Who likes rain, rain in Cisna, is invited to Szumikada. The famous village, where in the Siekierezada bar Bieszczady residents drink draft beer straight from the "pipa", is a short bicycle trip from here. We are a little earlier, above the rustling Osława river below, where Darek's stairs lead along the escarpment. We have three curious goats that will inevitably come to nibble you, a cozy exclusive house with a large window overlooking the trees and as much heart as discretion towards our guests.
It is close to the trails, to the forest, to the pastures. To the now non-existent village of Balnica, marked by the history of Carpathian robbers, and to all 7 picturesque reserves of the Ciśniańsko-Wetliński Landscape Park, where we are located. It is also close to the peace of mind that comes easily under the starry sky of Bieszczady. Here you go for long walks, eat breakfast with a view on the terrace, read books in a hammock. And in autumn and winter, he warms his hands by the fireplace and thinks about all the beautiful things for which space will be made after returning from the Bieszczady Mountains.
Szumikada stands above the river gurgling below. On my partner's home ground, behind our house, which is far enough from the cottage that we don't get in each other's way. This is a house built with his own hands by Darek, who loves carpentry. The fireplace in the living room, covered with stones from the nearby river, is also his work.
The cottage has:
– 60 m²
– 6 sleeping places:
double bed under a large window on the mezzanine,
· 2 rooms with two single beds downstairs,
– a living room with a fireplace and a kitchenette on the
– a bathroom with a shower,
– a large terrace with a table and chairs.
4-6 people will be most comfortable here.
The plot around the house is not fenced, and the entire space surrounding it is at your disposal. We have our dog and three sociable goats: Terka, Ariel and Alex, so we invite you to spend a holiday without pets - we wouldn't want to scare our charges.
A few more words about the surroundings. Although you can't see it in the pictures, we are close to the road, not in the middle of nowhere. We don't think it's noisy, but you might hear the noise of cars. The house where we and our neighbor live separates Szumikada from the road - you are closer to the river. And we have here a flock of farm animals (hens, geese) that you can sometimes hear and that you can come across.
From the terrace you will also see the village church. Behind it is a fenced-in playground for children, and on Sunday at 9am there is a mass and church bells can be heard.
A basic equipped kitchen awaits you in the cottage - so that you can easily prepare a meal here, but not arrange a Master Chef. We have two cooking rings, so you don't have to cook the sausages in a kettle. But you won't bake the dough anymore, because there is no oven. Morning coffee is drunk here from a coffee maker - preferably on the steps leading down to the river.
There is no large dining table in the living room. It is smaller - the coffee type you sit next to on the couch and armchairs. It will be a bit like a dorm, just nicer, you'll see. In summer, however, it all tastes best at the table on the terrace, even if it is a Chinese soup.
First about boredom. We have conditions that are ahead of it here. Wola Michowa itself, although it is a beautiful corner of this region, will not overwhelm you with the enormity of attractions. If you plan to sit on the spot and cut yourself off from the world, we can offer you:
- swinging in a hammock and thinking about blue almonds,
- reading books on a deckchair in front of the cottage,
- feeding and fattening our friendly goats,
- walks in the forest,
- evening bonfires and barbecues in your own company,
- heating by the fireplace in the living room in autumn and winter.
Most likely, however, you will come to us to enjoy the Bieszczady Mountains. And it will be a very right move, because Szumikada is an excellent starting point for trips to the Bieszczady Mountains.
We are located in the Cisniańsko-Wetliński Landscape Park. Not that many have heard about it, and it houses as many as 7 nature reserves, protecting the most valuable natural points of this area. We also have important cultural and historical monuments, such as Lemko chyże near Cisna and Osława, or historic wooden Orthodox churches. We suggest what to see:
- A gravel road leads directly from Wola Michowa to the Żebrak Pass. It starts 800 m from our house and is an ideal route for a bicycle trip (7 km).
- If you go in the opposite direction, also along the 7-kilometer route, you will reach Balnica, that is… a non-existent village. Its history dates back to the 16th century, and the village ceased to exist after the 2nd century, when the entire Lemko population was displaced from there. Today, you visit a chapel, an Orthodox church, that is the remains of an old church, and take a look at the former railway building, where Wojtek Juda, an expert on the Bieszczady nature, resides.
- The Duszatyńskie Lakes are green landslide lakes hidden in the forest. The circumstances of their creation are interesting. The lakes formed in 1907, when the western slope of Chryszczata was torn off after spring downpours and thaws. Rare plant species grow here: floating knotweed and branch horsetail.
The main Beskid Trail (Komańcza - Prełuki - Duszatyn - Zwiezło - Chryszczata nature reserve) runs through the reserve. It is a trail that leads from Ustroń in the Silesian Beskids to Wołosate in the Bieszczady Mountains.
- The Bieszczady Forest Railway starts only 11 km from here. It is a famous narrow-gauge railway, the history of which dates back to the end of the 19th century. In it you can feel a bit like in the Wild West and admire the valleys of Bieszczady from open carriages. It's a tourist attraction but has a lot of charm. The cable car runs from May to October.
- The Sine Wiry nature reserve on the several-kilometer stretch of the Wetlina river will captivate you with the view of interesting rock formations on the river and the “Łosiem z Zawoju” - a tree resembling a moose.
- You may not know, but the thickest fir in Poland grows in the Bieszczady Mountains. He is called Lasumiła and has a circumference of 519 cm, and he is also ... 250 years old. The average age of Polish firs is 62 years. An easy mountain trail leads to Lasumiła with picturesque views along the way.
- There are numerous trails leading to the mountain pastures from the nearby Cisna. We have here Połonina Wetlińska with the culmination of Roh (1255 m above sea level), Smerek (1222 m above sea level), Jasło (1153 m above sea level) or Łopiennik (1069 m above sea level).
- In the Chryszczata Farm in Smolnik, concerts are regularly held - guitar, folk, but not only. There we send you for entertainment in the Bieszczady style.
- And if, instead of pictures painted by nature, you want to see those painted by human hands, go to the Beksiński gallery in Sanok. This is where the artist came from and it is there that you can see over 600 of his works (including the painting he finished on the day of his death!).
For children, we recommend endless fun with the goats Terka, Arielka and Aleks, who will be delighted with the company. In addition to this, we have rural and mountain entertainment here: running around with a stick on the grass, watching our geese and hens, climbing haystacks and playing hide and seek on a large plot. We don't have any special attractions for kids here in the form of a playground (our own playground, but there is a communal one near the house). But surely trips with parents on the trails and a ride on the Bieszczady forest railway will turn out to be unforgettable adventures.
Wifi in Szumikadzie is average, so we wouldn't choose to work here. It's better to walk in the mountains, help your legs in the river and play with the goats. When you are pinned down by business matters, you can work from poverty on the terrace, there is LTE coverage, there is also a socket. However, work is not recommended here.
