The Polish-Czech Friendship Road (also referred to as the "red Karkonosze trail") is a route exactly 27.7 km long, leading from Szrenica nad Śnieżne Kotły, through Czarna Przełęcz, Śląskie Kamienie, Przełęcz Karkonoska, Słonecznik, Mountain Shelter "Dom Śląski" , Śnieżka, Czarna Kopa, Przełęcz Sowią, up to Przełęcz Okraj.
The trail runs along the main ridge of the Karkonosze Mountains, once on the Polish and once on the Czech side of the border. It takes about 10 hours to complete it, without unnecessary stops. Along the way, we have the opportunity to see all the mountain formations characteristic of the Karkonosze Mountains, glacial cirques and rocks, as well as many excellent viewpoints and iconic shelters.
History of the Polish-Czech Friendship Path
The Polish-Czech (formerly Polish-Czechoslovak) Friendship Road was activated on June 16, 1961 under the tourist convention between Czechoslovakia and Poland. Thanks to this, tourists were able to freely explore the mountain nooks and crannies on both sides of the border. However, during martial law, this road was closed to prevent illegal meetings of the opposition of both countries. If you wanted to climb Śnieżka, you had to hire a guide approved by the then authorities, army and militia. Traffic was restored in 1984, and after the collapse of the communication system, small border points appeared on the route. But let's start from the beginning...
Expeditions to the Karkonosze peaks became popular only in the 17th century. It was then that shepherd's huts were built, which over time turned into mountain shelters. The period of the industrial revolution significantly accelerated the development of local tourism. It was then that a network of roads was created, which over time became the main tourist routes.
The path of Polish-Czech Friendship was not always based on selfless, kind and trusting friendship. The Czechs, for example, believed that in some places the road encroached into their territory two meters too deep. According to the signed convention, only citizens of Poland and Czechoslovakia could hike the route. After World War II, however, Polish border services did not allow Czechs and Slovaks to enter the route. In turn, in the 1940s, Poles were only allowed in groups with a guide and an armed soldier, and photography was strictly prohibited. There were periods when, with the exception of Śnieżka, it was impossible to enter the trail at all, and there were times when two separate trails ran along the trail - Polish and Czechoslovak.
What is worth remembering while traveling?
For many mountain lovers, walking the entire Polish-Czech Friendship Route is a dream come true. This way you can walk along the entire ridge of the Giant Mountains, passing the most beautiful things in the Karkonosze Mountains along the way. The route is very difficult to cover in a one-day trip, so it is worth considering staying overnight in one of about 20 shelters passed along the way. Although this seems to be a "rich accommodation base", it is worth booking accommodation much earlier.
Since the route runs through the Karkonosze National Park, it is absolutely forbidden to set up tents along the way. It is also better not to walk in the Karkonosze Mountains at night, so as not to encounter wild animals scared by the presence of humans. When planning a trip, remember that in winter, due to the risk of avalanches, the trail may be closed in some places and you should look for other options for the main route. It is always worth remembering that even in summer the weather in the highest parts of the mountains is merciless and at the top it does not exceed 10 degrees.
The Polish-Czech Friendship Road: attractions along the route
We can enter the main trail in many places. Those who want to cover the entire route usually choose the road leading towards Szklarska Poręba. Along the way, we have the opportunity to see the greatest attractions that the Karkonosze Mountains offer, including:
- Three Little Pigs Rocks,
- Wet Pass, also known as Bird Rollers,
- The cottage cheese rock with a border post on the top,
- Devil's Pulpit,
- Snow Cauldrons with a unique post-glacial sculpture,
- Śnieżne Stawki,
- Great Szyszak, the highest granite peak of the Karkonosze Mountains (1509 m above sea level),
- Rocks near the Sunflower,
- Wielki Staw Cauldron,
- "Samotnia" shelter on the bank of Mały Pond,
- "Dom Śląski" shelter,
- peak snowball (1602 m above sea level),
- Czech shelter "Jelenka"
- “Na Przełęczy Okraj” shelter.