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Nowa Słupia
Puszcza Jodłowa is the customary name for the forests covering the Łysogóry range in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. It was made famous by Stefan Żeromski, who devoted a separate work to the place and returned to it in later books. The most popular way in leads from Nowa Słupia, at the foot of Łysa Góra.
The backbone of the stand is upland fir forest — a formation rarely found in such a compact form, and in Poland occurring mainly in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and in Roztocze. Old firs reach impressive sizes here, with beeches and sycamores growing between them, while the undergrowth hides rare and protected species. Large parts of the forest have been excluded from forestry, so the woodland lives by its own rules: dead trees stay where they fall and regeneration happens naturally.
The hike begins at the distinctive wooden gate in Nowa Słupia, which has itself become a recognisable symbol of the region. From there the trail runs among tall firs, climbing gradually towards the ridge of the Łysogóry and the rock fields known as gołoborza. Even a short one-hour walk is enough to feel the mood of an old forest — the cool air, the half-light and the rustle of crowns overhead.
The routes are well marked but mostly unsurfaced, so proper shoes come in handy, and after rain or in early spring the ground can be muddy. In winter the climb to the ridge is harder and takes more time. You cannot drive into the forest itself — the car or motorhome stays in Nowa Słupia and you continue on foot.
