Brzoskwinka Valley

Twenty years ago the rocks of this valley had almost vanished under bushes and trees. After the 1950s the Brzoskwinka Valley became overgrown and stopped attracting visitors, until the people of Chrosna cleared the limestone crags and marked out the Chrośnianeczka trail. Today it's one of the largest rock-climbing areas on the Tenczyn Ridge west of Kraków, with a rock corridor, a viewpoint with a cross and a cave where, according to local tales, a spirit once guarded the cows.

What the valley looks like

The valley is about 4 km long and lies between the villages of Brzoskwinia, Chrosna and Morawica, west of Kraków. The Brzoskwinka stream runs along its floor, and its spring in Brzoskwinia is a protected natural monument. The upper section has gentle slopes and a wide floor (100–250 m), while the lower part near Chrosna is a rocky gorge with a floor about 50 m wide and many crags on both steep sides. The eastern slope belongs to Brzoskwinia in the Zabierzów municipality, the western one to Chrosna in the Liszki municipality.

The limestone formed in the Late Jurassic on the floor of a shallow sea. Water carrying dissolved carbon dioxide carved more than a dozen caves and rock shelters with colourful names, such as the Cave of the Forest Elves, the Mad Fellow's Well, the Marten's Shelter and the Great Overhang. Former pastures on the western slope have turned into oak-hornbeam woodland with hornbeam, oak, birch, ash and alder, and dry grassland with protected plant species grows on the rocks.

History: a valley reclaimed

Until the 1950s the valley drew hikers, cavers and climbers. Then it became overgrown and disappeared from tourist maps. In 2005–2006, on the initiative of Chrosna residents and the Horyzont association founded by Stefan Rzewuski, some trees were cut to expose the rocks, an educational and scenic trail was marked, and benches, information boards, picnic spots and a car park were added.

The Chrośnianeczka trail: what to see

The loop is 4.4 km long and takes 1.5–2 hours. Along the way:

• Obchodnia, a rock where the path runs through a long rock corridor.
• Wielki Brzeg with an iron cross, a viewpoint about 60 m above the valley floor.
• The Cave of the Mountain Spirit in a smaller rock just above the cross. Local people say the spirit watched over the grazing cattle while the young herders were busy playing.
• The crest of the Tenczyn Ridge, reached along a farm track. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Tatras.

Climbing

The Brzoskwinka Valley has the largest group of rocks on the Tenczyn Ridge and is one of the more popular climbing areas of the Jura. The crags fall into three groups. Chrośnieńskie Skały (including Lisie Jamy, Obchodnia, Skała Artystów and Mysiura) belong to the municipality. The rocks on the other side of the valley (including Diabla Skała, Labirynt, Kazalnica and Kanion) are on private land, so climbers need the owner's permission every time and may approach only along the path. The third group, Węzie Skały, is in the western part of the valley.

Tripto tip

• Start: from the car park at Chrosna, where the loop begins.
• Longer hike: a marked trail runs through the valley from Mników via the Mnikowska Valley, the Półrzeczki Gorge and Brzoskwinia to Zabierzów.
• Conditions: the path climbs and descends and can be slippery after rain, so wear shoes with good grip. It's not suitable for pushchairs.
• Rules: respect private land and don't climb on the private side of the valley without the owner's consent.
• Nearby: the Dolina Mnikowska and Zimny Dół nature reserves.