Kozi Wierch

Peaks: Kozi Wierch (2291m)

Area: Tatra, Poland

A major Tatra peak and the highest mountain entirely in Poland. I had a few different options today, but the obvious one was to take a bus in the opposite direction to yesterday and head to Lysa Polana on the Slovak border. I have been here twice before: once in 1999 when Kate and I walked up to Morskie Oko, the famed lake which acts as a scenic focal point for the Polish Tatra, and once in 2007 when Pete and I descended to the border from our traverse of the Slovak Tatra. I considered going for Polish highpoint Rysy today, but felt its north-facing slopes would be too high and potentially icy. Indeed, given the time of year I felt I was playing a percentage game throughout - being deliberately unambitious but also more likely to achieve my objectives by the use of some basic mountain nous! As such, I decided to break off from the touristy Morskie Oko path after 4k to head up towards the famous 'five Polish lakes', a collection of beautiful high mountain tarns. The route towards this follows the wooded Roztoki valley, high sided and - as a result - sunless, very cold and frosty. The scenery was excellent, however, and as the treeline is left a short rocky section leads to a waterfall. Above this, after another sharp climb, everything changes as the upper valley is reached. This is entirely different: the five lakes (all different sizes) shimmering in a flat open valley with big peaks rising on both sides. The Roztoki flows from the biggest lake, the Wielka Staw Polski, which glinted and dazzled in the bright sunshine, and the path then hugs its shore heading towards the pass of Zawrat. Half way along, I broke off for Kozi Wierch, which is not that impressive from this side, just a hulking mass of rock and grass. I enjoyed the climb initially, however, although it dragged towards the top (it's a big peak). Higher up, it gets rocky and emerges very suddenly at the small summit, on the 'Orla Perc' ridge itself. Stunning views in more crystal clarity, particularly towards Swinica, which is magnificent from this angle - with the ridge leading all the way there. In the other direction, the ridge led to Granaty, and further south views stretched over to Hruby Stit, Rysy and beyond. Below shone the high lake I'd sat beside on Saturday, and this gave rise to another piece of mountain judgment which I may or may not have got right. I considered following the Orla Perc for a while until an escape route led down to the lake for a full traverse to Zakopane. This would no doubt have been superb but again I felt there was a risk of verglas (in stark contrast to the sun-drenched western slopes I'd just ascended Kozi Wierch by). The percentage game was played again, and I descended back to the Polish lakes, looping up to what may be the most beautifully located refuge in the range, on the shores of the smaller Przedni Staw Polski. This was just wonderful, with the sun dropping over the lake, the sky every shade of blue as it met the mountains, and me dining on the classic Polish style tomato soup. I completed a little loop by taking the high path above to Rostoki valley then dropping steeply down to gain the ascent route. A lovely descent through the increasingly cold woodland, very atmospheric with virtually nobody around (extremely unusual in the Tatra!) until regaining the Morskie Oko track back to the roadhead.