The Loop in the Silesian Beskids

Although the trail of The Loop leads through four mountain groups of the Beskids along the national border with Czech Republic and Slovakia, it is the Silesian Beskids that can be considered the core of the entire project. In the Silesian Beskids the trail of The Loop was marked in such a way so that it leads through the mountain tops worth visiting, as well as towns and other areas attractive for tourists.

Bielsko-Biała was chosen to be a symbolic beginning and end of the trail. The city encourages walks thanks to its old town and attractive location at the foot of the two Beskids. The first steps in the mountains The Loop directs towards the icon of Bielsko-Biała’s mountain tourism, which is Mount Szyndzielnia. A popular gondola lift functions there, there are attractive Enduro Trails for cyclists, and also the oldest mountain hostel in the Polish Beskids. In proximity of Szyndzielnia there is also Kozia Góra (along with the tourist facility Stefanka), that The Loop trail also goes through.

From Szyndzielnia the trail leads through the peak of Klimczok, and then also to Błatnia. In both of these places the mountains provide us with breathtaking views. We walk by the administrative border between the cities of Bielsko-Biała and Szczyrk and also the municipalities of Brenna and Jaworze. The peak of Klimczok welcomes us with a beautiful mountain landscape and a post informing about the late historical border between Silesia and Lesser Poland. A little to the side, in the northeast we leave the picturesque Bystra behind and walk into the late health resort, where the river of Biała, that goes through the city of Bielsko-Biała, starts.

In proximity to the peak of Klimczok there is a popular tourist hostel. On Błatnia the trail leads right by the door of a guest hostel. Then we walk down in the direction of Brenna, a popular tourist town with an extensive accommodation chain and a few restaurants.
From Brenna, through the quiet and peaceful hills, The Loop climbs to the top of Równica. Up there we’ll find not only beautiful views, but also tourist buzz, because Równica is a highly located mountain parking with numerous restaurants and attractions. A fun fact is that the top of Równica is a small tripoint of Brenna, Ustroń and Wisła. That means we are in the center of tourist Silesian Beskids.

From Równica The Loop goes to the western part of the Silesian Beskids, crossing the river valley of the Vistula. Parallelly to the Czantoria gondola lift, the trail of The Loop climbs Polana Stokłosica, and then goes to the peak of Czantoria Wielka. Next to a Czech viewing tower, the trail turns to the south, to lead us by the track of the Main Beskid Trail to the riverhead of Vistula, the queen of Polish rivers. Along the way we pass by many accommodations and eating places located by the picturesque ridge. There are two that are particularly interesting: Mount Soszów Hostel and Mount Stożek Hostel. The latter is the oldest mountain hostel in the Beskids. It is one of the two mountain hostels in the Silesian Beskids that are considered the oldest ones there. When walking to the riverhead of Vistula we pass rocky outcrops, as well as Kubalonka mountain pass, well-known for its attractions. We also walk by the administrative border between the city of Wisła and the Istebna municipality.

The riverhead of the Vistula is a source of inspiration for many travelers, so right next to the Mount Barania Góra Hostel, The Loop leads us through a nature reserve to the very top of it with a viewing tower. The trail then leaves the Silesian Beskids in Węgierska Górka, that we arrive at through charming and little-known slopes over Kamesznica, alongside the black and green tourist trails. Thereby we enter Milówka and Węgierska Górka municipalities in the Żywiec county, historical Lesser Poland.