Cow at Pieniążkowice

Instead of going on the main (i.e., extremely busy and very unpleasant) road to Nowy Targ, we literally took the high road: through Piekielnik, Załuczne, Odrowąż, and Pienążkowice, then through Dział and Krauszów to get to NT by the back door.

From Piekielnik to Odrowąż the road offers some magnificant views of the Tatra Mountains.

But first, you have to climb up what used to seem to me a hellish hill. Then I did some multi-kilometer climbs up 8+% grade hills and I realized it was a bump in the road.

The Climb

Ząb is the highest village in Poland, and so that means that no matter where you're coming from, you have to go up to get there. I've made the climb before, but it was through Czerwienne — not so steep, but fairly long.

Saturday, we made the climb through Skrzypne and Sierockie — not so long, but hellishly steep.

Widok z Maruszyny na Skrzypne i Tatry

Widok z Maruszyny na Tatry

We got a glimpse from Maruszyna of what awaited us.

Unfortuately, the pictures at left do not do it any justice whatsoever. It looks like a nice gentle hill, but it was anything but.

Resting — More images available here and here.

Being the cowards we are, though, we took a break before we even got started! Well, it's not quite so simple — we thought it'd be best to attack the hill with lightly rested legs, and we saw a wonderful little chapel under a tree which just beckoned us.

As could be expected, the views at the top were then fairly impressive.

We finally made it to Ząb and Kinga's aunt's house around thirty.

The next day, we headed off to Chochołowska Valley.