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Wieś Ryczów
Grochowiec Wielki is a limestone tor rising to 486 m above sea level, one of the highest in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. It stands barely two kilometres from the centre of Ryczów in Zawiercie County, amid the typical Jurassic landscape of fields, copses and scattered rocks. The plateau drops steeply towards the valley here, so the hill is visible from far away.
The summit offers a broad panorama of the surrounding villages and Jurassic hills, and in good visibility the Tatra range can be made out. The top itself is formed by several rocky outcrops bearing animal names: Słoń (Elephant), Nosorożec (Rhinoceros), Tapir and Pancernik (Armadillo). A metal cross stands beside them, the source of the local nickname Little Giewont. About thirty-five climbing routes have been bolted on the walls.
No marked hiking trail leads to Grochowiec, but the cross on the summit makes orientation much easier. From Ryczów it is most convenient to follow the Przylaszczkowy cycling route towards Żelazko and watch for the turn-off on the right — the approach is under two kilometres.
