Mnich Tatry/photo Albin Maruniak
Exploring Małopolska through legends. Mountain hiking full of mysteries!
Fabulous landscapes, picturesque valleys and majestic peaks of the Tatra, Beskid or Pieniny mountains. These characteristics of Małopolska come as no surprise. However, you should know that this is also a magic-imbued region, where almost every stone, cave and stream hides stories bordering on witchcraft and fairy tales. If, in addition to the views, you are looking for a bit of spiritual flavour and ancient stories, follow in the footsteps of mountain legends and lose yourself not only in space, but also in time. Let’s explore some amazing stories from the Tatras, Beskids, Gorce and Pieniny!
View of Turbacz-Tatry
The Tatras – mountains born of love, anger and tears
Once upon a time, where today’s Tatra Mountains lie, there were only gentle hills and green pastures. This land was the realm of Garłuch, a wise and powerful landlord, who lived in harmony with nature and his people. He had three sons. Proud, strong and rebellious: Murań, Krywań and Giewont.
One summer, Garłuch held a big feast to mark the end of harvest. The feast was attended by all local residents; we know them by name, as they populate today’s maps of the Tatra Mountains: Czerwony Wierch, Ornak, Kasprowy, Bystra. Among them was the beautiful Gubałówka, a girl whose pulchritude touched the hearts of the three brothers.
While everyone was dancing and celebrating, a dispute over Gubałówka’s favours broke out between the brothers. Out of jealousy, they wielded their shepherd’s axes against one another. The clash resulted in the death of Giewont, the youngest brother. Garłuch’s despair was so immense that he put a curse on his sons and all the guests, turning them into stone forever. And so the Tatras were born. Potent, motionless and silent like cursed giants.
Babia Góra / Janusz Gawron
Babia Góra – the mysterious queen of the Beskids
Babia Góra is one of the most mystical peaks in Poland. Many hikers admit that they feel “weirded out” on its trails and they have the impression that “something” looms over the highest peak of the Beskid Mountains. One of the oldest legends has it that Babia Góra was formed from stones dumped by a giantess in front of her house. Stone by stone, day by day, the woman formed a mighty mountain. This character is none other than a witch, a guardian of ancient powers.
This is why Babia Góra has always been regarded as a witching and mysterious place. The locals treat it with reverence. After all, it is the supposed centre of the world, where the earth meets the sky. It is also said that its highest peak, Diablak, was to become the location of a castle that the devil had promised to build in exchange for a highland farmer’s soul. However, the devil didn’t make it before the agreed deadline – a rooster’s crow, so the structure collapsed, burying the brigand and the devil’s plans. To this day, the unfortunate’s scream can reportedly be heard there, and the place is called the Devil’s Castle.
Devils that have taken over the Gorce
It turns out that Babia Góra is not the only one to have struggled with the devil, as devilish forces also permeate the Gorce Mountains. On the slopes of Turbacz, the highest peak of the Gorce Mountains, lies a unique boulder called the Devil’s Rock. According to legends, its shade was used by brigands to hide treasures guarded by devils.
Once a year, on Palm Sunday, the stone splits open to reveal a cave full of gold. However, those who don’t know the entry spell may never return from this devilish vault. Today, the boulder, somewhat obscured by the bushes, still tempts and attracts with its enigmatic power.
Pieniny Mountains’ book of the world
In the upper part of the Homole Gorge in the Pieniny, in the Dubantowska Valley, there lie mysterious rocks known as the Stone Books. These spectacular formations were created when a landslide blocked the Kamionka stream, creating a lake in which the stream sediment deposited. The rocks resemble open books.
A legend of the Lemko region has it that the fate of the whole world was inscribed on these very stone pages, but no one has managed to decipher it. There once was an old Orthodox priest who succeeded, but God immediately took away his speech, so that the fate of the world would remain secret.
Pieniny
A dragon, not only in Kraków
Wdżar, the most peculiar mountain in Małopolska, was witness to some truly unbelievable phenomena! On this presumably extinct volcano, there is a statue of a shackled dragon, commemorating the legend of the mighty Gorce Dragon, that terrorised the surrounding villages.
The story goes that the dragon appeared as a punishment for the sins of the inhabitants of a wicked settlement known as the Gorce Sodom. The fear and destruction inspiring monstrosity is said to have spawned from infernal depths, amongst conflagration and smoke. Many a valiant man confronted it, including blacksmith Półtorak. The blacksmith managed to fetter the dragon with an iron chain and thus saved the rest. The settlement was swallowed up by the earth, while the dragon remained unearthed as a warning to future generations. If you come to Mount Wdżar to admire the sunrise or sunset (which, by the way, look magnificent from there), keep your eyes peeled!
Source: https://visitmalopolska.pl/
