Wąwóz Kamieńczyka

Kamieńczyk Gorge - Wodospadzie Kamieńczyka - Kamieńczyk Waterfall


Useful Information

Location: Polish Sudetes, Riesengebirge (Giant Mountains), Lower Silesia. Karkonosze National Park - UNESCO biosphere reserve. At the Schronisko Kamieńczyk (Kamieńczyk lodge).
From Szklarska Poręba you can walk to the waterfall, its 1.5 km from the huge parking lot at the lower station of “Szrenica” Chair Lift, black trail.
Or you can drive to the lodge Schronisko Kamieńczyk. From Szklarska Poręba follow road 3 to Jakuszyce, there is first the Do Wodospadu Kamieńczyka Parking lot, 800 m later is the turnoff to the lodge on the left. In winter the road may be treacherous due to snow.
(50.813727, 15.496795)
Open: All year daily 9-16.
[2020]
Fee: Adults PLN 6, Reduced PLN 3.
Groups (): Adults PLN 5, Reduced PLN 2.50.
[2020]
Classification: GorgeGorge
Light: n/a
Dimension: L=100 m, H=30 m, W=4 m, A=816 m asl.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Schronisko Kamieńczyk, Szklarska Poręba, skrytka pocztowa 47, Tel: +48-75-7526085.
Karkonosze National Park, str Chałubińskiego 23, 58-570 Jelenia Góra, Tel: +48-75-7553348, Tel: +48-75-7553726 E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History


Description

Wąwóz Kamieńczyka (Kamieńczyk Gorge) is mostly known as wodospadzie Kamieńczyka (Kamieńczyk Waterfall), the tourist site is listed under that name. It is the highest waterfall in the Polish part of the Karkonosze Mountains, falling from 843 m asl in three cascades 27 m to 816 m asl. Here the Kamieńczyk Gorge starts, which is 100 m long with vertical walls reaching over 30 m in height. The narrow gorge or slot canyon is only 4 m wide at some points. The gorge was created by backward erosion due to a gradual regression of the waterfall head.

According to legend there is a cave called Złota Jama (Golden Cave) behind the middle cascade of the waterfall. It was dug by the Walloons and is famous for its pegmatite and amethyst stones concentration. The Walloons are a Romance ethnic group, who live in northern Belgium, Northern France, and the Saarland in Germany. During the Middle-Ages they were professional mine engineers and traders, processed natural resources, including the exploitation of silver, gold and precious stones. They lived in Poland and operated plants and exploited various natural resources. As a result all those who participated in the work of mining, regardless of nationality, are called Walloons in Poland until today. Of course, not all Walloons were mine engineers and traders, but only those came to Poland during the Middle Ages.

An elevated trail made of iron with wooden planks allows easy access to the gorge. At the lodge is an outlook platform and stairs leading down to the foot of the waterfall and into the gorge. There is an entrance fee, obviously for the maintenance of the trails, and you even get a red helmet for the dangerous waterfall. And you learn that Poland is not Norway and a waterfall with 27 m is quite popular. Nevertheless, some scenes of The Chronicles of Narnia: Princwe Caspian were shot here.