Kasprowy Wierch hike

We arrived at the bottom of the Kasprowy Wierch cable car just as it was about to leave and joined the crowd on board.

It was a thrilling 20 minute journey and then we were at the top, 1,987 metres above sea level.

We strolled around the top to get our bearings and acclimatise to the difference in temperature.

Darren had worked out a 7 kilometre route, so off we set.

At first we were walking with the crowds, but by the time we reached the red dot in the distance there was very few of us left.

The walking was epic, with stone paths that made it very easy to follow the route. We were also up above the tree line and could see for miles.

Our walk was basically in a triangle shape with the first side all along the top of the mountain, and the route gradually got tougher as we crossed a massive boulder slope.

My arms were out to balance, and full concentration on the ground. I was really pleased to reach more level ground, and the turn in the path to go downhill.

It was scary with a massive drop to the side, and I made it down either holding on to the edge, or crawling a bit like a backwards crab. 

Just behind me in this photo you can see a few people ahead of us on the path. One was a lady who clung to the rock and was unable to move as she was so frightened. Her friends were trying to encourage her and were even trying to move her feet for her. We passed her quite quickly and soon were on easier ground again. 

Then we came to the beautiful lakes that we had seen from so high up.

Our stony path took us right along the shoreline.

Then stepping stones through the water buttercups.

And then we reached the end of that part of the triangle, and had to start the enormous climb back up to the cable car. For a moment we thought that we could catch a chair lift up, but it wasn't working and it would have been cheating really.

Absolutely incredible day.

Tatra National Park, Poland

Yesterday afternoon we caught a train from Krakow to the winter ski resort of Zakopane. This took about three hours and took us from the flat lands of the middle of Poland up into an alpine style landscape of Tatra National Park. We are only about ten miles from the border with Slovakia.

This is the view from our balcony, although it is much cooler here, so I just took the photo and headed back inside.

The sun was shining this morning and we set off on a circular hike from our hotel.

First stop was an upside down house in Zakopane. The owner had thought of everything and the doghouse, the outside toilet and even the bird box was upside down too.

Then we passed a dinosaur park with a giant fluffy one outside.

Eventually we got to the National Park, and after paying an entrance fee of about £2 each, we started off on our hike.

The first section was easy as we walked alongside a little stream, but then the path got steeper and rockier.

We caught up with a big group of students, and feeling good we passed them on the way to the summit.

Once over the top our problems started, as it was an extremely steep downhill, and quite slippery. Strava shows that we were much quicker up the hill than down the other side.

Feeling pleased to have got down without breaking an ankle we joined the crowds who had all taken the easy direct way to see the Siklawica Waterfall. (Not over the mountain.)

It was very popular with the local Instagrammers who queued to get an arty photo in front of it. We couldn't be doing with that, so Daz jumped in between their shots.

They were also queuing to sit on a rock on the way down the hill, where there was a good backdrop of buildings and mountains.

Clouds were gathering by the time we crossed fields that wouldn't have looked out of place in the Sound of Music. Then we were back in Zakopane and stopped for lunch at a fancy café. 

Zielony Jar parkrun

Today was officially Z day as we completed our alphabet challenge.

The organisers at the parkrun were great, and we weren't alone with this achievement, as of the total of 78 runners about 60 of us were English, and had all come over for the same reason.

The Run Directors made a huge fuss of all of the English runners, and did the briefing in Polish and English, and took a great photo of all of us.

The day was pretty warm, and the course was a four lap quite hilly affair. Although it was not quite as spectacular as the graph of it in Garmin, which makes it look like a mountain stage of the Tour de France.

I also got a surprise achievement as after 317 attempts I have now completed the Stopwatch Bingo challenge. Hurrah!!

Wieliczka Salt Mine

We caught a bus from the town centre to see the Salt Mine at Wieliczka, and had a quick look around the town before joining the queue for the tour in English.

This isn't the queue, but I think that it is a sculpture to show the miners coming home after the long day at the salt face.

Many thousands of years ago ancient people found salty water on the ground around Krakow and realised that it was useful for preserving food and trading with other tribes. 

Once that salt had all been used up, people gradually started digging down for it, and the salt mines gradually started to be created about 700 years ago.

We only went about 145 metres underground on our tour, and believe me, that seemed plenty, but the original mines went much, much deeper than that.

About 150 years ago tourists started visiting the mines, and to entertain them there are some beautiful enormous caverns that have been dug out of the salty rock.

There are lots of displays built out of solid salt, and over 100 years ago a group of dwarves were carved to represent the fairy tale with Snow White, and also to show the different jobs that needed doing underground.

There was stables for horses who were carried down when young, and who stayed in the mine for 20 years before being hauled back up for a well deserved retirement above ground.

There was also an amazing chapel with fantastic carvings, and of course, a statue of Pope John Paul II.

All in all, it was an incredible place to visit and for our finale, we ate at the underground restaurant where I had a very salty chip cob, just to check out the quality of the produce.

Disclaimer - however, this salt mine is now closed and is a tourist attraction only, so my salt was probably actually mined elsewhere.

Krakow wander

This morning we wandered around the Old Town of Krakow. It has an enormous square at its centre.

The whole area was almost traffic free and full of people enjoying the sights and the sunshine.

I really liked this statue but couldn't find anything out about it.

Just a few minutes walk away was the church where Pope John Paul II used to be the Archbishop before he got promoted to the top job. There was a massive queue to get in, so we just enjoyed the outside of the building, which was extremely impressive.

Not far away was the castle that was the first building in Krakow almost 1,000 years ago. Legend has it that the castle was built on top of a dragons lair, and we found a huge metal one at the castle's base that breathed fire every few minutes.

You had to be really quick to catch the fire, and it is probably way more impressive after dark, but quite a good party trick.

As a final treat the city was hosting a beach volleyball tournament as part of the professional men's tour, and we watched the match between Poland and Belgium.

Poland started well and took the first set quite easily, but then one of their players seemed to lose his nerve and although he played really well around the court, he completely forgot how to serve.

By the end of the third set he had served straight into the net every time it was his turn, although sometimes he varied it and served out instead. This kept giving Belgium way too many free points and despite huge crowd support, they lost the match.

If we get chance we are going to go back to watch the semi finals tomorrow.

Wroklaw to Krakow

Lazy day today as we caught the train from Wroklaw to Krakow.

The train station at Wroklaw is fantastic, just like a castle with turrets and flags.

Inside was just as good, but I saw something that backs up one of my recent blogs- it's a flower bouquet 24 hour vending machine.

It's a shame that the romance of it was slightly spoilt by being right under the McDonald's sign, and also that Darren didn't secretly nip back to buy some for me.

But the train ride was good and we arrived safely in Krakow.

We spent a lazy afternoon then went out for evening drinks at the Wine Garage just around the corner from our hotel.