Shelter under Durbaszka - trails in the area
Pod Homolami 434-460 Szczawnica
check_circle Outdoors
check_circle Mainly in the sun
The Shelter under Durbaszka, or the Mountain School and Recreation Center, is a must-visit spot for hiking in the Small Pieniny Mountains! This atmospheric place offers simple meals, drinks, accommodations, and above all, a moment of relaxation during a mountain excursion.
Where is the Shelter under Durbaszka located?
The shelter is located just below the main ridge of the Small Pieniny Mountains at an altitude of 850 meters above sea level, about 3 km from the summit of Wysoka and less than 6 km from the upper station of the cable car to Palenica from Szczawnica. You can see the exact location on the map in the article header.
The shelter is situated on a spacious meadow, which has its advantages, such as the beautiful view of the neighboring Beskid Range, Pasmo Radziejowej. The downside is that there is not much shade here on a hot day.
Important note: due to the youth and school character of the shelter, alcohol is not sold here. Those interested in staying overnight should book in advance (the center is not a PTTK shelter and is not obliged to accommodate every tourist for the night).
How to get to the Shelter under Durbaszka?
You can easily reach the shelter by hiking along the ridge of the Small Pieniny Mountains from either the Przełęcz Rozdziela and Wysoka side or the Szczawnica, Palenica, and Wysoki Wierch side. The turn to the shelter is marked with a visible signpost:
The shortest and easiest route to the Shelter under Durbaszka
The easiest way to reach the Shelter under Durbaszka is via the access road, an unmarked road from Jaworki. This road has a moderate incline, is wide, stony, and offers great views. You can walk here, use a stroller with large wheels (it won't be easy, but it's possible), or ride a mountain bike.
Easy
The Easiest Route from Jaworki to Durbaszka
From Szczawnica and Palenica to the Shelter under Durbaszka
You can also reach the shelter on foot from Szczawnica, for example, by using the chairlift to Palenica. It will be an easy and very scenic (although quite long) ridge walk:
Easy
From Palenica through Wysoki Wierch to the Shelter under Durbaszka
History of the Shelter under Durbaszka
What else is worth knowing about the Shelter under Durbaszka? This place has a very interesting history!
It begins shortly after World War II when it was decided to create "model shepherd's huts" on the meadows around the evacuated Lemko village. Podhale shepherds and their flocks of sheep, which were "evacuated" from the Tatra Mountains, were supposed to find their place here. One of the four such huts was built under Durbaszka. Unfortunately, the idea of modernizing the "collectivization" of sheep grazing did not appeal to the shepherds who cherished their tradition, and the huts gradually fell into ruins...
The deteriorating shepherd's hut was discovered by scouts from Krakow, and thanks to the initiative of the scout instructor hm. Władysław Piliński "PUCKA," with the help of the authorities of the City of Krakow, they created their base here. The building underwent a thorough reconstruction and today, as the Mountain School and Recreation Center "Pod Durbaszką" named after W. Piliński, it is a branch of the Youth Cultural House "Dom Harcerza" in Krakow.
Publish Date: 2023-09-01
More in the Region Pieniny (Pieniny)
Total Length 126 km
