Just under 20 minutes by car from the district of Malinka in Wisła lies Malinowska Cave, and a kilometer further, Malinowska Rock, attractions often visited by tourists exploring the Silesian Beskids. Why is it worth visiting?
The Silesian Beskids is a mountain range that is part of the Western Beskids, which, in turn, is a mesoregion belonging to the Western Carpathians. The highest peak in the Polish part of the Silesian Beskids is Skrzyczne (1257 meters above sea level), and the second highest is Barania Góra (1220 meters above sea level). Across the Czech border, the highest peak reaches an elevation of 995 meters above sea level, which is Czantoria Wielka. The Silesian Beskids are known for their numerous caves. In 2017, more than 500 caves and rock shelters with a total length of over 14,000 kilometers were counted. The two longest caves are the Wiślańska Cave, with a length of 2275 meters, and the Miecharska Cave, with a length of 1838 meters.
Malinowska Cave in the Silesian Beskids
Malinowska Cave is often visited by tourists heading to Malinowska Rock and Skrzyczne. It is located beneath the summit of Mount Malinów, with its entrance at an altitude of 1080 meters above sea level. It is a landslide cave formed in the so-called Malinowska Rock conglomerates. The cave is 249 meters long and reaches a depth of up to 23 meters in some places.
In 2019, after the installation of a safe descent system, the cave was officially opened to visitors. This made it accessible to a greater number of active tourists. When descending into it, even in the summer, it's advisable to wear a warmer, waterproof jacket. The cave is quite humid, and underground rains occur during the thaw season. The temperature in the cave hovers around +6°C. Suitable footwear is also essential, as you may encounter muddy puddles and clayey terrain in the cave. It's also a good idea to bring a headlamp if you plan to explore the cave.
The largest chamber is called the Gallery, measuring 13.5 meters in length, up to 1.4 meters in width, and 9.5 meters in height. In the past, the cave served as a shelter for Hussites and evangelicals.
How to get to Malinowska Cave? When setting out on an excursion to Malinowska Cave from the Vestina Hotel in Wisła Malinka, you can take road 942 for about 7 kilometers in the direction of the Biały Krzyż ski complex. There's a parking lot right next to it. Nearby, you'll also find other caves: Salmopolska and Wiślańska. From the parking lot, you'll need to traverse about 2 kilometers (approximately 30-50 minutes on foot) along the Stanisław Huli trail (towards Malinów) to reach Malinowska Cave.
Malinowska Rock in the Silesian Beskids
Continuing along the Huli trail (just under 2 kilometers), passing through the pass below Malinów, you will arrive at Malinowska Rock. The trail is not particularly difficult. It is probably the shortest route to reach this location. However, during the summer and on weekends, you can expect more pedestrian traffic since the view from there is exceptionally charming, especially at sunrise and sunset.
Malinowska Rock rises to an elevation of 1152 meters above sea level in the Barania Góra range. The entire massif is composed of conglomerates (sedimentary rock composed of gravel grains bonded by cement). Right near the summit and the trail, there is a rock outcrop that is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Silesian Beskids. In the past, this outcrop was used as a climbing wall, but since 1977, it has been a monument of inanimate nature.
Of course, the route presented above is not the only way to reach Malinowska Rock. However, it is probably the simplest and shortest. An active hiker should be able to cover the slightly less than 4 kilometers in just over an hour one way.
What's next? From Malinowska Rock, you can hike towards the PTTK Skrzyczne mountain hostel (4.5 kilometers) or to Barania Góra (6 kilometers). However, this is already a more advanced hike. From the parking lot below Biały Krzyż, it's over 3 hours of walking and ascending one way (almost 9 kilometers).
From the Vestina Hotel, you can also reach Malinowska Rock via Cieńków. In this case, you don't need a car. However, you would have to cover almost 10 kilometers one way, plus the way back. It's a full-day trip and suitable only for advanced hikers.