The Palowice Lake District (Pojezierze Palowickie)

Sometimes called the "Masuria of Silesia", the Pojezierze Palowickie is a group of fish ponds in the valley of the Jesionka, north of Żory, between Szczejkowice and the village of Palowice, from which it takes its name. The waters lie within the "Cistercian Landscape Compositions of the Rud Wielkie" Landscape Park, and nature has reclaimed this land from industry: from the mid-18th century bar iron was produced here, and an iron foundry — the Waleska works — also operated nearby.

Ponds and birds

Among the bodies of water, the Garbocz and Łanuch ponds (the latter also called Gichta) and the former breeding ponds known as the Łańcuchowe ponds stand out. Swans, water rails, marsh harriers and great egrets forage by the water, while yellow and white water-lilies float on the surface. The private Chatka Szreka — a house on the water — is not open to tourists.

Traces of the ironworks

A reminder of the works is the ruin of the gichta tower — about 15 metres high, with walls 1 metre thick. The Blue Trail of the Beginnings of Metallurgy (Rybnik–Żory) and an educational path from Szczejkowice lead through the most interesting points; for cyclists there is the red Palowice–Żory route. On dry days the paths can also be used by strollers and wheelchair users.

The trip and the area

The recommended walk is over 6.5 km long and takes about 2 hours; entry is free and the area is open around the clock all year round. It is worth adding a stop in Palowice — the wooden church of the Holy Trinity from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries — and tasting the water from the spring in Szczejkowice, prized by locals. Free parking is on Gichta Street.