Through Niedzica estates

Rodzaj nawierzchni:
asfaltowe ścieżki rowerowe
drogi publiczne

Rodzaj roweru:
SPD - trasy odpowiednie dla każdego rodzaju roweru, tzn. szosowego, crossowego i górskiego/MTB
TRK - trasy odpowiednie dla roweru crossowego i górskiego/MTB

Niedzica Castle, Dunajec River Gorge, Czorsztyn Lake, Red Monastery - these names will definitely get you on your bike. But this route offers even more, to be honest, a lot more. This trip is a meeting with still little-known corners of Spiš, which hide surprising landscapes, monuments, and nature. The fact of crossing the border and being on the Polish or Slovakian side is no longer important, once you delve into the rich and multicultural traditions of Niedzica areas.

Total length: 82.5 kmTotal ascent: 1130 mRiding time (without breaks): 5 h 37 minRequired experience: considerableNecessary physical fitness: highStart and end: Sromowce Wyżne / Niżne, Krempachy, Červený Kláštor, other (loop)Access: car
Notes:Helmets required in Slovakia Identity document necessary on the Slovakian side
Main attractions of the route:
Dursztyn area: one of a few villages, where not so long ago all roads used to end. Unrivaled views on the roof of Polish Spiš.Spiš buildings: parallel streets, barns arranged in neat rows, and the swallowtail shaped church tower.Lake Czorsztynskie: mountains and lakes always form a picturesque connection. It’s no different this time.Niedzica Castle: an amazing stronghold protecting… the Hungarian border throughout the years. Add to it the Inca gold - that’s the history of Spiš.Sromowieckie Lake: a smaller brother of Czorsztyńskie Lake, however, not less ambitious when it comes to the views.Red Monastery: hidden monastery, which used to have a crucial meaning in the past; this is where the legendary monk, Cyprián z Červeného Kláštora, lived; it is also where the first Slovakian translation of the Bible was created.Dunajec River Gorge: one of the most beautiful routes in the area, high rocky alps, the green forests, and the ripple of Dunajec.Haligovske skalý, Three Crowns - Pieniny: even though they are small, when it comes to area, they have a very ambitious form - steep slopes and picturesque rocks, so different from the neighbouring Beskids.


Description:
We leave the car around Polana Sosny. The first part of the trail is a mild ascent to Kacwin, “the cat’s nook” (that’s the theory behind the name’s origin). In Kacwin, we change the direction and go west. The next 15 km lead up and down the hills, on the course of the Route around the Tatras, running through undiscovered corners: vast spaces, startling panoramas, grazing cows and sheep, and the Tatras on the horizon - an unforgettable experience.
Through Kacwin, Łapsze, and Dursztyn, we get to Krempachy, where you can still observe the characteristic Spiš urban layout. We go further, from Krempachy to Frydman, through an almost flat, idyllic landscape; the impatient ones can go to the Lake already in Frydman. The route, however, leads further, through Velo Dunajec route and Falsztyn, all the way to Niedzica Castle, where we can learn about the riches of the area. Such a small region had many cultural influences: Slovakian, Polish, Hungarian, German, and Jewish. Supposedly, you can still find the Inca gold treasure here.
After visiting the Castle, we go to Sromowieckie Lake, not so big, but a very picturesque lake. Further on, moving along the left bank of Dunajec, all the way to Sromowiec, where crossing the bridge, we enter Slovakia. Before we get taken aback by the extraordinary views of the Dunajec Gorge, it’s worth visiting the Red Monastery, such an important place in the history of the region, and the whole of Slovakia. This is where the first Slovakian translation of the Bible was created. Here, as well, monk Cyprián used to start his flights to Morskie Oko (Eye of the Sea).
After the Gorge, we patiently go up Lesnické Sedlo, from where, among the terraced fields and the high Haligovske skalý, we get back down to the Red Monastery. 
For the last part of this trail, from the Red Monastery to Polana Sosny, you can choose to go on the public road (on the Slovakian side), or, partially, on the Velo Dunajec trail (on the Polish side). 
Photo report from the trip on 22nd June 2019, with photos and descriptions: http://www.szlakwokoltatr.eu/aktualnosc/wycieczka-nr-2--przez-niedzickie-wlosciA must see!