Jakuszyce is the highest-located district of Szklarska Poręba, the center of which is located only 800 meters from the Polish-Czech border. Formerly, there was a road border crossing and a local border traffic zone here. The Kamienna River, a tributary of the Bóbr River and the Odra River basin, runs through Jakuszyce. Although Jakuszyce is located at an altitude of 850-886 m above sea level, the climate here is more similar to that of the Alps at an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level.
History of Jakuszyce
The name Jakuszyce comes from the name Jakusz, a diminutive of the name Jakub. Jakuszyce began with a former forester's lodge belonging to the Schaffgotsch family, around which over time a settlement of shepherds and lumberjacks was established.
In 1848, a road was built through Jakuszyce, and half a century later - a railway line. At the end of the 19th century, plans were made to build a railway line from Szklarska Poręba through Jakuszyce, but due to the marshy areas near the Jizera Mountains, this idea was quickly abandoned.
In the post-war period, a climatological meteorological station was built in Jakuszyce, at an altitude of 860 m above sea level. Previously, in the years 1891-1937, at an altitude of 871 m above sea level, only a precipitation station was available.
What attracts tourists to Jakuszyce?
Jakuszyce has an ideal climate and conditions for practicing winter sports - there is relatively a lot of snow, which also stays on the slopes for quite a long time. This is the real kingdom of cross-country skiing! Cross-country skiing competitions are held on the Jakuszycka Glade, including the World Cup in 2012 and 2014. Every year, the Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon Center in Jakuszyce organizes, among others: Piast Race - the only one in Poland and one of the few in this part of Europe, a mass ski race with over 6,000 participants of all ages.
Jakuszyce for active people
Jakuszyce offers cross-country trails of varying difficulty with a total length of nearly 100 km, as well as the possibility of renting and servicing cross-country skis. Most of them are located in the Jizera Mountains. The most important running routes in Jakuszyce include:
- "Guaranteed Snow" walking route, 2.5 km long,
- 5-kilometer high-performance route "Jelfy", which runs at an altitude of 1,000 m above sea level,
- "Polfy Bolesławiec" walking route, 12 km long,
- "Droga Elektrowni Turów" walking route, 13 km long,
- 10-kilometer "Orle" route with the finish line at the Orle shelter,
- 18-kilometer route "Chatka Górzowcy,
- 6-kilometer "Dukty" route,
- 8-kilometer "Jelenia Łąka" route, medium difficulty,
- the demanding 20-kilometer "Koziniec" route,
- 12-kilometer "Cicha Równia" route, medium difficulty,
- 12-kilometer "Old Customs Road" route, of medium difficulty,
- 12-kilometer "Stanisław Mine" route, of medium difficulty,
- difficult "Winter" route, 13 kilometers long,
- difficult "Bez Łaski" route, 10 kilometers long,
- the difficult “Airplane Uphill” route, 15 kilometers long.
Jakuszyce is an ideal base for hiking trips to both the Karkonosze and the Jizera Mountains. The proximity of the Polish-Czech border means that you can confidently set out to conquer the Czech mountains. Jakuszyce has excellent transport connections - you can also reach Polana Jakuszycka by train. Jakuszyce is also the highest railway stop in Poland. It is located on the railway route No. 311, renovated in 2010, between Jelenia Góra and the Czech Harrachov.
Trails near Jakuszyce
Particularly recommended hiking trails leading to the Jizera Mountains:
- trail to the Mountain Hut through the Orle Shelter,
- trail to the Wysoki Kamień Shelter near Wysoka Kopa, Izerskie Garby and the Stanisław Quartz Mine,
- trail to Dział Izera (904 m above sea level).
The most important trails leading to the Karkonosze Mountains:
- trail to the shelter Szrenica,
- trail to the Harrachov Kepm point and then to the Mumlava Waterfall
Jakuszyce is also an important junction of bicycle routes. The most frequently used bicycle routes in Jakuszyce are:
- route no. 2 - "Kogeneration Route" - a difficult route with a total length of 50 km, running through the Jizera Mountains and the Czech Karkonosze Mountains,
- route no. 8 - "At the foot of Wysoki Grzbiet (Airplane)", 35 km long,
- route no. 9 - "Trasa Towarzystwo Jizerskiego", 18.5 km long,
- route no. 10 - "Interferii Route", 48 km long,
- route no. 11 - "Gazeta Wyborcza Route", 14 km long.