Szczeliniec Wielki

A trapezoid block of rock covered in forest, visible from around Kłodzko and from Náchod in the Czech Republic — this is Szczeliniec Wielki, the highest peak of the Table Mountains. 680 stone steps lead up to the plateau, where a labyrinth of sandstone rocks, crevices and viewing terraces with a panorama of the Sudetes awaits. It has drawn visitors for more than 200 years; Goethe and future US President John Quincy Adams both came here.

Height and geology

The most commonly quoted height of 919 m above sea level refers to a survey point below the viewing terrace. The highest spot is the Great-Grandfather's Armchair rock, at 922 m. The whole mountain is a fissured tabletop of Upper Cretaceous sandstone formed on the sea floor. Weathering and erosion have cut it into towers, corridors and narrow crevices with a cool microclimate — in some places snow lingers until July. Szczeliniec belongs to the Crown of Polish Mountains and the Crown of Lower Silesian Mountains, and its summit area is a reserve within Table Mountains National Park.

History: from a cross in 1576 to a mountain hut

The oldest trace of people on the summit is the inscription IHSV 1576 (In hoc signo vinces), carved on the Great-Grandfather's Armchair, probably beside a cross that once stood there. During the Thirty Years' War the rocks may have sheltered persecuted Protestants. By the end of the 18th century the mountain was a well-known attraction: it was visited by the Prussian King Frederick William II, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and — on 25 August 1800 — John Quincy Adams, then the American envoy to Prussia. In 1814 Franz Pabel, headman of Karłów, the first mountain guide and author of the first booklet about the mountain, laid the steps to the top. In 1846 a Tyrolean-style hut was built here — today the PTTK "Na Szczelińcu" hostel.

What to see

• Viewing terraces with a panorama of the Sudetes on both sides of the Polish–Czech border.
• Rock figures: the Camel, Mammoth, Elephant, Hen, Monkey, Dog, Tortoise and Owl.
• The Little Hell and Devil's Kitchen gorges — narrow, damp passages deep in the labyrinth.
• Rocking stones: Princess Emilka's Cradle and the Heart of the Mountain Spirit — despite their huge mass, they move with only a little effort.
• The Great-Grandfather's Armchair with its 1576 inscription.

Did you know?

The German name Große Heuscheuer ("Great Hay Barn") refers to the mountain's haystack- or barn-like shape. The Polish name was coined after 1945 — earlier proposals included "Strzaskany" ("Shattered") and "Spękany" ("Cracked") — and means a mountain riddled with fissures.

Tripto tips

The ascent starts by the paid car park in Karłów. The plateau route is a one-way loop of about 5 km; including the climb and a break at the hut, allow 2–3 hours. In the tourist season there is an entry fee for the reserve — check current prices and rules on the Table Mountains National Park website. On summer weekends the narrow passages get congested, so arrive early. Steps and rocks can be slippery after rain, and the crevices are cool even in summer — bring an extra layer. Szczeliniec combines easily with Błędne Skały (the Errant Rocks) on the same day.