Jo’s Monday walk : Las Wolski and Bielany

The spires of Bielany above the tree line

The spires of Bielany monastery, above the tree line

Every time we drive out to Balice, Kraków’s airport, I can’t help but look skywards at Bielany monastery, high above the tree tops. On the last day of my recent visit, I finally achieved my ambition to see it up close.  Well- the outing didn’t go quite to plan!

If you saw my Six word Saturday you’ll know that the day started damp and drizzly but, undeterred, my cousin Adam drove us out to the Las Wolski woods and deposited us there.  My rainproof jacket was about to be tested again.

A long sweep of pebbly drive carried us upwards through dense greenery and opened out at a large car parking area.  We had reached the zoo!  At 10 in the morning nobody much was about- just one inquisitive red squirrel, who didn’t stop to chat.  We debated what to do while the weather cleared, and the zoo seemed a reasonable option.

The path through the woods

The path through the woods

Zoological gardens!

Zoological gardens!

I don't know that I expected to find elephants in the woods!

I don’t know that I expected to find elephants in the woods

But the meerkats were keeping a sharp lookout!

But the meerkats were keeping a sharp lookout

While the peacocks performed a merry dance

While the peacocks performed a merry dance

But my out and out favourite was this fella

My out and out favourite was this shy fella

And his friends- messy eaters, aren't they?

And his friends- messy eaters, aren’t they?

But awfully good at posing!

But great at posing!

The sun was breaking through in patches by the time we left the zoo.  A map gave us a rough direction, so into the dappled sunlight and shade we went, full of hope.  It was really just a case of follow your nose.  At crossroads I always defer to Michael’s choice because I never get it right! It was a lovely woodland wander, but the clues were scarce.

Excuse the grafitti'd map

Excuse the grafitti near Bielany!  You are here?

Finding a clearing with a woodcutter busy at work, I dug into the phrase book for the Polish word for monastery- klasztor!  It didn’t sound quite right, but the woodcutter wasn’t phased by a grinning idiot in the woods.  He waved his saw in an uphill direction, which seemed to make sense.  It definitely would be at the top of a hill.

And so it was!  The sun was radiant by now and the photo opportunity had me skipping forward, camera at the ready.

The entrance to the monastery

The entrance to the monastery

Promising, isn't it?

Promising, isn’t it?

And in the doorway, even better!

And in the doorway, even better!

The artwork was beautiful
In each alcove, a pictorial
Saints or sinners?
But the door was firmly closed!
Should I ring the bell?

The temptation was too great.  By now, you know that Michael had retreated to a safe distance. He didn’t want to incur the wrath of the monks!  A sign by the door gave the opening times, and it seemed the last tour was at 11.30.  It was now 11.45!  If only we’d walked faster, or not spent so long with those giraffes.

Tentatively, I rang the bell, and waited.  And waited.  No sound from behind the doors.  Should I ring again? Michael’s expression, from far away, down the path, suggested not, but what the heck! I had my idiot English grin at the ready. Still- nothing!  They must be deep in prayer within?  I had to content myself with taking what photos I could from the grassy courtyard.

If only I could get closer!

If only I could get closer!

It looked so intriguing!

It looked so intriguing!

But there was nothing else to do but make our way down to the road, and seek out a bus back to the centre.  It was a glorious afternoon and we spent our final hours in Kraków by the river.

Arriving home at teatime, I explained our adventures to the family, to be greeted with hilarious laughter.  It seems that the monastery is open to the public just one day in the year.  And to men only!  Next time perhaps I should do a little more research before my walk.  But back in the UK, I found this link, on Wikipedia.  Confused?  Me too, but I hope you enjoyed the walk anyway.

I’ve been sharing Monday walks for a while now, and I love it!  Can’t wait to see where you take me this week.  You can post a link in the comments below or in the body of your post, whichever you like.  And no, you don’t have to walk on a Monday!  I will add your link to the bottom of my post next week so that everybody gets to see them all.  Half the fun is sharing!  Happy walking!

Here are last week’s walks :

Don’t miss Pauline’s scarecrow-

http://pommepal.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/a-walk-in-a-heritage-garden/

Or Yvette’s video-

http://priorhouse.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/monday-walk-with-jo-canal-walk-video/

And you just know you’ll get a lovely poem with Viv-

http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/blooming-bocage/

90 comments

  1. Pingback: Jo’s Monday Walk: Clouds come floating… | The World Is a Book...

  2. Ha, I can’t decide if I would have been standing next to you hopping from foot to foot in excitement as you rang the bell, or if I would have been hiding behind Michael. Probably running back and forth….so sorry it wasn’t open. Ever. 🙂 Your photos drew me right into your post, Jo. Lovely!

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    1. I was once on the Athos penininsula in Greece, Elisa, and the monks only permitted male entry there too. What do monks have against me? I’m pretty harmless 🙂 I can even be quiet, in a pinch! Thanks, hon!

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  3. What a great story Jo! And I love the entrance to the monastery. There have been many places where we’ve arrived 10 minutes after closure or last tour – rather annoying when you won’t be in the area again! But at least you now know you wouldn’t have been let in even if you had been on time and I can just picture Michael hiding behind the gate 😉
    My walk for you this week is a garden in Herefordshire in April, but I have another walk which I’ll post next week.
    Meanwhile enjoy: http://smallbluegreenwords.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/a-spring-walk-in-herefordshire/
    Jude xx

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    1. Brilliant, Jude 🙂 I’m just settling in for an evening’s read. Incidentally, I don’t know when the Moors walk will make the cut. I’ll have to stay at home for a few weeks 😦

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    2. 4th June 🙂 Just booked yesterday. Must get all these Polish posts out of my head. I always manage to arrive in Portugal speaking my version of… Polish. Very helpful!

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    1. Didn’t hurt to try, did it Sue? 🙂 Nothing venture… But I would so have liked a look. The monks wouldn’t let me onto the Athos peninsula in Greece either. Do you think it’s some kind of conspiracy?

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      1. Haha likely it is Jo. Hey maybe that is a blog post in the making 🙂 oh I am definitely of the attitude it never hurts to ask/try. Hubby has gotten used to me creating scenes wherever we go 🙂

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  5. Lovely walk, Jo! I love the path through the woods. Speaking of finding an elephant in the woods, last night on the news, I saw where an elephant was found standing on a beach on Florida’s gulf coast. 🙂 He was just hanging out, getting his feet week.

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  8. I love shots through doorways or windows, so guess my favourite! I reckon a blogging challenge called “places I couldn’t get into and the reasons why” might stir up a storm. I’ll refer to my Ljubjana walk now, but I’m off to investigate the lake at Bled in a minute, after I’ve finished my Earl Gray in my large apartment, so I may double-refer later.

    http://morselsandscraps2.wordpress.com/2014/05/19/walking-round-ljubljana/

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  9. Pingback: Whom the bell tolls | Le Drake Noir

    1. My face when I was told it was ‘men only’, one day a year, must have been a picture, Pauline 🙂 Many thanks for your contributions. Reading them is a lovely way to spend an evening.

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      1. I’m sure they would’ve made an exception for you if you put your best foreign confused look on Jo, that is if they were polite enough to answer the door knock…

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  12. Pingback: Monday Walk | A Day In The Life
  13. Pingback: Exploring Greenough River : Jo’s Monday Walk. | gypsy life

    1. Hmm- I might have tried harder to get in if I’d thought of that, Drake. 🙂 Many thanks for joining in with me. I look forward to reading yours later.

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  17. Pingback: Monday Walk in Montmartre | Lost in Translation

  19. They are lucky to have an elephant among their inhabitants.Ours died ages ago, and wasn’t replaced :(. I love your peacock shot, and those vault-framed views of spires are terrific. I will join you shortly 🙂

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    1. There were a couple of elephants, Paula, but I didn’t get a particularly good shot. They were in a large pen so I was happy with that.
      So happy that you could join in again! Thank you 🙂 I’ll have a reading session later. I was down on the York Moors walking this morning and it was absolutely beautiful. I will get my English head back on eventually, I expect. Hugs, Paula!

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      1. No, never been there. I was expecting some loan clothing but apparently so much of it was stolen they stopped providing it. I went back a couple of years later and remembered to wear my trousers.

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