Karkonosze Mountains
Karkonosze is the highest and undoubtedly the most famous mountain range of Sudety. Thanks to the very well developed touristic infrastructure (a network of tourist trails, mountain shelters and ski machines), it has been the top destination for for mountain wanderers and skiers for centuries.
Their undeniable beauty, richness off natural peculiarity, delightful panoramas and unusual atmosphere attracts countless artists and people who are sensitive for the natural beauty of the surrounding. The unique fauna and flora attracts naturalists and researchers to Karkonosze.
The Karkonosze mountain range is 36 kilometers long – starting from Przelecz Szklarska – Jakuszyce district – (886 meters above sea level) in the west and finishing at the Brama Lubawska (511 meters above sea level) in the east.
But the most attractive elements of the sculpture of Karkonosze were created in the age of intensive erosion during the Ice Age (Pleistocene) and after the ice sheet melted. The effect of these proceses are post-glacial boilers falling along rocky walls, upon the feet of which lay dump cones and inflow cones, as well as post-glacial bottom, side and frontal moraines, ponds and small lakes, located in Kociol Wielkiego Stawu, Kociol Malego Stawu and Wielki Sniezny Kociol.
The high-mountain, almost polar climate and airing also caused the creation of many
fantastically-shaped rocks, located around the entire Karkonosze: Pielgrzymy, Slonecznik, Paciorki, Twaroznik, Trzy Swinki, Konskie Lby and Slaskie Kamienie.
At some rocks in Karkonosze you might find the so-called airing cauldrons.
Climate conditions in Karkonosze are much more harsh, than you might think, based on the height of the mountains. The local climate is very similar to that in European high mountains. In Karkonosze, the average temperature drop is 0,6 Celsius degree per 100 meters of height. As a result, for example, the temperatures in Szklarska Poreba are 4-5 Celsius degrees higher than on Szrenica.
Karkonosze might be even more charming thanks to streams and rivers, flowing down steep, rocky valleys, often by rocks, creating cascades and waterfalls in groundbreaking valleys. The highest and the most beautiful waterfalls include Kamieczyka and Szklarki.