Green Velo

Sunbathed Świętokrzyskie striped costumes, picturesque gorges, mysterious rocks and thick forests inspiring writers and poets – we invite you to make a trip under the vigilant eye of Łysica, called the queen of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, and its sister mountains: Radostowa, Wymyślona and Klonówka. Find out why Stefan Żeromski longed for his little homeland, learn Świętokrzyskie legends and rest on the banks of streams and rivers. Prepare for an adventure in the heart of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains! You will start your adventure in the parking area near the Glass House Educational Centre – Stefan Żeromski’s Manor-House at the foot of Radostowa Mountain. Here in the former place of the writer’s residence, you can see a replica of the manor house of the Żeromski family and an object commemorating the idea of glass houses from the novel The Spring to Come. Riding onto the main road past the bus stop, turn left; after taking the long bend, turn right towards Masłów. After going through the bridge on the Lubrzanka, you will enter the steep uphill road towards the Masłów Mountain Range beside the cemetery. Arrive at the crossroads and turn right to the marks of the yellow trail. Ride the dirt road along the Masłów Mountain Range and turn left on the asphalt road. Following ul. Marszałka Piłsudskiego, ride uphill to the turning into ul. Podklonówka. Here you can enjoy a magnificent view of Kielce and Domaniówka Mountain spreading out on the right. Following the forest road, ride out beside the viewing platform on Klonówka. From there you can watch a panorama of the Brzechowskie and Dymińskie Mountain Ranges. On the way, you can rest near the legendary Devil’s Stone. Continue the trip along the yellow trail through the forest until you come across a steep downhill road that will take you to the gorge of the Lubrzanka river. In the Baków farm, turn towards Podmąchocice, pass the bridge on the Lubrzanka and stick to the asphalt road. In Bęczków, ride left beside the church. When you arrive in Krajno Parcele, you will see Stróżna Mountain and Łysica – the highest summit of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains – on the right. Looking behind in Krajno Pierwsze, you will see the southern ranges of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. Here you can see a monument to folk poets. At the junction past Krajno Pierwsze, turn left and then right towards a steep downhill section. You will see the Klonowskie Mountain Range, Psarska Mountain and Miejska Mountain in front of you. At the bottom, turn right to the Miniature Park at the crossroads in Krajno Zagórze. Riding out towards Św. Katarzyna, you will come across a long uphill section. Head for the centre of the village; going beside the Museum of Minerals, turn left towards Ciekoty, where you will arrive through the Wilków Valley, called the “valley of poets.”

Course of the trail :

• Ciekoty – 0 km
• Brzezinki – 2 km
• Mąchocice Scholasteria – 4 km
• Masłów Drugi – 6 km
• Viewing Platform on Klonówka – 5 km
• Devil's Stone – 5 km
• Ameliówka – 11 km
• Mąchocice – 12 km
• Bęczków – 14 km
• Krajno Pierwsze – 18 km
• Krajno Zagórze – 5 km
• Święta Katarzyna – 23 km
• Wilków – 5 km
• Ciekoty – 29 km

Trip options :

Having left Ameliówka along the marks of the blue hiking trail, you can head straight for the Glass House Educational Centre in Ciekoty.

On the trail from Święta Katarzyna to Ciekoty, it is possible to turn right towards the reservoir in Wilków (0.6 km).

Marking and infrastructure :

The loop-shaped trail is marked sufficiently according to the marking standard for PTTK tourist cycling and hiking trails – direction marks are painted on trees in blue, green, red and yellow. Colours of marks on particular sections occur separately or beside one another:

• Bridge on the Lubrzanka – Bus stop in Mąchocice Scholasteria (first crossing): green marks
• Bus stop in Mąchocice Scholasteria (junction) – Masłów Drugi – Klonówka Mountain: yellow marks. Klonówka Mountain – Devil’s Stone: marks of the red hiking trail. You must ride off the red hiking trail towards yellow marks, which will take you to the gorge of the Lubrzanka.
• Gorge of the Lubrzanka – Downhill way to Podmąchocice: blue marks.
• Downhill way to Podmąchocice – Bęczków – Krajno Parcele – Krajno Pierwsze – Krajno Zagórze (Miniature Park): no marks.
• Miniature Park – Święta Katarzyna: marks of the blue hiking trail.
• Święta Katarzyna (environs of the Gallery of Minerals and Fossils) – Ciekoty: green marks. From Ciekoty to the Lubrzanka river, Family Cycling Trails are marked (marks on trees and plates); the marking of this trail is unconventional, with the symbol of a black bike placed against a yellow background.

Surface :

• 88% – asphalt surface, 12% – ground surface.
• The trail leads mainly through an asphalt road with the low intensity of car traffic. After around 5 km, the trail leads through the forest towards Klonówka Mountain and Devil's Stone – it is one of the most difficult sections of the trip, where you must watch out for the wet and boggy surface during rainfalls.
• There are height differences along the entire trail, including the largest one on the Mąchocice Kapitulne – Bęczków – Krajno Parcele.
• A steep downhill section of around 1 km runs from Dąbrówka Mountain.

List of attractions on the trail :

• Glass House Educational Centre – Stefan Żeromski’s Manor-House, Ciekoty 76, 26-001 Masłów, phone +48 41 311 21 28, e-mail: szklanydom@maslow.pl, szklanydom.maslow.pl
• Amusement and Miniature Park SABAT KRAJNO, Krajno Zagórze 43 c, 26-008 Górno, phone +48 692 435 319, e-mail: osrodek@sabatkrajno.pl, sabatkrajno.pl
• Parish of St. Catherine – Monastery of the Bernardine Nuns, ul. Kielecka 2, 26-010 Święta Katarzyna, phone 41 311 21 35
• Museum of Minerals and Fossils, Ewa i Dariusz Siemońscy, Święta Katarzyna, ul. Kielecka 20, 26-010 Bodzentyn, phone 501 282 697, e-mail: muzeum.mineralow@op.pl, swkatarzyna-muzeum.pl