Hiking trails in Piekary Śląskie

Two of the region's long-distance trails, laid out by the local guide and priest Jerzy Pawlik, run through Piekary Śląskie: the red Polish Hussars' Trail and the blue Silesian Insurgents' Trail. Within the town they are joined by shorter routes, and two of them lead to the Liberation Mound (Kopiec Wyzwolenia), the highest point in Piekary at 356 m above sea level. It makes for a walk of a few hours in the footsteps of King John III Sobieski's hussars and the Silesian insurgents.

Trails within the town

• Polish Hussars' Trail (red) – western section Szarlej–Piekary–Kozłowa Góra, 8.3 km, and eastern section Dąbrówka Wielka–Brzeziny Śląskie, 6.3 km.
• Silesian Insurgents' Trail (blue) – the section Szarlej–Piekary–Liberation Mound, 5.6 km.
• Millennium Trail – Liberation Mound–Piekary–Kozłowa Góra, 6.5 km.
• Upper Silesian Mining History Trail – Dąbrówka Wielka–Dołki–Kamień, 7.5 km.
• Link trail – 0.7 km between the hussars' and the insurgents' trails.

The Way of St James (Via Regia) also passes through the town.

History behind the trail names

The Polish Hussars' Trail was marked by the Bytom branch of the Polish Tourist Society (PTTK) in 1959, on the 276th anniversary of the Polish army's march to Vienna. In 1683 King John III Sobieski prayed in Piekary before an image of the Virgin Mary and donated golden chalices and a paten – the image itself is now in Opole. Father Pawlik designed the Silesian Insurgents' Trail in 1968–1971 for the 50th anniversary of the Third Silesian Uprising; it links places where fighting took place in 1919–1921, all the way to Góra Świętej Anny and Gliwice.

The Liberation Mound was raised in 1932–1937 to mark the 250th anniversary of the hussars' march and the 15th anniversary of part of Upper Silesia joining Poland. For five years the people of Piekary and Szarlej helped to build it, while delegations brought soil in urns from places such as Góra Świętej Anny, Gniezno and Gdynia. The idea had first been put forward in 1883 by Wawrzyniec Hajda, known as the "Silesian Wernyhora", but the German authorities would not allow it.

Tripto tip

The easiest starting point is the Liberation Mound in the western part of the town centre – from the top you look out towards Katowice. The link trail lets you combine sections. Mining has reshaped the landscape, so along the way you will see spoil heaps, subsidence hollows and small ponds – after rain the paths can be muddy. Check the waymarking on an up-to-date hiking map before you set off.