Rychwald: Forested Hillsides, Trails and Memorial Sites

Wooded hillsides, a stream and trails through the surrounding area define Rychwald. At the same time, several memorial sites tell the story of the place. You can shape your trip according to whether you are mainly looking for scenery and outdoor activities or would also like to include historic places of remembrance in your stay.

Landscape on the Ciężkowice Foothills

Rychwald lies on the edge of the Ciężkowice Foothills, within the landscape protection area of the same name. The village stretches along the Rychwałdzianka stream, which flows into the Biała Tarnowska River. Wooded hillsides surround Rychwald, with mixed forest growing on the hills. From there, views open up over the northern part of the Ciężkowice Foothills.

Rychwald is part of the Ciężkowice Foothills Landscape Protection Area. Within the network of protected areas, it serves as a buffer zone for the Ciężkowicko-Rożnowski Landscape Park and the Brzanka Range Landscape Park. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for a stay focused on nature and trails, this landscape offers a specific point of reference when choosing your destination. The wooded hills and panoramic views give the experience of nature a different character from the trails that run through the village.

Hiking, cycling and local produce

The blue-marked Piotrkowice–Rychwałd hiking trail passes through Rychwald. For a cycling trip, there is the 14 km “LEGIONISTÓW” route. It runs from the Legionnaires’ Cemetery in Łowczówek through Rychwałd Klepków, Lichwin Pustki and Lubinka Piekarzówka to Lichwin Nowy Świat. The route’s length and listed stops can help you plan your outing; no information about its duration or difficulty is provided. The Eko@sklep “Na Trasie” ecological nature trail is also part of Rychwald’s tourism and leisure offering.

The Eko@sklep “Na Trasie” nature tourism trail connects 17 farms in the municipality. They offer fruit, milk, curd cheese, eggs, honey and flowers; one of the farms is in Rychwałd. For travellers who would also like to include local agriculture and produce in their stay, this trail complements hiking and cycling with a culinary perspective on the surrounding area. The Małopolska Fruit Trail is also part of Rychwald’s tourism and leisure offering. In the wider region, it brings together agritourism and commercial farms and aims to promote the “Owoce Małopolski” brand.

Memorial sites and history

Three memorial sites in Rychwałd were renovated in recent months. The military cemetery No. 188 is the burial place of 29 Austro-Hungarian and 25 Russian soldiers; the cemetery covers 0.05 hectares. In Olszówki in Rychwałd, a monument with two graves commemorates the place where thirteen political prisoners were shot on 31 March 1944. They had been brought from Limanowa or Nowy Sącz. Another monument by this memorial commemorates the fighting of the AK Battalion Barbara, known as the “Butter Action.”

Also in Olszówki is the place where four prisoners brought from Tarnów were shot on 30 March 1944. Another historic site is in Las Koszycki in Rychwałd: in 1940—probably on 8 September—18 Poles were shot by Germans there. They had probably been brought from Tarnów.

The Chapel of St. Joseph is also one of the religious places to visit in Rychwałd. A service is listed there at 10:15 on Sundays and public holidays. If you would like to include the region’s history in your trip alongside its landscapes and trails, the memorial sites and chapel offer additional, distinct themes for your stay.

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For the broader travel overview: Tarnów.