Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote in The Fortress that the only thing that matters is the way, not the destination. In the case of Hankówka, it is quite different. Yes, the road is attractive, and maybe even with attractions, because first through the stream, then steep, and often impassable in winter (you must take the chains). But it is at the end of it that you will be rewarded. A private view of Gorce, changing clothes with the seasons, backyard access to mushrooms, a hammock suspended in silence, and in winter, snow up to your armpits, literally. Besides, Beskid Wyspowy to conquer, Gorce to descend and mineral water to drink. And a pizza from your own wood-fired oven to bite.
And all this in my grandmother Hanka's (Ania's) house, which for years served her very well and is now a holiday base. For my family and yours. For friends, pets, working remotely and relaxing on the move. Because from here you can go to the forest, to the trail, to the stream and not to go anywhere. There are almost no neighbors, because only my aunt and uncle lives permanently in the clearing, so there are ideal conditions for a pleasant isolation from the agglomeration. There are also conditions for mountain delight, sledging from under the house, observing the sky unpolluted by light. Come over for a while and stay longer. We are waiting.
PS In winter, when the snow surprises the road workers, our road can be really impassable, but then we will help you get to the house by our jeep. As a last resort, you will have to enter on your own, but this is rare.
In the over 100-year-old house of Grandma Hanka. The house is not big, because grandma didn't need much. It can accommodate 6 people, and of course animals, because they have always been present here. Although in grandma's time it was more like cows, pigs and chickens. Now you can bring your dog or cat, but remember that the fence is not tight, so it does not protect escapees from escaping into the forest.
And the forest is all around us, because the house is located in a clearing surrounded by trees with one neighbor diagonally and another on the right. However, my neighbors are very close because they are members of my family.
The house has:
- 2 bedrooms, each with a double bed,
- living room with TV and fold-out sofa,
- a modernly equipped kitchen with a wood-burning stove (you can bake your own bread or pizza),
- bathroom with shower,
- additional toilet on the first floor,
- large observation deck with hammocks, deckchairs and benches.
- exclusive sauna and jacuzzi
We also have good internet, so remote work in nature is also possible.
The last 450 meters of the road to the cottage are a dirt path with a steep climb. Low-slung cars may not make it here. In winter, you need a 4x4 SUV and chains on all wheels. But don't worry, if you don't have such a vehicle, we can (after prior arrangement) take you to Hankówka and take you back to your car on the day of departure. In extreme cases, during the winter season, it may happen that the last 450 meters will have to be covered on foot (e.g. in the event of a breakdown of our jeep). But we can do it, we will definitely help.
There is a well-equipped kitchen at your disposal, and the role of an oven is played by a wood stove. You can bake things on the fire, make pizza or your own bread.
A gazebo with a fireplace for a bonfire awaits you in the garden. We checked that even in winter it is a great dinner.
Szczawa is a very small and non-touristic place between the Gorce range and the island Beskids. And we are at the very end of this silence. Once you manage to climb our clearing, you will be rewarded with rest and relaxation. Rocking in a hammock, breakfasts with a panoramic view of the Gorce Mountains, a forest full of mushrooms, chanterelles and red pine mushrooms, bonfires even in the rain, under a gazebo roof, pizza straight from a wood-fired oven. Of course, you will prepare the pizza yourself, so stock up on ingredients, plan a free evening and spend it cooking together.
You can go for a walk in virtually any direction. Starting from the forest behind the house or along the Głębieniec stream or the Kamienica river, to our Mineral Water Pump Room. Yes, we have a pump room in the village, where you can enjoy the waters of Szczawa I, Hanna and Dziedzilla for a symbolic price. When you are planning a walk to the pump room, it is worth taking your cups with you so that you do not use disposable plastic ones on site.
While walking around Szczawa, you can also visit the Spad Waterfall. It is a small but picturesque waterfall on the Kamienica River.
In the other direction, but also nearby, you can climb Zbludzkie Wierchy (680 m above sea level), i.e. the peak located on the Main Trail of the Beskid Wyspowy. The "Beskidzkie Islands" trail is 320 kilometers long and is a loop, so it begins where it ends, at the highest peak of the range, Mogielica. The charm of the Beskid Wyspowy is such that the peaks are not connected, so after reaching one you have to go all the way down to the village to climb the next one. The route leads, among others through Mogielica, Łopień, Ćwilin, Śnieżnica or Luboń Wielki. If you like competition, on this trail you can get the tourist badge "Beskidzkie Islands" for completing the entire route. The badge has several ranks:
- silver (for obtaining at least 180 PTTK GOT points at any time and during any number of trips along the Main Trail of the Beskid Wyspowy),
- zloty (awarded for crossing the remaining, not yet traveled parts of the Main Trail of the Beskid Wyspowy),
- diamond (awarded for a single crossing of the entire Main Trail of the Beskid Wyspowy in no longer than 16 days, during a continuous trip).
The direction of the passage of individual sections is unrestricted.
You can also start by conquering Gorce and entering, for example, Gorc, whose peak you can admire from our cottage. The hike is not the easiest one, but the reward is the view from the Observation Tower. To the Slovak Tatras, Beskid Wyspowy and Gorce. Note, in winter you can freeze while admiring the panorama from the tower. In summer, the hardships of the trip can be compensated for with home-made Łąckie Ice Cream in Kamienica.
In winter, snow is usually up to the armpits. Although in recent years it has come to us later than usual, more or less in January. On the other hand, it may so happen that in March there will be bigger snowdrifts than in December.
The nearest ski lift - Lubomierz SKI - is already 7 km away from us. And from the very house you can slide down on a sledge, bags, apples.
If you feel like a sleigh ride - it is possible, but please let me know in advance. I need to contact neighbors who own horses and sleds, and there aren't many in the area. In winter, however, there are many people willing to attend this type of attraction, so the dates are often busy. However, if you let me know in advance and the snow is fine, you will be able to enjoy a sleigh ride like a fairy tale.
What’s there for children?
We do not have great attractions prepared for children, but they will always find something to do in nature. We recommend long walks, wading in a nearby stream, reaching the peaks. In winter, there are sledging from the house, snowball fights, building igloos, wading through snowdrifts and sleigh rides (by appointment).