Trail of the Eagles' Nests

The Trail of the Eagles' Nests (Szlak Orlich Gniazd) is a red walking trail 163.9 km long, running from Kraków to Częstochowa across the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. It links Lesser Poland and the Silesian Voivodeship, and its main axis is the medieval castles known as the eagles' nests.

Where the trail came from

The idea was put forward in 1927 by Stanisław Leszczycki in the journal "Ziemia". In 1930 the first red trail was marked out, which made an arc in the north-western area around Kraków across the Ojców Plateau and the Tenczyn Ridge.

In 1948 Kazimierz Sosnowski, a well-known hiker and guide, announced a project for a new route. In 1950 the trail was marked out with funds from the Ministry of Communications. The route was then changed many times so that it would pass through the most picturesque parts of the Upland. The trail is marked by PTTK, and its designations are SL-1 and KA-1.

Castles on the route

The trail passes strongholds built mainly in the 14th century. The strongholds of the trail include: Korzkiew, Ojców, Pieskowa Skała, Rabsztyn, Bydlin, Smoleń, Pilica, Ogrodzieniec, Bąkowiec in Morsko, Bobolice, Mirów and Olsztyn. Sometimes Tenczyn, Lipowiec, Siewierz and Wawel are also counted among the eagles' nests.

On the Silesian section the best known are the ruins in Ogrodzieniec, which we describe separately as Ogrodzieniec Castle Ruins. It is one of the most recognisable structures on the trail.

The section in the Silesian Voivodeship

According to the route table, the Silesian section leads through Ogrodzieniec (88.0 km from Kraków), Podzamcze (89.0 km), where the market square is an important tourist junction, and Karlin (93.0 km) with a wayside chapel. It then passes Żerkowice (95.5 km), Morsko (104.0 km) with the ruins of Bąkowiec castle, then Mirów and Bobolice with their castles, and Olsztyn (147.7 km), where the market square is a trail junction.

The route ends in Częstochowa at the Old Market Square (Stary Rynek), after 163.9 km. In the Ogrodzieniec area there is also a trail on a related theme: the Trail of the Jurassic Strongholds.

How to walk it

The route is varied in landscape: forests, gorges and limestone plateaus. The trail crosses numerous other walking and cycling routes, and access points link it with railway lines and nearby towns. There is also a cycling version, the Jurassic Cycling Trail of the Eagles' Nests.

On the Kraków - Ojców section the route enters the Ojców National Park; this stretch lies in Lesser Poland, not in the Silesian Voivodeship.

Practical information

• Marking: a red stripe; the trail runs from Kraków to Częstochowa.
• On the Silesian section the landmarks are Ogrodzieniec, Podzamcze, Morsko, Mirów, Bobolice and Olsztyn.
• Check the detailed route and current changes to the route on the PTTK map before you set out.