Szkarotkowe Ponds near Połomia

The Szkarotkowe Ponds near Połomia make a good goal for a quiet walk or bike ride in the forests of Tworóg municipality: a string of woodland ponds covering about 10 ha in total, a shelter, benches and a wooden jetty. There's no boat hire and no crowds – just quiet, water and pine forest. It's the kind of place you choose for a Sunday afternoon with a dog or children.

Ponds in the Brynek Forest District

The surrounding woods belong to the Brynek Forest District, and the ponds are the thirtieth stop on its nature and forestry education trail, marked by an information board. The ponds do several jobs at once: they retain water in the forest, serve as watering holes for animals, supply the forest nurseries and act as a reservoir in case of fire. For locals they are simply a popular place to unwind. There's a riding stable nearby, so you may meet horses on the forest track.

Połomia: a village older than 1290

Połomia lies in Tarnowskie Góry County and stands out in the municipality for being surrounded by fields rather than forest. The Brzeźnica river flows through the village, whose name means "a forest of broken trees". It existed before 1290 and, together with Wojska and Świniowice, is one of the three oldest villages in the municipality. In 1431–1433 the Hussites raided the area, plundering the village and its parish church. From 1742 Połomia belonged to Prussia, and in 1936–1945 it bore the imposed name Ostwalde; in the plebiscite most residents voted for Poland, yet the village did not become part of the Second Polish Republic.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: by car, the easiest way is along ul. Pyskowicka from Brynek – leave the car in the forest car park, from where a woodland path leads to the ponds. You can also walk in from Połomia via ul. Bytomska or cycle from Pniowiec.
• Time: a walk round the ponds usually takes 1–2 hours.
• With a dog and children: the route is flat and shaded, so it works in summer too; keep dogs on a lead, as this is forest land.
• Conditions: this is not a designated bathing spot, and forest tracks can be muddy after rain.