The Forest Carpathians are a mountain range in the southeast Poland. The region is part of the Subcarpathian Voivodeship and borders on the south Slovakia, in the east to Ukraine, in the west to Beskydy Mountains and in the north to the valley of the San. Within the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, the Forest Carpathians occupy the southern part.
Regions
places
- Sanok,
- Lesko,
- Solina - tourist place at the reservoir of the same name,
- Baligród,
- Cisna - tourist center of the region. The place has about 400 inhabitants, some restaurants and numerous places to stay),
- Wetlina - Location on the border of the Bieszczady National Park, a good starting point for hikes in the park, many accommodation options,
- Ustrzyki Górne - small place in the national park with some overnight accommodations, seat of the national park administration,
- Wołosate- the most southeastern place in Poland. In the village there is a stud for the rearing of the rare Hucul horses. Starting point for hikes on the highest mountain of the Bieszczady, the "Tarnica"),
- Tarnawa,
- Ustrzyki Dolne
Other goals
background
The history of the Forest Carpathians is closely related to the Partitions of Poland in the 18th century connected. In 1772 the region was incorporated into the Habsburg monarchy. Until 1918 it belonged to the Austrian province of Galicia. After the First World War, the Bieszczady came back to Poland. As a result of the Second World War, the Polish Forest Carpathians were practically depopulated. Until then, the population consisted of Ukrainians, Poles and Jews. A civil war that lasted from 1943 to 1947, in which Ukrainian partisans fought for their independence using acts of terror, was fought by the Polish army inOperation Vistula"put an end to it. The population of Ukrainian descent (Buoys and Lemken were almost completely relocated. In the sixties and seventies there was an increased influx of people into the region. Often it was a kind of dropout who wanted to escape the real socialist system here. After the end of the communist regime, the tourist infrastructure in the Bieszczady was partly intensively expanded. The highest mountain is the Tarnica at approx. 1300 m. The Bieszczady are overgrown with mixed forests up to a height of approx. so-called Połonina, connect and are very suitable for hiking and skiing. Cross-country skiing in particular is very popular in the Forest Carpathians. The Połonina make up the charm of the Forest Carpathians, especially in autumn they take on a splendid color scheme. The Forest Carpathians have been virtually uninhabited since the Second World War and bears, wolves and lynxes still live in the national park. The streams of the Forest Carpathians converge in the San River, which drains to the north into the Solina reservoir. For some years now, however, there has been a real building boom and communities like Wetlina are expanding dramatically. This also improves the tourist offer, especially for overnight stays and meals. The language spoken is almost exclusively Polish, which as a tourist should definitely be observed.
language
The official language is Polish. Many Poles speak English very well or well.
getting there
Coming from the northwest over Wroclaw, Krakow, Tarnów to Sanok. From Central Germany we recommend the route via Prague, Brno, Trečín, Poprad, Prešov and Svidník to the Bieszczady. From southern Germany via Vienna, Bratislava, Trenčín and then as with the route from central Germany. The last two routes can be easily combined with a visit to the Tatra Mountains.
mobility
Many roads have been renewed in recent years and are very well developed. The main hub for buses is Sanok. From there there are numerous direct connections to the Bieszczady, Krakow, Lublin, Katowice, Przemyśl, Zakopane and Warsaw. In the Bieszczady National Park, in addition to regular buses, there are also numerous minibuses that drive to the parking lots for hikers.
Tourist Attractions
The Bieszczady National Park was established in the south of the Forest Carpathians in 1973. The national park has an area of 29,000 hectares. This makes it the largest Polish mountain national park. In the partially deserted region, many rare animals have their refuge, there are also wolves, bears, lynx (heraldic animal of the national park), Carpathian deer, elk and some bison. There is also a diverse bird life. There are 3 species of eagles in the Bieszczady National Park (golden eagle, spotted eagle and short-toed eagle). There are several designated hiking trails through the park. The administration of the national park is located in Ustrzyki Górne, 650 meters above sea level, and some of the most beautiful hiking trails converge here. At the beginning of every hiking trail in the national park there are information huts of the national park administration, where an entrance fee has to be paid. There are some accommodations on the edge of the national park.
The wooden churches are also particularly worth seeing.
activities
Rafting and canoeing on the San are very popular. On the Solina there is the possibility of sailing or exploring the numerous secluded bays of the largest Polish reservoir with excursion boats.
kitchen
Most of the restaurants offer Polish cuisine. The main ingredients of Polish cuisine are potatoes, cereals and meat. Some typical dishes that you should definitely try are Bigos (Stew made from meat and sauerkraut), Gołąbki (Cabbage rolls with a filling of rice and minced meat), Barszcz (a stew made from cabbage, beets and meat). Often there is too Pierogi (filled dumplings with different fillings). Most of the dishes are hearty and very tasty. The range of drinks is similar to that in Germany. The local beer is very good and drinkable (there is often unfiltered beer). When it comes to hot drinks, tea dominates over coffee.
nightlife
Going out in the Bieszczady is essentially limited to visiting restaurants. In Wetlina, on the edge of the national park, there are concerts (jazz, rock or country) in some locales.
security
The Polish Forest Carpathians are safe. When hiking in the Bieszczady National Park you should not leave the marked trails (this is forbidden anyway). For drivers who feel unsafe, there are guarded parking spaces everywhere.
climate
There is a mountain climate in the Forest Carpathians. Frequent weather changes are typical here. In summer there are often short, sometimes strong thunderstorms. The coldest month is February. July is the warmest in the Walkarpats. Every year around 1200 liters of precipitation fall. The month with the highest rainfall is July. It is driest in January. In autumn the Carpathian Forest is particularly beautiful because of the intense coloration of the trees. The high altitudes are covered with snow for about 150 days.
trips
- Wetlina offers day tours to Lviv offered.
- Lower Beskids
- Roztocze
literature
See article too Poland.
