Wapienica Valley and Wielka Łąka Reservoir
Town:
check_circle Flat roads
check_circle Large-wheeled stroller
check_circle Mainly in the shade
check_circle Restaurant or bar nearby
check_circle Convenient parking
check_circle Accessible by public transport
Wapienica Valley, near the Wielka Łąka water reservoir in Bielsko-Biała, is a great place for a walk in the forest. The paths are comfortable, and there is a large car park and places to eat nearby.
How to get to Wapienica Valley in Bielsko-Biała
Wapienica Valley is in the south-western part of Bielsko-Biała, a city in southern Poland. You can get there by city bus, line 16 from the main railway station. Get off at the stop called Wapienica Zapora. You can also come by car. The car park is on Tartaczna Street.
Things to see in Wapienica Valley
The main attraction of Wapienica Valley is its quiet and easy forest roads and walking paths. Even though it is close to a large city, nature here still feels natural. Many protected plant species grow here. The nearby forest areas are protected by two nature reserves: "Stok Szyndzielni" and "Jaworzyna".
The main walking paths are on the eastern, right side of the valley, going up along the Barbara stream. You can also find places to eat here, near the car park and near the dam.
Wapienica - waterfall on the Wapieniczanka stream
An interesting place in the valley is the artificial waterfall on the Wapieniczanka stream. You can see it well from the blue trail, on the left, western side of the valley. If you are very careful, you can go down to the water level, but the paths on the river bank are very steep.
Wielka Łąka Reservoir
In the centre of the valley there is the artificial Wielka Łąka Lake. It collects water from the Barbara and Błatnia streams. The reservoir was created after the building of the dam named after President Ignacy Mościcki, in the years 1929-1933. Today it is used as a water source for the city of Bielsko-Biała. It is not possible to walk across the top of the dam.
Luisental - Luiza Valley
Wapienica Valley was already a popular walking area for people from Bielsko in the 19th century. Duchess Luiza Sułkowska (1790-1848) often came here. This is why the valley was called "Luisental", which means Luiza Valley.
Mountain trails from Wapienica Valley
If you want more than an easy forest walk, you can also start a real mountain hike from Wapienica Valley. The yellow trail, on the eastern side of the valley, leads to Szyndzielnia. From the car park it is about 5 km, with almost 600 m of height difference, so it takes about 2 hours one way. The blue trail, on the western side, goes through Palenica and Wysokie to Błatnia:
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Blue trail from Wapienica Valley to Błatnia
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