Sowiniec Range
Sowiniec Range – a range of hills on the Krakow Bridge in the western part of Krakow. It is an isolated tectonic ridge, bordered by the Vistula River to the south, the Rudawa River to the east and north, and bordering the Kryspinów Reservoirs to the west. The range consists of two parts: on the western side are the two Sowiniec massifs, and on the eastern side is the St. Bronisława Hill massif. The eastern and western parts of the range are separated by the Przegorzalska Pass. The highest peak is Sowiniec, at 354 meters above sea level.
The western part of the Sowiniec Range includes the hills Sowiniec (354 meters above sea level), Pustelnik (353 meters above sea level), Ostra Góra (348 meters above sea level), and Srebrna Góra (322 meters above sea level). In the eastern part of the range, St. Bronisława Hill has two peaks: Sikornik (296 m above sea level) and St. Bronisława Mountain (300 m above sea level).
The Sowiniec Range is composed of Mesozoic rocks. During Miocene tectonic movements, these rigid formations were cut by numerous faults and shifted vertically relative to each other, contributing to the formation of numerous tectonic horsts. The Sowiniec horst consists primarily of Upper Jurassic rocky and bedded limestones, up to 200 m thick.
The range’s terrain is highly varied. There are numerous limestone outcrops. The largest of these are Panieńskie Skały, Bielańskie Skałki, Wolski Murek, and Kawalerskie Skały. In the rocks of the Zielony Dół ravine are the Wolski Forest Cave, the Zielony Dół Cave, and the Zielony Dół Shelter. In the Kawalerskie Rocks is the Gap before the Gamekeeper’s House, and in the small rocks west of Kawalerskie Rocks is the Gap below the Gamekeeper’s House. On Srebrna Góra are the Bielany Cavern and the Gap below the village of Bielany. The hillsides are cut by deeply carved gorges and ravines. The largest of these are: Wolski Dół, Skowronków Dół, Łupany Dół, Poniedziałkowy Dół, Wroni Dół, Wilczy Dół, Zielony Dół, Mokry Dół, and Gomółczy Dół.
The Sowiniec Range is largely covered by forest. In the western part, this is the Wolski Forest, whose forest cover is close to natural. Deciduous trees predominate, primarily beeches, oaks, and birches, with firs, hornbeams, lindens, maples, and sycamores. The trees form birch-oak forests, birch-oak-beech forests, mixed oak forests, solid beech forests, mixed beech forests, and mixed birch forests.
Three nature reserves have been established here. The Bielańskie Skałki Reserve is a strict, floristic reserve covering an area of 1.73 hectares, established in 1957 to protect xerothermic grasslands. The Panieńskie Skały Reserve is a forest and landscape reserve covering an area of 6.41 hectares, established in 1953 to protect the only fragment of natural forest near Kraków with picturesque limestone rocks. The Skałki Przegorzalskie Reserve is a strict, floristic reserve covering an area of 1.38 hectares, established in 1959 to protect rare rocky and xerothermic grasslands and thermophilous shrubs.
Numerous hiking trails have been established through the Sowiniec Range. In the western part of the hills are the hermitage and Camaldolese church in Bielany, the Piłsudski Mound in Sowiniec, and the Pustelnik Zoo. In the eastern part is the Kościuszko Mound on St. Bronisława Mountain.
Hikes related to the tag SOWINIEC RANGE:
