As a nature lover, city life won’t keep me away for long. Living in Wrocław means the best places to hike near Wrocław are practically on my doorstep; enter Szklarska Poręba and the Szrenica trail in Karkonosze. Picture winding forest paths, cascading waterfalls, crisp air, and those peaks testing you just enough. This classic Sudetes hike blends challenge with charm, and trust me, you’ll be glad you pulled on those boots.
After gallivanting through the scenic trails of Karkonosze National Park and hiking to Śnieżka and Śnieżne Kotły, it was time to scale Szrenica, another picturesque mountain peak in the western Karkonosze in Poland.
From the whistle of the forest to the chirping of birds, there is barely any natural sound that you won’t hear on this trip. Slopes are mostly gentle and gradual, except for the part when you’re closing in the shelter. To reach Jakuszyce, you have to change to the train operated by the Czech Republic Railways. Go for it. Now is the time.
Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce & Karkonosze – General information
Located 886 m above sea level, Jakuszyce is a popular tourist attraction in Szklarska Poręba. Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce is popular among outdoor enthusiasts as a top location for winter activities in Poland, with the most popular being cross-country skiing, hiking, and cycling. Even a train ride in this region isn’t a mere train ride. With such beautiful landscapes around, it is nothing less than a winter activity. The weather here remains pleasant year-round, even during the peak of summer, but winter here gets quite extreme.
Karkonosze Mountains lie to the east, and the Izerskie Mountains lie to the west of Jakuszyce. With two large mountain ranges in the vicinity and an abundance of hiking trails, hikers have plenty to choose from. Kamienna River flows through the picturesque town of Jakuszyce, which is a tributary of the Bóbr River. Train enthusiasts can enjoy the scenic ride up to Koleje Izerska in Jakuszyce, the highest railway station in Poland.
In Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce, Polana Jakuszycka and the Cross-country Skiing Centre are the most popular attractions for locals and international tourists. Owing to the excellent weather conditions, Jakuszyce makes a popular choice for cross-country skiing in Poland. Polana Jakuszycka also organises international competitions like the Cross-country Skiing World Cup.
How to reach Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce from Wrocław
Getting to Szklarska Poręba is no big deal since Koleje Dolnośląskie trains operate in tandem from Wrocław to Szklarska Poręba. To get to Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce, local Czech-operated trains from Szklarska Poręba make for the best and quickest option to reach Jakuszyce, which was the starting point of the hike in my case. Optionally, you can also get to Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce by road.
Distance: 139 km
Travel time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce to Szrenica Route
Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce to Szrenica to Szklarska Poręba Górna was an 18-km hike in total and took us almost 5.5 hours to complete.
I will put the trial difficulty level in the moderate category.
Link to the route | Trail: Green-Yellow-Green-Red
Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce to Szrenica Hike
It is summer in Poland, and you can experience the best of Polish nature in the mountains. Karkonosze Mountains and the Izerskie Mountains in the Sudetes have shed the white of winter and are already oozing green. Mountain trails are thriving with life and natural hues. The scent of the forest and the chorus of streams fed by fresh melt ice are a relaxing therapy in themselves.
Three mountain shelters, several river streams, some leftover winter snow, and lush green outdoors graced our first summer hike, turning it into a rejuvenating experience. Karkonosze mountains are absolute love, and offer nature admirers some testing yet super satisfying hiking trails.
Soon after commencing the hike, the lush green of the mountains, the sound of the fresh stream, and the gradual slopes in the first 7-8 km patch greeted us warmly. Schronisko Szrenica was our first pit stop. With a little bit of rain and a cool mountain breeze, we propelled towards the viewpoint of Szrenica.
We paused for a bit at the mountain shelters during the hike to rest, change, and grab a bite. Schronisko Pod Łabskim Szczytem, the third shelter en route to Szklarska Poręba, was the same place where we took a break on our way to Śnieżne Kotły this winter. The contrasting landscapes and changing colours of seasons were prominent.
As we continued to Schronisko Pod Łabskim Szczytem, we stumbled upon some gorgeous views of Śnieżne Kotły and Szklarska Poręba town in the distance. The leftover snow from the winter on the way made the trail look even fancier.
Only after reaching Schronisko Pod Łabskim Szczytem, I realised how remarkably distinct the surroundings used to be a few months back, when I went there on a winter hike trudging through tons of snow.
Do you remember those dreamy winter views of curled trees on the mountain’s slope in Karkonosze? Back then, most of the trees stayed buried under heaps of ice and snow, which was almost a third (or even less) of the whole tree length, which we saw back in February! Right now, all that snow in the region is gone, and lush green has come back to life.
Even with all the unpredictable weather, scattered rain, and surroundings turning cold from time to time, it was fun to hike up to Szrenica and complete the whole trail in 6 hours (approximately). I finally managed to get a stamp on Książeczka GOT PTTK at the mountain shelters (Schronisko) en route.
Keep This In Mind Before Your Szklarska Poręba Jakuszyce Hike
1. Pack light since it’s just a day hike
2. Given its location and climate in the region, you can expect some leftover snow from the winter to be lying on the trails
3. Shades and sunscreen lotion are important if you don’t want a sunburn
4. Snacks are good to have while hiking. Since there are plenty of fresh streams crossing the forest, you can carry a filter bottle, and that’s sufficient to filter this natural water, which is clean to a great extent
5. Check for the train connections in advance if you’re travelling by car and don’t want to get stuck at a train station overnight
6. Keep a light jacket handy, just in case. The weather in the mountains flips like a switch.
Hiking in the Polish Mountains is a fine experience for every outdoor enthusiast. Looking for more recommendations on places to visit near Wrocław? Check this out: Best Places Near Wrocław For Everyone Planning A Quick Escape From The City
