Wieprz on the Soła: Culture and Recreation

Wieprz lies on the right bank of the Soła. River and nature themes are found alongside cultural and historical heritage and local opportunities for active recreation. Depending on your interests, you can focus on the Soła and the area around Grojec, church art and local history, or sports.

Scenery and Leisure in Wieprz

Cycling routes and fishing on the mountain river Soła are among the recreational opportunities in Wieprz. If you are planning a bike ride, check the current route beforehand. The river itself is the focus for fishing, while cycling routes are a distinct feature of the leisure activities.

A nature and walking route from Radziechowy-Wieprz railway station through Wieprz to the summit of Grojec was part of a project that was still in development on 6 September 2024. Plans included extensive fields and herb-rich meadows with wild vegetation in the area around Grojec. Before making plans, check whether the route has since been completed. One of the highest peat bogs in the Beskids is also located near Grojec.

For sports activities, there is a fenced and monitored active recreation facility. It includes two volleyball courts and two pétanque courts, as well as a multi-purpose sports field for football, basketball and volleyball. The facility also has a playground and a tennis court. This means different types of play are available in one area: alongside the separate volleyball and pétanque courts, there is also a field that can be used for three sports.

Cultural History and Local Attractions

The Church of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary houses an exhibition of sculptures by folk artist and sculptor Anna Ficoń. The interior decoration also has its own history: from 1963 to 1966, Maria Antonina Kozłowska (1903–1994) and Zofia Szczerba (1920–2001) worked on sgraffito polychromes there. If you would like to visit the church or the exhibition, check current visiting arrangements beforehand.

A Stone Age settlement is located in the Chyśkowiec field on the southwestern slope of the Grojec massif. The municipal heritage protection programme, adopted on 3 March 2022, recognizes its high archaeological, historical and cultural value; the settlement itself is legally protected. The site thus links the landscape around Grojec with a history reaching far back in time.

The Centre for Ecological Education in Wieprz also focuses on nature. Its exhibitions cover protected plants and animals, as well as vegetation along the banks of the Soła. Topics include fish, fishing and the prevention of poaching. Check the centre’s current access arrangements before visiting.

A listed chapel dating from 1886 stands on the main road. Local cultural life also includes Wiesław Pawlus, who works in Wieprz as a paper artist, embroiderer and storyteller. These diverse features complement the archaeological history with religious buildings, art and local creative activity.

An Annual Stations of the Cross

The Góralska Stations of the Cross was initiated in 2016. The parish history describes it as an annual event: the route leads from the church along Kościelna, Zagórczańska and Żywiecka streets, then back to the church. If you plan to attend the Stations of the Cross, check the dates before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Czernichów, Radziechowy, Gilowice, Lipowa, Miedzybrodzie Bialskie, Ślemień, Okrajnik, Lodygowice

For the overview of the wider region: Żywiec.