Sowie Mountains Landscape Park

The Owl Mountains Landscape Park, located in the Middle Sudetes, stretches for approximately 18 km and encompasses the highest peaks of the region, such as Wielka Sowa, Kalenica, and Słoneczna. Established in 1991 on an area of 6,897 hectares, the park was later expanded to 8,141 hectares to protect its exceptional landscape and sightseeing values. Although the region is not renowned for outstanding natural features, its landscape is characterized by great diversity of forms, making it attractive to tourists. The Wielka Sowa massif, with its beautiful panoramas and dense lower montane forests, draws nature enthusiasts, and the park is crisscrossed by numerous hiking trails. The flora consists mainly of lower montane forests, including spruce forests with an admixture of beech, as well as unique plants such as stemless carline thistle and martagon lily. The park's fauna includes mouflon, deer, and rare birds, including owls and storks. The charm of the Owl Mountains is enhanced by unglaciated valleys and waterfalls, as well as exceptional landforms, with a minimum elevation of 450 m above sea level in Jodłownik and a maximum of 1,015 m above sea level. From a historical perspective, the area has a rich cultural and historical context, reflected in the local traditions and architecture. The region is characterized by stately buildings, as well as traces of human activity from bygone eras. The park also protects the Bukowa Kalenica Nature Reserve, which preserves valuable sections of the primeval Sudeten Forest. The region is a place where nature and history intertwine, offering visitors unforgettable experiences and a wealth of natural beauty worth exploring.