Week 3: Glowny Szlak Beskidzki | Budget Bucket List

Glowny Szlak Beskidzki - Week 3

With the rough and unforgiving middle patch of the Glowny Szlak Beskidzki fresh behind me, I now stared into the bright sun. Gratefully. Soaking in the sudden warmth I realized I hadn’t really brought any issues to this trail, like I did to the Camino de Santiago. Back then I was stuck with family matters, my relationship, and near ones possibly dying, my mind yearning for a break to reorganize and prioritize, while now nothing demanded my acute worries or heartache. I feel at the top of my health, and for a change the people I care about do too (relatively). The Camino granted me the realization to end one relationship, but generously pushed a new candidate forward with a more matching lifestyle. Hiking this trail, I also got insight into my career path and opportunities, and picked up the idea to temporarily move to Europe’s wealthiest nation Switzerland for a season (corona making it 2,5), which means financially I have little to complain either. I’m doing fine, considering.

Considering what? Considering it’s 2020, which is not so much a private problem, but a problem of the world. So I guess the Glowny Szlak Beskidzki takes on the form of an “escape”: Instead of processing reality, running away from it as far as possible, and simultaneously getting closer to the roots. Let’s get back into nature. Strengthening the body as a remedy against sickness, physically against viruses, but in these times definitely also mentally.

[Scroll down for Week 3 Tips!]

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15: Kroscienko – Mount Bukowinka

I didn’t mean to spend 2 nights in the intriguing little township called Kroscienko, in warmer times famous for rafting, but emergency weather forced me to wait and ride out the storm. An excellent decision, as besides another day every inch as terrible as the previous one, my body could properly recuperate under the warm care of a Polish mum continuously knocking on the door of my private wooden cabin (6 euros a night) to bring hot soup, warm blankets, tea with cookies and home-made cakes. Leaving her a generous tip and a box of chocolates, I confidently stepped into a new day full of sun and therefore happiness.

I walked out of town, a place where people still greet a stranger with a friendly “dzien dobry”, and climbed up a notoriously steep mountain… it felt like going back home, or a more peaceful version thereof. Today, nothing could kill my vibe. Sometimes I was trapped in the clouds, sometimes I walked through the rays of sunshine seeping through the forest like a breath-taking veil, almost heaven-like... the higher I climbed, the higher my spirits. Everything seemed even more beautiful, smelled better, felt better. I wasn’t only singing, but now also practicing dance moves on the trail. Definitely an amazing day.

I noticed there were plenty of wooden (3) and mushroom-shaped (2) shelters, all before Luban, making for excellent wild camping spots, but I decided to continue to the tiny-but-growing ridge-settlement of Studzionka. Once there, I realized I actually didn’t want to see any humans whatsoever, so I filled up all water bottles and camelbacks (poor knees!) and moved on. Luckily so, as I stumbled upon the most delightful forest clearing granting spectacular views over the long stretched out valley and opposing mountains at the other side thereof. Without giving it a single thought I was already pitching my tent and preparing for nightfall. Gracias vida.

16: Mount Bukowinka – Rabka-Zdroj

I might have been avoiding people yesterday, but an animal-friend is always welcome company. Now I must add, I adore dogs, but not too much when camping. Let’s just say there might be some mystical correlation between the meaning of the word ‘pies’, translated as ‘dogs’ in Polish, but ‘piss’ in Dutch. So my night was interrupted on several occasions by me having to clean the urine of my tent canvas. On top of that, I experienced the awkward honour of having two male hikers fiercely stepping by just when I was cleaning my privates with some fresh water (I thought I had the place to myself).

Otherwise, I seemed to have won the jackpot: Air from Greece was apparently blown into the direction of Poland, causing unusually hot weather. Honestly, I don’t give a damn where it comes from, I think I deserved it after last week. I was headed towards the Turbacz Peak, the highest of the Gorce Mountain Range, but not before I passed the panoramic viewpoints entering the Gorczanski National Park, the jaw-dropping Dunajec Lake sharply contrasting against the pine-tree-dotted landscapes. Life seemed to be simply smiling at me, piling up gift after gift.

Once at Turbacz, I thanked myself for not having continued until there the night before, as it turned out to be a true tourist magnet, literally swarming with people. I saw more people in 1 hour than I had seen in the entire 2 weeks before.

I entirely submerged into nature the past 3 weeks, by wild camping literally making the forest and mountains my home… so when it was all of a sudden slammed with crowds, it felt like hundreds of people simultaneously broke into my house, marching next to my bed and loudly strolling through my living room.

It caused a mild panic attack, making me feel restless, bothered, and chased on my trail, worrying how I will ever adapt to city life again. I tried to reach Skawa, but daylight hours were getting shorter every day now… so I forcibly settled with the not unpleasant city of Rabka-Zdroj, void of comfortably covered wild camping spots or even civilized campgrounds (adding 5KM to my daily trail in an attempt to find anything suitable). Alright, a B&B it is then… boring!

[No rain shelters along this stretch, water sources only at Studzionka – Turbacz – Rabka]

17: Rabka-Zdroj – Mount Cupel

The weather had made a 180 again and today I was facing wind bursts of up to 160 km/h... yet a new one on Polish weather bingo! News reports were advising against going into the mountains, but ha guess what, that was exactly my destination. The trail is challenging in the nicest possible weather, no need to top it, really. Chased by black rain clouds I left Rabka, the depressing skies underlining the bright red and yellow of Poland’s (/Europe’s) ‘golden autumn’. You have to pay the price for it, but hiking in autumn definitely is the most stunning season to blend into local flora.

Besides the indeed fierce wind bursts, there are no major challenges on this stretch, and you can comfortable traverse the lowlands with only a small hill here and there (in the Netherlands these would already be considered ‘mountains’). Take care only when completing the trail-stretches along the road, as they sure love to speed in Poland… and lawful regulations around tailpipes aren’t what I’m personally used to (bring earplugs). Another kind warning when passing through the villages: Most people, quite effectively, hire the services of a dog to protect their private property – even when it isn’t their property, but public trails of the Glowny Szlak Beskidzki – and Polish dogs take their job very seriously. In my case, my black metal passion came in handy, and I grunt and growl louder than any of those 4-legged security guards, but they might definitely scare the hell out of some innocent hikers. Bring a stick, only lifting it is enough to scare them away (please don’t hurt the dogs).

After living in the Jordaan (a district of Amsterdam) and visiting Jordan, I can now also cross Jordanow off the bucket list… my excitement causing me to promptly drop my phone right after I left civilization behind for a solid 4 walking days. Hmmm, but who needs a phone in nature, right? RIGHT? [To be continued]

[This stretch contains no rain/camp shelters, but drinking water is everywhere in the river and villages]
[Leaving Rabka, you have to cross a viaduct – ignore the confusing trail signs here, and just cross the bridge and hike along the roadside until you see a ‘Lubicen’ sign, where you have to go left into the woods.]

18: Mount Cupel – Babia Gora / Marcowe Szczawiny Hut

In an attempt to outrun civilization again, yesterday I had moved on from the ini-mini village of Bystro up into the mountains, where I had found a so-so wild camping spot about 5 minutes off the trail… not entirely flat and comfy, but hidden from the wind and out of sight. Now I was listening to the shrieking shouts of my alarm, having the nerve to wake me up at 6:30 AM. Very unlike me, but I had decided to go for an early start to complete a ridiculously long stretch in order to reach the Babia Gora before sunset. The trail’s highest peak, and the symbolical highlight for many GSB-hikers.

But what should have been one of the best days on the trail (and has been for many), turned out to unfold into an extreme low for me. Up to the point the actual mountain rescue was send out to find me. But at this moment there wasn’t the slightest indication for this, and I was hiking high-speed and non-stop. The weather was perfect.

But you just can't fucking trust a mountain.

When I finally reached the foot of the Babia Gora, I seemed to be right in time. So I bought my national park ticket and climbed up in incredibly high speed, two steps at a time, to leave plenty of margin for the sunset-show that had pushed me forward the entire day. Yeah sure, it was slightly windy, but still clear and not giving away any hint of what was awaiting me… up until about 90% up.

Enter rainstorm. Enter HAILstorm. And storm in the truest meaning of the word: I only experienced such extreme wind bursts in southern Patagonia. I couldn’t quite process what was happening so suddenly… I kept falling down, pushed by a wind that literally came from all sides. I'm quite the strong woman, and I couldn't stand up, let alone walk without being pushed over every few steps. My poncho was of no use with this wind and kept slapping me in the face, while I literally couldn't stop to put other clothes on without everything blowing away, so I was soon heading towards hypothermia. But the worst part of all: I couldn't even see my own 2 feet, the mist was so dense everything around me disappeared into a white nothingness, including the trail.

Normally I would take a deep breath, sit down and rationally evaluate my options to get myself out of this situation. But there was no moment to oversee anything, I was freezing and falling and a playball of the wind and above all, I had no clue where I was going. I screamed, but all these hundreds of people that were supposed to be there were as absent as was the sunset. I quickly concluded I needed immediate evacuation before the situation could get much worse, but my phone was shattered and the screen stopped working…

So I had the worst imaginable reaction in any survival situation: a complete panic attack. My mind just blocked and I could only hyperventilate and cry, while trying to at least move to not freeze entirely and guess the direction (I knew there was only a shelter in front of me, going back meant 20km of nothing), in the hope I wouldn’t step off a cliff I couldn’t even see, knowing people died that way. I got lost of course, but at least on the right side of the mountain. And some of the many attempts to contact people had by some miracle come through via the broken phone, so rescue was on its way. When they found me, I was remarkably close to the shelter, without knowing I was. I was safe.

Don't forget to donwload the 'Ratunek' app for free mountain rescue

I realized I'm actually never really scared, which is why I can live life like I do, but this time I was. For a moment I thought it could possibly end right then and there, on some mountain top in Poland.

Madre mia, this trail is UNFORGIVING.

Will I continue? Yes, of course. What made you believe otherwise?

19: Zawoja - Marcowe Szczawiny Hut – Gluchackzi

Time to straighten my spine, dust myself off, slap myself a few times on the cheeks and finish what I started.

I couldn't sleep much because of the negative adrenaline raging through my system. I decided I wouldn't set a single step further on the trail without either fixing my phone or getting a new one, as however people sometimes say they can "live without a phone" it actually can be a matter of life and death in certain situations. So I walked an hour off-trail down the mountain and took another 1-hour bus to get into civilization and buy myself a damn phone (and not a fucking iPhone that shuts down when it gets too hot or too cold, which is usually the case in emergency situations). I spent the night in Zawoja, which meant on day 19 I had to first walk up a steeper-than-steep mountain again (via the green trail) to get back on the GSB, leaving me with only half a day to make some advancements… cut shorter by getting lost on the yellow trail as well.

Oh well, in the end it didn’t turn out so bad for me… as I reached the in summer busy, but now entirely deserted campsite of Gluchackzi. With another rainy night looming above my head, I figured I wouldn’t find a better shelter than the ‘main quarter’ of the campsite, a rickety-rackety wooden hut where the wind blows straight through… luxury in these circumstances! I decided to not even pitch my tent, but just roll out my sleeping mat on a crate and sleep in the open air. The water source was turned off, so I had to plough through the swampy field and pump it up with my own water filter.

As temperature dropped quickly, I found a very Steph solution: open the wine I carried along in a plastic bottle (worth the weight) and start my private corona-friendly 90's disco. I danced (I guess "experimental dance" is the right description) for hours on the most embarrassing Spotify-playlist I ever put together and even found myself shouting things as "oh yeah bring it on Mr. DJ" to my phone just lying there doing its job. I'm surprisingly good in keeping myself company.

20: Gluchackzi – Rysianka Hut

I wouldn’t claim I had the best of all nights. Rain kept slamming on the roof, earplugs were a no-go in order to keep an ear open for approaching wildlife, and a guy on a motorbike (who I’ve seen with his friend earlier on) came to my sleeping spot in the dead of night to nevertheless very politely request to sleep at my side (promptly leaving when I shouted a clear NO), causing me to continue sleeping with my folded-open pocketknife in my hand, one eye open. I woke up freezing, but at least you can count on the GSB to warm you straight up with an unearthly steep ascend. Too bad that all views, that were supposed to be significant today, were once again hiding behind thick specks of mist.

Most of the day I walked along the Slovakian border, underlining the international character of this trail. After a lunch at the Glinne Pass (marked by humanity in the form of trash and plastic everywhere), I had no choice but continuing over the extremely muddy patch leading towards the Hala Mizowa hut, on top of yet another ski slope. My shoes sucked in at every step, slowing me down incredibly. I concluded that of all the amazingly friendly people I met in Poland, the employees of this hut definitely weren’t one of them, looking almost upset when I disturbed their peace with buying an overpriced Beskidzki-pin and the most expensive coffee of the entire trail. The screaming drunk teenagers didn’t convince me either, so I decided to keep moving towards the next hut, an 8km stretch of mind-shattering beauty… Rysianka, more my vibe. Although the owner’s wife made a big deal out of me preparing my own food inside, using my camping gas, which made me like the place a little less. When she finished fighting with her husband about the matter, my dinner was ready.

I guess I'm more of an outdoor person.

[Water supplies: 1: 1,5km above Głuchaczki - 50m off the trail to the right, 2:Glinne pass, 3: Hala Miziowa Hut; just before it you will cross a stream as well, 4: Rysianka Hut]

21: Rysianka Hut – Mount Glinne

To break the endless cycle of people telling me what I can’t do and me not listening, I avoided the hassle and prepared breakfast outside with an absolute epic view over the entire mountain range, while everyone inside had turned their back to it. It was time to once again descend deep down into the valley… into civilization: a town called Węgierska Górka.

It didn’t look that far on the map, but it turned out to be a way longer stretch than I had envisioned, somehow never getting closer… probably related to the bumpy, uneven trails complicating every step, that seem to be a fixed trait of the Glowny Szlak Beskidzki… compensation provided by once again fantastic viewpoints all the way through. Where yesterday was cold and cloudy, today was sunny and clear. A real autumn treat! I refused to spend the night in a town, and just used it to stock up on food and of course a heavy load of water, which I had to drag up a new mountain peak in order to camp with a view (eventually learning there are in fact water sources up top – complicating my ascend for nothing). The heavy weight injured my left ankle quite painfully, forcing me to stop on the Glinne Peak. After finding many suitable wild camping spots, all ruined by people leaving their trash, tampons, and sanitary napkins (whoever does the latter: please die), I finally traced down a relatively clean patch just off the trail, granting peaceful sights over the lights in the valley, under the shooting lights in the sky.

[There is a deserted house on the way down to Węgierska Górka, which could be used as shelter / wild camping spot.]

22: Mount Glinne – Mraznice Forest

I slept simply amazing, 10 hours straight. I had to wear 5 layers simultaneously in the cold October-mountains (wrapping my head entirely in a scarf – so my breath warms my face), but I was eventually nice and toasty and extremely comfortable. I packed my tent wet and decided to dry it in a shelter further down the trail, while entire hiking tour groups passed by, making photos of me brewing my coffee and asking me stuff in Polish. As much as I felt estranged from people lately, due to pure isolation, I realized to them I might look like some wild forest woman by now. We felt like 2 different species. I lost that human connection along the trail and felt uncomfortable with the thought to eventually have to restore it.

Today I was almost forced into it, though… the stunning ridge hike that can be easily turned into a simple day-loop attracting the Big Crowds. Like a feral cat in between domesticated flocks I rushed through the beautiful GSB-stretch until Przyslop, noticing how my physical strength (and speed!) now peaked out remarkably above the average, even with my heavy pack sprinting passed everyone. After a coffee stop in a busy hut that looked more like a full-on hotel, finally the crowds vanished, as they seemed to all walk down to their cars from there… aaahhh, silence! A little gift of lonesomeness before reaching the end of the trail.

I once again moved into a very muddy stretch, but a GSB-day wouldn’t be complete without it. I halted when I saw a bird-watching tower… how would it be to sleep in one? I still owe you that answer, as once I had set up camp high up in the tower (diagonally) and darkness had already set in, the scratching and squeaking sounds of rats scared me right the fuck out again. I already have 2 experiences of rats creeping over my face when sleeping, and that’s enough for a lifetime. Headlamped I set up camp again in the Mraznice Forest further up the trail, ready to spend the last night right on the trail while being washed away by rainstorms.

23: Mraznice Forest - Ustron

The last night? Yes! And the last day, too! Can you fucking believe it?!

Weather-wise it couldn’t have been worse once again, conditions have definitely not been mild for me the entire hike through (and I made it myself a tad harder than necessary as well)… and if you think they give you an easy way out the last (or first) 25 kilometres… then you got that wrong too. But hey, who the hell cares? At the end of the day I would have the Glowny Szlak Beskidzki behind my name, and I’m pretty damn proud of that.

Honestly, the entire day went passed me in a haze. I know it was cold and wet, I remember I entered Czechia (this trail dips into 4 countries – together with Ukraine and Slovakia) and I felt how I had to vertically climb up and down a bunch of black ski slopes, because hey, why have it easy for once. I also recall my angry astonishment when I thought I was finally there, seeing the sign of Ustrón Polana, only to learn I had to go aaaaaall the way up and down yet another brutal mountain to reach the finish line.

But then… oh then… I entered a village. I asked people where I could find the trail end/start, but no one seemed to have even heard of the Glowny Szlak Beskidzki, which I couldn’t even process given the GSB has literally been my life the past month. But suddenly there it was: the red-white dot.

I made it. I nailed this trail.

I put down my hiking poles and tried to process this feeling. It felt like all the tiredness and painful efforts had been waiting to get out until that final moment, pushed on the background again by fierce bumps of pure adrenaline. I cried. I laughed. I yelled my lungs out while jumping in front of the sign, attracting some small crowds around me, slightly amused, but not quite understanding… They wouldn’t. Only if you walk this trail you understand the feeling, while everyone else thinks you’re crazy. That feeling that made it all worth it, overshining the last few weeks with unforgettable memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. And pride, of course, well-deserved pride. After 6 years of traveling I can guarantee that you can’t get this proud, satisfied feeling taking a bus and checking of some TripAdvisor-sights, you have to bloody work for it.

I grabbed a bottle of Polish wine, ordered some pierogi, and flushed it away soaked up in memories.

Poland, thick fat check.

Yes, I got the GSB trail sign (together with the Camino de Santiago sign) tattooed on my foot. I hope one day my foot is colored in entirely with long-distance-trail-signs.

The entire trail:

All spots where I camped / spent the night (the light green was just off the trail after I needed to get my phone replaced):

After finishing the Glowny Szlak Beskidzki, I treated myself on some chilly-billy-time in Krakow… stay tuned for the stories!

Week 3 Tips:

After the Babia Gora report, it's quite obvious: Make sure you have a good-working phone and a Polish simcard. Download the Polish Emergency Call app Ratunek for free. In emergency situations in the mountains you can push the ‘Góry’ button to alarm mountain rescue and automatically send location. An app or device for GPS tracking is recommended: I found the entire GSB on ViewRanger, but other options are apps such as Wikiloc or OpenTrails. Watch out: When planning routes, often there are mountains and villages with the exact same name, but they can be many kilometres apart. If you plan the groceries, double-check if the trail actually passes the town or the mountain, to not get into trouble with food provisions.

The water situation remains complicated on some of the days. As river water is your only option in some cases, a portable water filter is a desired item to pack. Check when you pass villages, and see above notes on drink-water availibility in the mountains.

Sleeping situation: I prefer (wild) camping, as it provides you with that ultimate sense of freedom, being able to sleep wherever you want (although try to be slightly hidden, as it's officially illegal in most places) and stopping whenever you get too tired or when the sun goes down. Plan your water-reserves well for this, in order to cook and still have enough for the night and day to come (you might have to walk a fair end to find the next water source, especially on the GSB). The GSB also has many basic shelters, often just consisting of a wooden roof and a bench: I sometimes spent the rainy nights inside of those. There are however also some more civilized camping spots (paid), and most B&B's will allow you to pitch your tent in the garden and use the shower and kitchen, all for a modest fee. If camping isn't your cup of tea or you want to hike with a light pack: There is a wide network of rather luxurious (although some might call it basic) and affordable mountain huts, where you can pay for a bed in a dormitory or a private room. These huts have showers, heating, running water and often serve 3 meals a day. The villages you pass also have cheap B&B's / Homestays and pricier hotels. Notice that most of those are not listed on Booking.com or international booking devices (only the most expensive ones)... most are listed on Polish websites only and all of them only take phone-reservations. A problem is that outside of the bigger cities Polish is the only spoken language, and when you speak English or German they will eventually just hang up the phone as they don't understand what you're saying. Join GSB Facebook groups, where very helpful, Polish fellow-hikers will gladly assist you. When relying on accommodation, plan your hikes very well and book ahead, as the options are limited and they are sometimes 30+KM apart.

Food situation: This depends on your budget and preferences. I was camping, so prefered to cook my meals on gas along the way, eating outdoors. This meant I had to carry extra weight in gas, titanium cooking gear and of course food reserves. The mountain huts serve basic meals, and of course you can stock up in the villages along the way. Plan this well, as sometimes you're outside of civilization for several days... and you eat about twice as much hiking than on a 'normal' day, burning tons of energy daily.

Packing list: People always ask me what to pack for a multi-day hike, but let me remind you that you're asking the lady who carries 18+KG with her. It also depends on if you're camping or not. Let me list the basics... Non-camping packing list (evaluate the season for appropariate clothing): 2x comfortable hiking pants, rain paints, thermal legging, 2-3x quick-dry tops, 3x underwear, 2x sports bra, longsleeve, fleece, 3x socks (always have 1 dry pair with you), bar of textile soap (cut in half), wind+rainproof jacket, rain cover for backpack, properly walked-in GoreTex hiking boots with orthopedic soles, flipflops, hiking poles, gloves, hat, scarve/buff, light-weight towel, bug spray, sunscreen, sunglasses, toothbrush/paste, toilet paper, half bar of soap, shampoo, contactlenses/liquid, hairbrush, phone with local simcard and GPS, charger with spare cable, powerbank, spare bags for garbage, camelbacks allowing for at least 4 liters, water filter; basic medication: band aids, desinfectant, tweezers, tick-remover, aspirin, anti-diarrhea pills; feet care: tape for trouble spots, cotton, pressure points relievers, vaseline, needles for blisters; talk powder (for your sweaty ass: trust me on that one), e-reader/book, light-weight energy-food; basic survival pack: pocket knife, emergency blanket, whistle, matches and lighter, rope, headlamp, spare batteries, compass. All liquids repacked in small bottles, or buy powder form when available. Wash your clothes in the huts and hang them to dry over-night and later on from your backpack when hiking. Of course winter season demands extra items for snow-hiking, like crampons and ice picks. Some items can be cut in half to save weight. With camping added to the mix: Light-weight trekking tent, sleeping bag made for the season, sleeping mat, inflatable pillow, camping gas, titanium cooking gear, plastic cutlery, long rope and tupperware (to pack food and hang it in the tree far away from your sleeping spot - there are bears here), food for planned days.

No matter in what direction you walk the trail, you need to get out of there. Find cheap bus rides on E-Podroznik. The earlier you book, the cheaper the rate, I noticed. This website also offers much lower prices than when buying it directly on the website of the bus company, or ‘live’ in the bus station. A great find! Blablacar is also widely used in Poland, offering competitive carpool-rides, but also discounted bus tickets.

More Glowny Szlak Beskdizki reports:

You're currently reading the first English-written blog about the GSB. I personally had to gather all my information in Polish and google-translate everything. The most useful source I found Marcin Grabinski's. Background stories I recommend: The Beskids; Border Info & Impressions; Beskid Niski (Komancza - Krynicia-Zdroj); Lemko History of Beskid Niski. Another great Polish source is provided by the well-respected blogger Lukasz Supergan, check out his site!

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