I can’t get enough of running in the forest when I visit our Polish Family outside Krakow. The forest is maintained in a completely natural state, and every time I’m there I see something different.
This time I found the beaver dams (ok I fell into a beaver dam), a cave and an abandoned house. The beavers chew and scratch the trees until they fall down, then they use the trees to build their dams.
And I also ran through a farm – I’m not sure if I was supposed to but nobody seemed to mind.
The little village of Ojcow is a lovely place to visit. Its just a few km from our family’s house in Krakow, Poland, and I always try to pop past when I go running in the forest. It’s mostly restaurants and hotels. But its a lovely place to spend a relaxing hour or two in the country.
Recently I posted a picture of the Chapel on the Water just outside Krakow. Here is an alternative processing of the same picture. I quite like the black & white look. What do you think?
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Previously I posted a picture of the Chapel on the Water. Right next to the chapel is this lovely old stone fountain, quietly serving up fresh spring water which overflows directly into the river.
I am sure that right now that it is frozen solid and covered with snow (Polish Winters are really cold), but it must be wonderful to drink from in winter.
This is my last post for the year, so see you in the new year!
While walking in the forest in Ojcow I came across this beautiful grave. I don’t know anything about it, but I can’t imagine that a grave made entirely of plants would last for very long in the humidity of the forest. It is a lovely and peaceful spot for a little quite contemplation.
When walking through the forest I saw these mushrooms growing happily on an old and decaying tree trunk. I know that you can gather mushrooms in the forest (my inlaws in Poland and their neighbours do it all the time), but my knowledge is dangerous. Actually my knowledge is not even dangerous. It is nonexistent. I know nothing about what mushrooms are safe to eat, so I though it best to just look, take a photograph and leave my breakfast until I got back to the house.
My in-law’s house in Krakow is on the border of the Ojcow national forest. It is a small yet beautiful forest, full of trails, steams and wildlife. So of course I spent as much time as possible exploring the trails in the forest.
Running along the trail
One of the many rivers; I found many otter dams on this river, and lots of trees that the otters had cut down (yes the otters quite literally cut down the trees to use as dam-building material)
A most-covered tree; when you get deep in the forest it gets very earthy and wet. You can smell the earthy smell of the decomposing plants on the forest floor
I even found an old castle in the middle of the forest
Running uphill – the forest was suprisingly hilly – they were plenty of good climbs
Finally, here is the route I ran – about 14k. If you’re ever in the area I highly recommend a run through the forest.
The Chapel on the Water is on the site of ancient spa-baths in the little village of Ojcow, in the middle of the Ojcow National Park, about 20km outside of Krakow. Dating back to 1901 it is just over 100 years old.
The story goes that the landowner wouldn’t let anybody build a church on his land, but since he doesn’t own the river he could not prevent the church from being built there.
If you want to visit the church, it is on the road that goes through Ojcow, but its about 500m to the north (the far side of the village if you are coming from the Krakow side).
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