Translated by Google Translate.
If you like walking, trekking, swinging in a hammock, riding a bike, exploring the monuments and history of the region, reaching the mountains and exploring the valleys, you couldn't have come to a better place. If you don't want to leave the yard, no problem. From the terrace you can watch Bobasa's horse, which belongs to our uncle, silently admire the deer that regularly enter the meadow and our stream, listen to what's squeaking in the grass, and there's a lot going on. It sometimes happens that a shepherd, as part of a neighborly banquet, brings his sheep - natural lawnmowers - to us, and then the silence turns into a bleating choir. Apart from that, nothing happens. Greenery, forest, hill, beautiful sunsets and a cottage with access to peace and quiet.
The hamlet of Leszczyna, on the sidelines of which our tiny estate is located, is a district of Istebna rich in regional folklore and culture. Many former and current members of the band live here and continue their tradition to this day.
Music is played here during family celebrations and social gatherings. There's a good chance that singing will reach you too. It is worth going out to the hillside next to the cottage and listening to regional folklore. The closer to the source, the more interesting the experience, so a walk will be advisable.
Istebna, together with the villages of Jaworzynka and Koniaków, forms Trójwieś Beskidzka. You probably already guess that a trip to Koniaków and Jaworzynka is a must when visiting us.
If you come to us in winter, be sure to take your sled, because you can practice downhill skiing in front of the house. For all kinds of skiers and snowboarders there is:
- Zagroń Complex.
- Złoty Groń ski resort.
- Kubalonka Pass, close to which there are cross-country trails and biathlon shooting ranges. As well as numerous tourist trails, including the Main Beskid Trail.
In the summer, you can walk to Kubalonka, Złoty Groń, Stecówka or Ochodzita, from where you will admire beautiful, picturesque panoramas of the Mała Fatra and the Tatra Mountains. From Stecówka, you can follow the red trail to the Przysłopie Shelter. From there it's less than 3 km. they separate you from the peak of Barania Góra and the observation tower. Another route worth taking is the little-used road to the sources of the Olza River. Even preschoolers will be able to do it, because the route is always on an asphalt road, so you can go there with a stroller or on a bicycle. The bicycle route is 13 km long and runs like this: Tourist border crossing Istebna-Bukovec in the Olza valley - Istebna Sawmill - Istebna Zaolzie - slopes of Gańczorka - source of the Olza. Before you reach your destination, along the way, in Gańczorka, you will see a picturesque retention reservoir on the Olza River with a waterfall. From there it is only a few steps (approx. 30 minutes) to the sources of the Olza River. We recommend drinking the water from the spring, it is clean, cold and tasty. There is even a booth next to the spring with a tourist information number, and inside there are metal cups for drinking water.
If you are curious about what Istebna looked like in the 19th century, how the highlanders lived and what they created, we have a few places worth visiting:
- Kawulok Cottage, built in 1863, was included in the Wooden Architecture Trail. Jan Kawulok - a creator of folk instruments, a multi-instrumentalist and a storyteller - lived and created there. The house is now a museum where you can see musical instruments and a number of equipment for their maintenance and care.
- The Jan Wałach Museum is a wooden cottage located in the forest. It was the workshop of the painter, woodcut artist and graphic artist Jan Wałach. It is here that you can admire how the artist lived and created.
- Jan Juroszek's Forge, to which the owner himself invites you. You can see here a presentation of the works of artistic blacksmithing that you forge.
- The Konarzewski Family Studio is another art museum worth visiting in Istebna. Here you will learn about the fate of the mentioned family, take part in artistic workshops, buy a painting and see objects belonging to the composer Stanisław Konarzewski, paintings and sculptures by Ludwik Konarzewski, and paintings by Iwona and Antoni Konarzewski.
- Istebnian Spruce Museum in Jaworzynka.
- Koniaków Lace Museum.
If you like bicycle trips and more hardcore trips, be sure to take your two wheels. We have quite a lot of routes of various degrees of difficulty here. Such as a dozen or a hundred kilometers. Road enthusiasts will find paradise here, which is why you will meet so many cyclists on the way to us. The stages of the Tour de Pologne run through the local surroundings, thanks to the diverse terrain.
In nearby Ustroń, on Palenica, you will find a bike park for those who need a higher level of adrenaline and like to fly on prepared routes.
We offer advice to DH and enduro enthusiasts, Wojtek has tested all bike parks in the area.