Chełmiec 851 meters above sea level – Wałbrzyskie Mountains
Chełmiec is the second-highest peak in the Wałbrzyskie Mountains and is included in the Crown of Polish Mountains (KGP). How did that happen? Just read on!
Table of Contents:
- Chełmiec – not the highest peak of the Wałbrzyskie Mountains
- Observation tower
- Cross on Mount Chełmiec
- The legend of the Tobmetzen witch from the tall forest
- Tourist trails to Chełmiec
- Parking areas at the base of Chełmiec
The stamp is located at the entrance to the observation tower! 🙂
Chełmiec – not the highest peak of the Wałbrzyskie Mountains
Chełmiec Mountain (German: Hochwald – meaning “High Forest”) stands at 851 meters above sea level and belongs to the Chełmiec massif, which is part of the Central Sudetes range. It is the second-highest peak in the Wałbrzyskie Mountains, with the highest being Borowa Mountain at 853 meters above sea level, listed in the Polish Mountain Diadem. So how did the higher peak end up in the Diadem while the lower one joined the Polish Crown of Mountains (KGP)? It’s quite simple! A significant error occurred during the height measurement. Chełmiec’s height was originally measured from the tower on its summit. According to the old measurement, Chełmiec stood at 869 meters above sea level, making it higher than Borowa and qualifying it for the Polish Mountain Crown. However, after corrections, it was found that Chełmiec is 2 meters lower but still retained its place in the KGP.
Observation tower
The observation tower was designed in 1886 as a scaled-down replica of Drachenfels Castle on the Rhine and financed by Hans Heinrich XV von Hochberg (a family also connected to Książ Castle). The observation tower on Mount Chełmiec was opened on August 5, 1888. Later, a wooden restaurant was added. Over the years, it changed hands multiple times, eventually coming under the administration of the Spa Municipal Commune of Szczawno-Zdrój, which carried out necessary renovations and restored the tower for tourism.
Opening hours: Friday – Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Tickets: Free entry
Cross on Mount Chełmiec
At the summit of Mount Chełmiec stands the highest mountain cross in Europe. The structure was erected in 2000, reaching a height of 45 meters, and was funded through donations from the faithful. Field masses and local pilgrimages are held beneath the Millennium Cross.
In 2001, the Way of the Cross of Miners’ Hardships was established, originating in Boguszów-Gorce and consisting of 14 stations marked by granite plaques. The path follows the green trail, which provides an easy, leisurely route to the summit.
The legend of the Tobmetzen witch from the tall forest
Have you heard the legend of the witch Tobmetzen? She was similar to our Slavic Baba Yaga, with the difference being that Tobmetzen did not feast on children. According to tales from the Wałbrzych region, she lived in an old quarry on Mount Chełmiec. Tobmetzen practiced her own kind of pedagogy, and anyone who dared insult her quickly regretted it.
Like any witch, Tobmetzen was not known for her beauty and could only be looked at briefly. Perhaps this was because she did her major laundry only once a year, in the spring. Many were startled when they spotted her on one of their meadows, drying laundry on the grass or hanging it on branches.
Tobmetzen had a peculiar way of teaching. She would abduct children from their homes, take them to her meadow, and let them pick as many flowers and fruits as they wanted. Naughty children, however, were taken to her home—an old quarry, dark, damp, and filled with snakes, salamanders, toads, and beetles. She fed them leaves and mushrooms. They sat on bare ground, counting needles on a particular spruce tree she pointed out, and once finished, she would have them start all over again. They also had to extract seeds from spruce cones. In the end, Tobmetzen would escort the children back home, give them sweet buns, and tuck them into bed. However, she was so absent-minded that she sometimes left them in a completely different village.
When Mount Chełmiec was shrouded in fog after a rainstorm, locals would say that Tobmetzen was brewing some kind of misfortune in her cauldron. From time to time, she liked to educate adults as well. One day, two lumberjacks who were neighbors went into the forest to work. One of them had recently married off his daughter and had a life filled with good fortune, while the other had a sick child and was plagued by bad luck. While cutting trees, they were approached by an old, unattractive woman wearing a peculiar hat with a feather and carrying a basket. She handed each lumberjack a pinecone and left.
The unlucky lumberjack thanked her and tucked the cone into his pocket, while the other hurled it after her with a curse. Upon returning home, the first lumberjack found his child healthy, while the second found that his newlywed daughter had fallen and broken her arm and leg.
True to witchly ways, Tobmetzen secretly milked the villagers’ cows, smashed milk cans, and drove cattle deep into the Chełmiec wilderness, making them nearly impossible for shepherds to find.
So, dear traveler, remember: In May, avoid the local meadows—no one likes to be disturbed at their challenging work. Always keep an eye on your children; if you don’t, they may wander off with someone who pays them attention. Don’t graze cattle in the forest, and if someone gives you a pinecone as a gift, thank them and keep it in your pocket for good luck.
Tourist trails to Chełmiec
Trail: Boguszów-Gorce – Rosochatka – Chełmiec (green trail) Time: 1:24 Distance: 3.5 km
The green trail from Boguszów-Gorce is the easiest route. The path is wide, even, and perfect for walking, biking, or family outings. This route also features the Way of the Cross of Miners’ Hardships.
Trail: Boguszów-Gorce – Rosochatka – Chełmiec (yellow trail) Time: 1:12 Length: 2.8 km
This route mostly follows the green trail; at the Rosochatka pass, you continue straight along the yellow trail. There’s a fairly steep 900-meter climb to the summit. I recommend taking this trail up and then leisurely descending via the green trail.
Trail: Szczawno-Zdrój – Chełmiec (blue trail) Time: 1:05 Length: 2.5 km
It is the shortest trail, but also the most challenging. If you love a good challenge, the blue trail is for you! I don’t recommend descending this trail (and everyone in the Guest Book agrees).
Trail: Lubomin – Długa – Chełmiec (green trail) Time: 1:45 Length: 4.3 km
Trail: Boguszów-Gorce Zachód – Mały Chełmiec – Chełmiec (blue trail) Time: 1:10 Lenght: 2,7 km
Trasa: Wałbrzych Biały Kamień – Rosochatka – Chełmiec (yellow trail) Time: 1:50 Lenght: 4,4 km
Parking areas at the base of Chełmiec
- 58-370 Boguszów-Gorce – Geographical coordinates at the green trail entrance: 50.76144109374305, 16.203973800031594
- Wałbrzych, Biały Kamień – Piasta 47, 58-304 Wałbrzych
- Lubomin – Główna 53, 58-311 Lubomin
If my article helped you plan your route and gather the necessary information, I would be grateful for your support in making my dreams come true by buying me a coffee!
