Photos of Five Polish Ponds Valley (Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich)
About Five Polish Ponds Valley (Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich)
Five Polish Ponds Valley (Dolina Pięciu Stawów Polskich) is a breathtaking glacial valley in the High Tatras inside Tatra National Park. It stretches out about 4km well above the treeline with granite peaking sitting on three sides. Wielki Staw Polski is the deepest lake in the Tatras at just under 80 metres. Water leaving it drops over the valley step as Siklawa, the highest waterfall in the Polish Tatras. To capture a wide view you can climb the trail toward Szpiglasowa Przełęcz. It gets high enough that you can easily line up Wielki, Mały and Przedni Staw in one frame. Down at valley level, still mornings give you the chance to experiment with reflection photography in each of the ponds. Siklawa is right beside the green trail through Dolina Roztoki, so make sure to pause and shoot it on the way in. The PTTK hut sits above Przedni Staw as the highest mountain hut in Poland, and works as an amazing foreground element with the ridges soaring behind it. Everything here is on foot. Most people start from the car park at Palenica Białczańska, which needs a pre-booked ticket, then walk roughly three hours up through Dolina Roztoki. The national park charges an entrance fee and make sure to stay on the marked trails to protect this natural environment. The hut's apple pie has its own reputation, so make sure to sample some before hiking back to your car. (Tatra National Park, Lesser Poland, Poland)
