Polana: Hiking Trails and Local History

Polana offers a clear choice between exploring trails of different lengths and learning about local history. The routes specify destinations, distances and walking times; churches, chapels and memorial sites represent various historical connections. If you are looking for a hotel in Polana, these highlights can help you plan your days around hiking time or your interest in history.

Choose hiking trails by distance and time

The cultural and nature trail “Jaskinia w Rosolinie” runs for 9.3 kilometres from Polana to Czarna Dolna. The stated walking time is 3 hours and 30 minutes. Its destination, distance and duration give you a specific framework for planning this hike. Check trail conditions before setting out.

Unmarked walking trails start in the centre of Polana. Route No. 1, “Przez Łazy i Rosoliniec,” is about 7 kilometres long; the stated walking time is about 3 hours and 30 minutes. Route No. 4, “Potokiem Kosów,” is about 5.5 kilometres, with a stated duration of about 3 hours. Route No. 5, “Na Otryt przez Wańka Dział,” covers about 14.5 kilometres and takes 4 hours and 30 minutes. Route No. 6, “Do dawnej kopalni ropy naftowej,” is about 12 kilometres long; the walking time is 4 hours.

Of these four walking routes, No. 4, at about 5.5 kilometres and 3 hours, offers the shorter time commitment, while No. 5, at about 14.5 kilometres and 4 hours and 30 minutes, is the longest listed route.

Two other trails lead from Polana towards Przełęcz pod Hulskiem: the blue PTTK hiking trail and the Szlak Papieski. Both are listed as taking 2 hours from Polana to the pass. If you prefer to plan around a specific destination, you can use this time estimate together with the two route names to plan your day.

A horseback route is also described: Section IV of the Lipie–Polana–Serednie Małe riding trail leads to the hamlet of Polana Ostre and takes about six hours. This route therefore differs from the walking and hiking trails both in mode of travel and in its destination.

Collection, churches and memorial sites

The Polańskie Zbiory Historyczne local history collection is housed in Polana’s community centre. Its curator is Maria Faran, a resident of Polana. The collection’s name and local ties provide a dedicated place to learn about the area’s history, alongside its buildings and memorial sites.

The former Greek Catholic Church of St Nicholas served as a Roman Catholic church from 1969 to 2013. Today, the building is a chapel in the Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Polana. By contrast, the Kościelisko in Polana consists of the remaining foundations of the former Roman Catholic Church under the patronage of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the churchyard and a bell tower. The two descriptions record distinct historical states: a church now described as a chapel and the remains of a former church building.

Residents of Polana erected the Krzyż Pamięci in 2018 to mark the centenary of the restoration of Polish independence. It commemorates those who died fighting for the freedom of their homeland. The Kapliczka Poznarowa is associated with a different family history: the Tomasz Poznar family had it built in 1929 in gratitude for Tomasz Poznar’s safe return from Ukrainian captivity in 1919. The two memorial sites thus commemorate different events and dates.

There are former oil mines in Polana Ostre. A marked walking trail leads to two shafts. Together with the section of the riding trail that leads there, this place name offers another point of reference for planning activities in Polana and the surrounding area.

Discover more destinations: Smolnik, Muczne, Stuposiany, Brzegi Dolne, Bukowiec, Lutowiska, Ropienka, Tworylne.

For the broader travel overview: Bieszczady.