Green Velo

The bicycle trail between Maleniec and Niekłań is part of the international Berlin – Lviv bike trail. The section running in the Świętokrzyskie Province is signposted in blue.

The route from Maleniec to Niekłań is about 50 km long and leads through the picturesque Konecka Land, mainly through forests. The trail is quite long and requires a cyclist to be in good shape. Points of interest include numerous monuments and interesting natural places, and it is suitable for a longer bike trip for more experienced cyclists.

The general route of the trail is as follows: Maleniec (0.0 km) - Koliszowy (3.2 km) - Nowy Dziebałtów (13.3 km) - Sielpia Wielka (16.0 km) – Piekło (21.5 km) – Niebo (23.2 km) - Końskie (26.4 km) - Końskie, centre (28.4 km) - Czarna (39.8 km) - Czarniecka Góra (43 km) - Stąporków (42.8 km) - Niekłań Wielki (50.9 km).

From Niekłań, like from Maleniec, you can plan a further route in many directions. The area is attractive in terms of nature, heavily forested, and the area is rather flat, suitable for cycling. There are no major industrial plants and towns nearby.

This section of the trail starts in the village of Maleniec. This is a small village, located in the forests growing in the Czarna River valley, an inflow of Pilica. Since the end of the 18^th century, this area has been highly industrialized, forming part of the Staropolskie Zagłębie Przemysłowe (Old Polish Industrial Region). This was favoured by its location in the neighbourhood of iron ore deposits, wood resources from nearby forests and numerous rivers that powered mill wheels, as well as hammers and rolls for forging machines and other industrial machinery. Some of the old factories have survived to this day, and a Museum of Technology was established in the former rolling mill and nailing plants. It is one of the most interesting facilities of this type in Poland, holding very interesting, original exhibits and equipment from old production plants.

The trail runs from Maleniec, running along the Czarna River valley to south-east direction. Through the locality of Dziebałtów it goes to the locality of Sielpia Wielka. It is the largest holiday resort in the Świętokrzyskie Province, located among vast pine forests. The amenities include a 60-hectare artificial lake with a sandy beach, numerous tourist centres, water equipment rentals and many hiking and bike trails. In the 19th century, one of the largest industrial plants in the Zagłębie Staropolskie region operated here. Currently, it houses a museum of metallurgical technology, the Museum of the Old Polish Industrial Region. To this day, a huge metal drive wheel with a diameter of 8 metres and many unique machines and devices used for iron melting and treatment have been preserved. The trail goes past the artificial lake in Sielpia and then runs deeply into the vast forests surrounding the locality of Końskie. This gives visitors a unique opportunity to visit the localities of Piekło (Hell) and Niebo (Heaven), two mid-forest villages, less than two kilometres apart. Then it leads to the town Końskie, the largest town in the region. The beautiful park complex with a classical palace and numerous, interesting structures (conservatory, a Greek temple and other) is a must see, as is the Gothic church, the St. Nicholas collegiate church, and several other monuments. Near the park starts (or ends) the Green Velo trail, almost 2,000 kilometres long.

The trail from Końskie leads through the forests to the southeast, to the locality of Czarna, approaching the Czarna River valley again. You can see here a small Marian sanctuary. Then the route runs to the village of Góra Czarniecka. Before the Second World War it was a popular health resort. Currently, these traditions are continued by the Świętokrzyskie Rehabilitation Centre, and the village has preserved many quaint, pre-war, wooden houses. The trail runs from the former resort to the nearby town of Stąporków. There were also numerous industrial plants of the Old Polish Industrial Region located here in the past. From the town of Stąporków, the trail runs north to the village of Niekłań Wielki. There is a historic church and a park dating back to the 19^th century, but the most interesting things in the area are rock formations in the Skałki Piekło Pod Niekładniem Nature Reserve, one of the most interesting geological nature reserves in Poland.

Points of interest along the trail:

1. Maleniec - Museum of Technology
2. Sielpia Wielka - Museum of the Old Polish Industrial Region
3. Piekło (Hell) and Niebo (Heaven) - two villages next to each other
4. Końskie - a palace, park, church
5. Czarna - sanctuary
6. Niekłań - "Skałki Piekło" Nature Reserve

The entire trail is suitable for bicycles with panniers/bike trailers. The trail runs only on roads without road traffic or on local roads with a low and very low volume of traffic; no dangerous intersections. A recreational trail. A trail with special qualities of cultural heritage.

Starting point:

Maleniec

Finishing point:

Niekłań Wielki