Monday, November 12, 2018

Mt Giewont - Holy Polish Mountain

Slovaks have got their Mt Kriváň and we, Poles, have our Giewont. Both of them are crowned with crosses and both of them occupy special places in the history and local culture, but there is where similarities end.

Mt Kriváň is one of the highest in the Tatras (2496m above sea level) and Giewont is rather small one (1894m above sea level). Every year, for few days around 15th of August huge crowds of tourists and local patriots pilgrimage to the top of Kriváň. Similar crowds on Mt Giewont one can see actually for whole summer. Cross on Mt Kriváň is made from wood and rather small, the one on Giewont is a huge, steel and standing on heavy concrete base (some time ago there was even idea of adding constant illumination to it but - thanks God! - it was rejected by national park authorities).

View from Kriváň is one of the best in the Tatras, the one from Giewont is limited by higher neighbors but still very beautiful. There is wonderful view to rocks of nearby Mt Dlugi Giewont (to the east),outstanding drops on the northern side and the Kirkora gully on the western side.

Thanks God, there is still chance to be on the top alone. You just have to be there early enough and in the low season. This year, weather during first part of November was surprisingly sunny and warm in the Tatras, so there was almost no snow there. It made my trip to Mt Giewont easy and relaxing, especially that during this part of the year sunrise is quite late and you do not have to get up so early ;)