
 
I really enjoyed the report - it brought back many memories. Mostly good, but one - involving the Kondratowi hut and too much vodka the night before - I would rather not relive. 
 
 

[glovepuppet]

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

Indeed I have! 
 
I know the area quite well, although - weirdly - have not walked a lot of the paths you did, which is strange for such a relatively small area. But many of the places are familiar, and we have a fund of stories of our own including many of them - 7.00am New Year's Day on Kasprowy Wierch, Black Coffee at the Morskie Oko hut, a hangover at Kondratowa, a slip near Czarny Staw, seeing bears from the cable car!, retreating from the climb up to Swinica on a grotty day - which will last long in our memories. 
 
It is good, and there is plenty to keep you occupied for a few days!
 
Your report has rekindled lots of good memories, so thanks for that. 

[mananddog]

Good TR thanks for that    an area I have always wanted to visit.
 
 

[joester]

Thanks all, again.
 
Glovepuppet - good to hear.  I suppose a winter trip would be something special.  As it was, there was snow the week before we went, which had all melted by the time we arrived, and it has bloomin' well gone and snowed there again this week too!  Sensibly, both our second day and our ascent of Rysy would be beyond the safe experience of us both in winter condition.  We'd have had a plod about in our crampons here and there, but the idea of having a seamless hut-to-hut trek would have needed curtailing substantially.
 
There's some webcams here:
 
http://www.pkl.pl/index.php?id=10&L=3
 
Though the better ones are on the TOPR website, it does not seem to be working at the time of writing.
 
I'm considering Spain for Autumn 2013.

[glovepuppet]

I suppose a winter trip would be something special. 
 
Sensibly, both our second day and our ascent of Rysy would be beyond the safe experience of us both in winter condition.  We'd have had a plod about in our crampons here and there, but the idea of having a seamless hut-to-hut trek would have needed curtailing substantially.

Yes, winter is great as well. But we would only stick to low level plods too, for example along the Chocholowska valley or the Koscielica valley, as those higher levels would be a serious undertaking in winter conditions! The huts are open (well, some are any way) but best treated as objectives for simple day walks - unless you are good at ice climbing. 

[Glyders]

Wow! What an amazing trip 

Thanks for putting so much effort into your trip report to share with us Joe.  It looked like a really hard slog (and not just the hostels) but worth it.

Well done to both of you 

[Cogstar]

Great write up Joester,     


I climbed up Rysy whilst out for the Euro's this year.. the lakes were really something such a deep blue colour. I think it was the first weekend of the hiking season and certainly a lot quieter than you encountered. At the time I thought the snow was hard work but having read about the boulder staircase I'm thinking perhaps it was a good distracting option. I was also very thankful of the chains on the way down.


I'll try and post a few pictures with snow just for contrast...