Skrzyczne

Skrzyczne (1,257 m) is the highest peak of the Beskid Śląski range and a stop on the Crown of Polish Mountains. The mountain rises almost 800 metres above the Żywiec Basin in one sheer sweep, and its silhouette, crowned by RTV transmitter masts, is recognisable from far away — it even appears in views of the Tatras.

A name born of croaking frogs

Where does the name come from? In the 18th-century "Dziejopis Żywiecki" (Żywiec Chronicle), the village headman Andrzej Komoniecki recorded a legend of a lake between Skrzyczne and Małe Skrzyczne, where frogs croaked in the black water — heard, as he noted, "far away in the evening". Hence the name Skrzeczna, or Skrzyczne.

Mountain hut, chairlift and slopes

The summit is comfortably developed: the PTTK mountain hut operates here, complete with a children's pool, climbing wall and a football pitch, and a two-section chairlift climbs from Szczyrk. In winter the slopes belong to the COS ski centre with 14 kilometres of runs, including a FIS course. In summer the mountain serves hikers and mountain bikers — downhill runs here have hosted World Cup competitions (2024–2025) — and the eastern slope above Żywiec Lake is a well-known paragliding launch.

Trail hub and panorama

Walking times: from Szczyrk Centrum via the Jaworzyna clearing about 2 h 25 min, via the Becyrek pass 2 h 15 min, from Buczkowice 3 h 20 min; onward, the red trail leads to Barania Góra (2 h 45 min) or to Salmopolska pass across Malinowska Skała. The reward: panoramas of the Beskid Żywiecki, the Tatras and Silesia. For the curious: about 20 small caves have been discovered in the Godula sandstones, and among rare plants the Moravian aconite grows here.