Why to book our self guided hiking to the top of the Polish Jura Highland?
✓ Cozy local rural accommodations and B&B at the end of each day, so you don’t have to carry your sleeping gear!
✓ Passing through cliffs, caves, streams, forests, and medieval castles.
✓ Easy access from the international airport, and a relatively short drive to the trail start.
Program of 3 days hiking in Polish Jura Highland
58
KM
2
Nights
3
Days
Rabsztyn Castle – Bydlin Castle – Pilcza Castle – Janowski's Hill – Ogrodzieniec Castle – Birów Hill – Okiennik Wielki – Bąkowiec Castle – Apteka Hill
Day 1: From Rabsztyn Castle to Bydlin Castle – 18 km
Today, you will set out from Rabsztyn Castle near Olkusz, once a famous silver mining town. At the beginning of the day, the trail goes up to the castle, which stands atop a rocky hill. The impressive structure has been restored to represent its former glory. We recommend wandering around the castle and enjoying the spectacular views of the Lesser Poland region.
Your next stop is Jaroszowice, a small village near Ostra Hill (437 m a.s.l.). In the village, you can visit the local church, which is considered sacred and serves as a stop on the way for Polish pilgrims walking to Jasna Góra.
From here, the trail continues along forest paths and between villages. You will pass by the Biała Przemsza River, an important landmark once a border between imperial powers. The next river that you will cross will be the Tarnówka River. You will complete the hike not far from the ruins of Bydlin Castle.
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Estimated hiking profile:
Difficulty: moderate
Distance: 18 km
Highest point: 406 m.a.s.l.
Lowest point: 330 m.a.s.l.
Elevation Gain: 170 m
Elevation Loss: 190 m
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Transportation: Transportation from Olkusz to the start of the trail
Accommodation: Countryside lodging / guest house
Day 2: Bydlin Castle to Ogrodzieniec – 23 km
Today you will start your hike near Bydlin Castle. It will be a day full of adventures and impressive sights, including the highest point of the Polish Jura Upland.
For the first few kilometers, the trail climbs towards Bydlin Hill, and from there it continues to Bysznik Hill with its caves and impressive viewpoint.
The next stop on the trail will be Pilcza Castle in Smoleń, where we recommend climbing to the observation tower. From the castle you will walk to Pilica, a beautiful town with a Neo-Renaissance palace, a great market square and a historical well at its center.
From Pilica, the trail continues towards Janowski Hill, the highest point in the Jura Upland (516 meters above sea level). From here, the trail descends to the village of Ogrodzieniec, bypassing Ogrodzieniec Castle, the largest and most impressive of the “Eagle’s Nests”. The enormous ruins of the castle spread out across the rocky plateau below Janowski Hill.
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Estimated hiking profile:
Difficulty Level: Moderate+
Distance: 23 km
Highest point: 516 m.a.s.l.
Lowest point: 328 m.a.s.l.
Elevation Gain: 365 m
Elevation Loss: 295 m
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Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Countryside accommodation / Guest house
Day 3: From Ogrodzieniec to Apteka Hill- 18 km
Good morning! Today you will set out from Ogrodzieniec, leaving behind the impressive ruins of Ogrodzieniec Castle. We recommend starting the day with a short visit to the castle before continuing on the trail. The trail first leads to Birów Hill, a steep limestone hill topped by a (restored) medieval wooden fortress.
After descending from Birów Hill, you will continue to a 1944 fortification complex, a reminder that this area was fortified even after the Middle Ages. From there, continue to Okiennik Wielki (a huge rock formation with an open eye/window), considered one of the most famous rocks in the Polish Jura Upland. From here, the trail continues to Bąkowiec Castle, which towers above the village of Morsko.
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Estimated hiking profile:
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 18 km
Highest point: 511 m.a.s.l.
Lowest point: 330 m.a.s.l.
Elevation Gain: 240 m
Elevation Loss: 340 m
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Meals: Breakfast
Transportation: Transportation from the end of the route to Zwiercie
