Wilczy Jar

Wilczy Jar (“Wolf Ravine”) is a ravine in the Oczków district of Żywiec, at an altitude of 359 m above sea level. A road bridge crosses above the ravine, and from below a difficult descent leads to Lake Żywiec.

The bridge over the ravine

The reinforced-concrete bridge carries Krakowska street, a section of a voivodeship road. It is 103.75 m long and 9.94 m wide, and its main span is formed by two reinforced-concrete arches with a span of 40 metres. It was built in 1964. The contractor was KPRM Kielce and the designer was Henryk Snarski of Transprojekt Kraków.

Trails and recreation

Three waymarked walking trails start from Wilczy Jar: green to Stary Groń, green-and-blue to Jaworzyna (861 m) and green to Międzybrodzie Żywieckie. The third takes about 2 hours 20 minutes one way. The place is used by canoeists, and by the bridge there is bungee jumping. There are a car park and a viewpoint, and below lies Lake Żywiec.

The accident of 1978

On 15 November 1978 two buses plunged into the lake near the bridge, travelling 25 minutes apart, at excessive speed and in difficult weather conditions. Thirty people died, and the disaster is the second largest post-war road disaster in Poland. A plaque commemorating the victims is placed by the bridge, and ceremonies are held every year.

Practical information

• Location: Żywiec-Oczków, Krakowska street.
• The descent to the lake is difficult, so it calls for care and suitable footwear.
• In Żywiec it is worth combining a visit with the Municipal Museum.