Kazimierz Dolny Loess Gorges

The hills around Kazimierz Dolny are made of loess, a fine wind blown soil that holds a vertical face but washes away easily. Centuries of carts, feet and rainwater have cut the old field tracks down into the ground until they became corridors several metres deep, with walls of pale earth and the roots of the trees above hanging out into the air. Korzeniowy Dol is the best known, a short section where the roots form a continuous lattice overhead. Others run for kilometres through orchards and fields, linking up with the viewpoint on the Hill of Three Crosses above the Vistula.

What you actually see

• Korzeniowy Dol - the most photographed stretch, with exposed roots arching over a sunken track.
• The Malachowski gorge - a longer, quieter ravine leaving town towards the fields and orchards.
• The Hill of Three Crosses - an open rise above the town with a view down over the roofs and the Vistula.
• The loess walls - vertical faces of pale sediment showing how deep the tracks have been worn.

When to go

Spring and autumn are best, when the ground is firm and the light comes in low along the corridors. Early morning avoids both the crowds and the harsh midday contrast that makes the gorges hard to photograph. Avoid the days right after heavy rain, when the loess turns to slick mud. Summer weekends in Kazimierz Dolny are extremely busy.

Honest expectations

Korzeniowy Dol is short, perhaps a few hundred metres, and in season there is a steady line of people walking through it, so quiet shots need an early start. The surface is uneven and genuinely slippery when wet. The roots are eroding under foot traffic and stepping on them does damage. Kazimierz Dolny itself is packed on weekends with high prices to match.

Nearby

The town's market square and castle ruin are minutes away, and Pulawy with its park lies upriver.