Szczeliniec Wielki

The highest summit of the Table Mountains (Góry Stołowe) — usually given as 919 m above sea level, although measurements of the actual top (Fotel Pradziada) give 922 m — with viewing terraces spanning the whole Sudetes panorama. The summit is built of Upper Cretaceous sandstone slabs, cracked into vast tabular blocks, and 680 steps cut into the rock lead to the top. It belongs to both the Crown of Polish Mountains and the Crown of Lower Silesian Mountains.

A mountain groomed for tourists 200 years ago

In 1814 Franz Pabel, the village head of Karłów and the first mountain guide, laid out the first steps — summit tourism here goes back more than two centuries. Visitors have included King Frederick William II of Prussia, Goethe and future US president John Quincy Adams (25 August 1800). A summit refuge has operated since 1846, today the PTTK hut "Na Szczelińcu".

A labyrinth, rocking stones and a 1576 inscription

The plateau holds a labyrinth of rocks shaped like animals and figures — the Camel, the Mammoth, the Hen, the Tortoise — plus the narrow gullies of Piekiełko and Diabelska Kuchnia. The rocking stones, such as Princess Emilia's Cradle, can be moved with a gentle push. On Fotel Pradziada you can see the IHSV 1576 inscription (In hoc signo vinces) — the oldest trace of humans on the summit. In the shaded corridors snow can linger until July.

Practical tips

Start at the paid car park in Karłów; the plateau loop is about 5 km long and one-way. Entry to the summit is paid during the tourist season — this is Table Mountains National Park. Allow 2–3 hours for the loop with a stop at the hut; on weekends and holidays arrive before noon. The rocks get slippery after rain, so grippy footwear is a must.