Tarnica

Tarnica (1,346 m) is the highest peak of the Polish Bieszczady Mountains and of the whole Podkarpackie region — and the best viewpoint in this corner of the Carpathians. When the air is exceptionally clear, you can see not only the Tatras from the summit but even the peaks of Romania's Rodna Mountains. The name comes from Romanian too: "tarnița" means saddle — and indeed, a sharply cut pass separates the mountain from the neighbouring Szeroki Wierch ridge.

A mountain with two summits

Tarnica rises more than 500 m above the Wołosatka valley and is easy to recognise by its shape: a narrow, elongated ridge with two distinct tops, 1,346 m and 1,339 m. A 1,286 m pass — Przełęcz pod Tarnicą, the "Pass below Tarnica" — separates it from Szeroki Wierch, and the deep Goprowska Pass divides it from the Krzemień massif. The ridge is strewn with broken rocks and natural hollows, as well as remains of wartime trenches. To the south a high rock wall drops away, with fields of scree below. The summit lies in Bieszczady National Park and belongs to the Crown of Polish Mountains, a popular list of the highest peaks in each Polish range.

A cross carried up in pieces

In 1987 a 7-metre cross with a plaque was erected on the summit to commemorate the visit of the young priest Karol Wojtyła — later Pope John Paul II — on 5 August 1953. In spring 2000 the cross broke, and on 2 September 2000 a new steel cross was put up — about 8.5 m tall and weighing around 500 kg. Pilgrims carried it up the mountain in pieces, and Bishop Adam Dyczkowski blessed it on 16 September 2000. A survey marker stands on the main summit.

The panorama

Tarnica offers the finest views in the Polish Bieszczady. On clear days, besides the nearby ridges — Halicz, Krzemień and the "połoniny", the treeless mountain meadows typical of these mountains — you can see the Tatras, Ukraine's Gorgany range, Ostra Hora, Polonyna Rivna, Polonyna Krasna and the Svydovets range. In exceptional visibility the horizon reveals the Vihorlat–Gutâi range, Romania's Igniș Mountains, Vlădeasa and Pietrosul Rodnei.

Trails

Two main trails lead to Tarnica:

• the blue trail from Wołosate — the shortest and steeper: about 2 hours to the Pass below Tarnica (about 1 h 10 min down), then 15 minutes on the yellow trail to the summit,
• the red Main Beskid Trail from Ustrzyki Górne over the meadows of Szeroki Wierch — longer, but with views most of the way: about 3 hours to the pass (about 2 h 15 min down).

The two can be combined into a loop. The European long-distance path E8 also passes through the Tarnica area.

Did you know?

• A few metres from the summit, by the yellow trail, was the entrance to Tarnica Cave; it was filled in for safety reasons in 2008.
• Thyme broomrape, a parasitic plant rare in Poland, has been recorded on Tarnica's slopes.

Tripto tip

Allow about 3.5–4 hours for the round trip from Wołosate, including a rest on top. The area is a national park, so buy an entry ticket and stay on the marked trail. Much of the route above the tree line is exposed: in hot weather take plenty of water and a hat, and if a storm is coming, don't go up onto the ridge — the cross and the open crest offer no shelter. The best light for photos is in the morning and late afternoon, when the meadows show strong relief.