Skała 502 (Grodzisko)

Maps still label it "Hill 502", although newer surveys from the early 1990s give its height as about 513 m. Skała 502 in Jerzmanowice, also called Grodzisko, is the highest point of the Olkusz Upland and the second highest summit of the whole Kraków-Częstochowa Jura. From the top you can see a sea of limestone outcrops, Kraków and, on very clear days, even the Tatra Mountains.

Where the name comes from

The number goes back to geodetic surveys from the early 20th century, which measured the rock at 502 m. Local people gave the hill the name Grodzisko; you may also hear Wzgórze Skałka or Wyjżoł. A concrete survey pillar stands on the summit as a reminder of the mapping work. Geologically this is a summit outcrop of Jurassic limestone rising among fields and scrub, with no forest on top, so the view is open almost all the way round.

What to see

• The panorama: the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland dotted with outcrops, Kraków, the Tenczyn Ridge and the Carpathians, and on exceptionally clear days the Tatras.
• The Jerzmanowice outcrops: a line of rocks runs north from Grodzisko – Kapucyn (also called Ostry Kamień), Słup, Soczewka and Polna Skałka. Kapucyn stands right next door, with a grassy clearing between the two.
• Climbing walls: the northern face, known as the Duży Mur (Big Wall), is about 18 m high and had 18 routes by 2008. The southern face, nicknamed Ogródek Altruisty, has a dozen more.

The whole rock group is protected as a natural monument and lies within the Kraków Valleys Landscape Park. All the rocks stand in open country among fields, so you can see them clearly from the road.

Did you know?

Skała 502 is one of the key climbing areas of the Jura, and climbers have named its individual formations Rekin (Shark), Aniołek (Little Angel), Pokutnik (Penitent) and Patelnia (Frying Pan). A few kilometres away begins the Będkowska Valley, 7–8 km long, one of the longest valleys of the upland and one of the seven valleys of the landscape park.

Tripto tip

The hill lies about 1 km south of the national road 94 between Kraków and Olkusz. The easiest way up is from the east – a short, easy climb of 10–15 minutes; allow about an hour for the whole visit. Access is free and there are no facilities. After rain the limestone and grass get slippery, and there are no railings above the rock faces, so keep away from the edges and never stand below climbers. For the best views come early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the air is clear, for example after a weather front has passed. The hill combines well with a walk in the Będkowska Valley or a visit to Nietoperzowa Cave.