Trail of the Beginnings of Metallurgy

The Szlak Początków Hutnictwa (Trail of the Beginnings of Metallurgy) is a blue hiking trail about 21 km long, leading from Rybnik through Szczejkowice to Żory. It is one of the trails devoted to the history of metallurgy.

What is on the route

The main attraction of the trail is the ruins of the "Waleska" ironworks and the furnace-top tower (wieża gichtowa). A photograph of the tower on Commons is captioned as the furnace-top tower of the "Waleska" ironworks of 1835, in Palowice.

Route and marking

The trail is single-stage and marked in blue. It runs from Rybnik, through Szczejkowice, to Żory.

At the end of the trail in Żory

In Żory you can look in at the City Museum in Żory or rest in the Cegielnia Park in Żory.

Practical information

• Start of the trail: Rybnik, end: Żory, via Szczejkowice.
• Marking: blue; check the current route and the condition of the ruins before setting out with PTTK or the municipalities through which the trail runs.