Bukowa is a massive, neatly shaped mountain in the Silesian Beskids that rises like a green cone right above the town of Wisła. It's not the tallest peak in the range, but its regular conical form and dense beech forests make it stand out from afar, drawing in hikers who love peaceful woodland walks.

The mountain's name says it all — its slopes are almost entirely covered in beech forest, which turns brilliant gold and copper in autumn. Bukowa rises along a side ridge branching off from Trzy Kopce Wiślańskie, alongside Kamienny and Cyrhla, separating the valleys of the Wisła and Dobka rivers. From its northern slopes you get views over the town of Wisła itself, which the mountain shelters from the north. The atmosphere here is calm and intimate — this is a place for a contemplative walk rather than an athletic climb, wonderful in spring and autumn when the forest glows with color, and pleasant in summer thanks to the shade of the beeches.

How to reach the summit

• Wisła — local trail, approx. 1-1.5 hours, easy difficulty, suitable for most hikers
• An alternative approach is possible from the spa complex on the southern slopes of the mountain

Practical information

• A large spa (health resort) complex is located on the southern slopes of Bukowa — worth keeping in mind when planning your route
• One forest clearing preserves the so-called 'forest church', where once a year, on the last Sunday of August, a symbolic Protestant service is held

That very clearing hides Bukowa's most fascinating story — during the Counter-Reformation, local Protestants secretly held their services here, and the tradition, in symbolic form, continues to this day.