Region: Mały Beskid Mountains

Mały Beskid Mountains – a mountain range in southern Poland, in Central Europe, which is part of the Western Beskids. The highest peak is Czupel (930 m a.s.l.). A small in area but compact mountain range, whose landscape is created by charming river valleys and mountain slopes covered with mixed forests. Beskid Mały is located in the basin of the Vistula River, and more specifically its three tributaries – the Biała, Soła and Skawa rivers. It consists of three tectonic units: the Sub-Silesian, Silesian and Magura nappes. In 95% it consists of sandstones of the Silesian nappe. A geological sensation are the Andrychów Rocks – these are the so-called kidnaps, which are the oldest rocks in this area. On the ridges there are numerous rock outcrops made of more resistant to weathering sandstones and Istebna conglomerates. We meet them on the ridges of Magurka Wilkowicka, Czupel, Żar, Kiczera, Jaworzyna and Kościeliec, Roczenka, Kiczora, Łamana Skała, Smrekowica and Kamień mountains.

Nature has been strongly transformed as a result of human activity. Forest areas are of the lower montane type. The exception is the top parts of Łamana Skała Mountain, where there is a natural, spruce-covered upper montane zone. The reason is the very rocky and soil-poor ground here. In the past, beech forests prevailed, but they were destroyed as a result of burning and logging. Currently, it is a secondary forest, dominated by spruce-beech-fir associations.

Hikes in the Mały Beskid Mountains: