Dolina Chochołowska

General Description

In the lower part, with a length of approximately 4 km creates a deep gorge, where, as in the Valley Kościeliska constrictions are called gates. There are two such constrictions: Niznia Chocholowska Gate and Gate Vyšné Chocholowska. The upper part of the valley is separated into three main arms: Starorobociańską Valley, the Valley and the Valley Chochołowska Vyšné Jarząbczą. In addition to these major branches Chocholowska Valley has a much smaller valleys: Little Dry Valleys, Great Dry Valley, Valley Huciańska, Dudowa, Trzydniowiańska, Głębowiec, Long, Indoor, Big Koryciska, Small Koryciska and many gullies.

Chocholowska Valley is made up of two main types of rocks. Part of the southern (upper), above Gate Chocholowska Vyšné build crystalline rocks - gneiss and granite. Part of the northern (lower) build a sedimentary rock - shale, limestone chalk and Triassic dolomites. Different is also the geological origin of the parts of the valley. In the upper part, above the gate Chocholowska Vyšné dominated rock formations created by glaciers, the lower part, where it reached the glacier surface was modeled mainly by the flow and karst Chocholowska. The effect of these phenomena are also a number of karst caves with the largest chink Chochołowska the head, but none of them are not suitable for the provision of tourism.

Story

Owes its name to the valley a few kilometers away Chochołów village. The village was already in the sixteenth century, covered an area of ​​the Tatra Mountains between Wołowcem a Bobrowiec (more useful for agricultural and pastoral areas of the valley had already been assigned to other villages royal nadaniami older than Chocholow). With the presence of a large area in the valley meadows and halls, it became the largest center for pastoralism in the Tatras. In 1930, 70 young shepherds wypasało on it about 4000 sheep, 280 in addition wypasało cattle drovers. Was also a huge number of huts, cozy mountain huts and sheds.

Chocholowska Valley was also a past mining. From the sixteenth century it was carried out on mining and metallurgy, which lasted until the second half of the nineteenth century. Mined mainly iron ore, which was originally smelted on site, so they were brought later. Way of the steelworks in Reglami Kuźnice. Some of the names within the valley are being connected therewith (eg, Hall Old Robot, Polana Huciska).

The beautiful valley Chocholowska also met tourists. The first appeared here as early as the nineteenth century. One of them wrote: "Several huge peaks towering her proud face to the land of clouds, so it seems steep, the doubts, and let you can join on their faces". However, tourism initially focused mainly in the vicinity of the Tatra Mountains in Zakopane closer. Just before World War I gained more popularity valley, mainly due to skiers and taternikom focused on the wives and the Tatra Society, which built the shelter in the Valley Starorobociańskiej. In the years 1930-1932 Warsaw Ski Club built a large shelter at Glade Chochołowska. This greatly influenced the development of tourism in the valley, especially skiing. In 1938 an attempt here to beat the world record height of the balloon "Star Polish". Unfortunately, the wind is prevented, and the shell has been partially filled with hydrogen exploded.

During World War II in the Valley of the existing shelters and many shelters were the basis for the Polish and Soviet partisans. Summer of 1939, there were trained by the General Staff came saboteurs. In 1942 training was held under the Army command centers "Smrek" from the Western Highlands. During the fighting with the partisans in early January 1945, the Germans burned area shelters, numerous sheds and storage sheds. Chocholowska Valley was also the place where the Nazis shot the hostages and prisoners. The surrounding forests were felled for rabunkowo large plant timber Luftwaffe in Czarny Dunajec.

Modern Times

After World War II in the years 1951-1953 in place of the burnt by the Germans built a new shelter, a large shelter PTTK Chocholowska Glade, which became the main base for summer and winter tourism in this part of the Tatra Mountains. Chocholowska Glade was a favorite tourist destination of Karol Wojtyla, he would here many times. In June 1983 even as Pope John Paul II met at the hostel, after serving a walk to the Valley Jarząbczej with Lech Walesa and his family. This event commemorates the Tatra guides sponsored by the plaque on the wall shelter.

In the Valley of the film was shot Chocholowska Flood scene from the sleigh, and 7 episode Janosika.Tutaj have been carried out commando training and competitions Tatra Rescuers.

The valley is located in the Tatra National Park, but not his own, but belongs to the Community Forestry Eight Eligible Rural based in Witów. In 1983, the Highlanders regained the right to sue the management of their property. TPN only supervise their activities. Within the valley is carried Chocholowska forest and trees are cut. There is also shepherding, although not the same size as before. Because the glades are grazed, and some also mowed, they are not overgrowing forest, as unfortunately happens in the clearings owned by TPN.

Nature

As many as two thirds of the valley is covered with spruce forests. At the bottom of the valley are dolnoreglowe forests with an admixture of beech, fir and pine relic. The woods are white Tournaments - especially monks present themselves effectively and Siwiańskie Chocholowska turn. And crests of higher mountains are covered with grass, they look most attractive in autumn. Then we can watch them the whole rainbow of colors: the bright red clusters of discolored berries (there they are 3 species), purple heather, redhead shoots skuciny situ, yellow bliźniczki dog grass, and all this against the background of dark green clumps of dwarf pine. The attractions are too numerous glades and halls of shacks, most of them are still grazed. Spring bloom on them en masse crocus, Colchicum autumnal autumn and autumn species of gentians. Interesting flora. Among other things, Here was the presence of these rare plants in the Polish Carpathians, as szczwoligorz tartar, thistle Glowacz, storzan leafless, zarzyczka mountain sedge skąpokwiatowa [1]. Chocholowska Valley is also a wildlife refuge. Held in the rut of deer, bears, marmots and many other species are here living conditions.

Tourist Information

From Zakopane can be reached by numerous buses to Siwa Polana. From this point Chocholowska Valley is closed to motorized traffic. The Siwa Polana pay parking. Next move, you can:

    foot. Transition time to Glade Chocholowska: 2:10 h, 1:45 h ↓
    tourist train which runs every half hour and takes you to the Glade Huciska
    bike. Bicycle Works, which can reach further than the train, tractor, because the forester
    Highlander rides, which can reach even further - to the Glade Chochołowska


For entrance into the valley, as in the whole Tatras are collected kilkuzłotowe fees - tickets issued here but not TPN, but the Eight Eligible Community Forest Village.