Why this ride
131 km from Lutowiska to Lutowiska, about 2 h 37 of riding. It goes by way of Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek, Terebowiec stream valley and back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa and Terebowiec stream valley
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 131 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 2 h 37
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Scenic road chapters
Bieszczady Loop
Expect company on a summer weekend. Early is better than fast. For about 30 km this is Bieszczady Loop, a road with a name of its own and a reason for it.
Chapter facts
- Length
- 30 km
- Named road
- Bieszczady Loop
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa
In the Bieszczady mountains of south-eastern Poland, close to the border with Ukraine, a wooden church stands on a gentle rise above the San valley at Smolnik. It is dedicated to St Michael the Archangel and built in the style of the Boyko people, with three log sections stepping up from east to west under shingled roofs. Since 2013 it has been part of the World Heritage Site of Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine.
Read the complete Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa is where the day begins. Next is Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek.
2. Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek
In the far southeastern corner of Poland, where the country meets Slovakia and Ukraine, the Bieszczady mountains rise in long, rounded ridges covered with beech forest. Above the tree line, the summits are open meadows called połoniny, and Połonina Wetlińska is one of the most beautiful, a long grassy ridge with views over endless forested hills. Smerek, a peak at its western end, rises to over twelve hundred metres. On the ridge, the Chatka Puchatka, Winnie the Pooh's hut, a small mountain refuge, has been a beloved stop for hikers for decades. The walk up from Wetlina or the Przełęcz Wyżna pass takes a couple of hours, and the view from the top, especially at sunset, is unforgettable.
Read the complete Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek comes up about 30 km into the recorded legs. Next is Terebowiec stream valley.
3. Terebowiec stream valley
The far south-east corner of Poland is a place where the map runs out of road. The Terebowiec flows through the Bieszczady, the lowest and loneliest range of the Polish Carpathians, a land of wide grassy ridges called poloniny, deep beech forests and a few scattered villages, and the border with Ukraine is never far. The nearest settlements are Lutowiska, a village of a few hundred people, and across the frontier the town of Turka, so this is not a place with services. The nearest town where you can count on fuel and shops is Ustrzyki Dolne, a good half hour back along the valley road.
Read the complete Terebowiec stream valley write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 65 km into the recorded legs you reach Terebowiec stream valley. Next is back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek.
4. back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek, late in the day. Next is Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa.
5. Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa to Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek
Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa → Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek is 30 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek to Terebowiec stream valley
Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek → Terebowiec stream valley is 35 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Terebowiec stream valley to back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek
Terebowiec stream valley → back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek is 35 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek to Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa
back through Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek → Smolnik-Tserkva of Saint Michael the Archa is 30 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.