Chojnik is a truly special hill in the Karkonosze Foothills — perched on its 612-metre summit are the atmospheric ruins of a medieval castle that seem to grow straight out of the granite rock. It is compact, accessible, and absolutely full of character.
The forested slopes of beech, pine and spruce offer something different in every season — lush green in summer, a fiery canopy in autumn, and a fairytale frost-covered silence in winter. The southwestern face drops away in a dramatic cliff several dozen metres high, while the northern foot of the hill hides granite outcrops known as the 'Robbers' Rocks' and two small caves: Dziurawy Kamień and Jaskinia Zbójecka. The whole area forms an enclave of the Karkonosze National Park, home to the grey-headed woodpecker, red-breasted flycatcher, and rare plants such as moonwort and common houseleek.
How to reach the summitLocal legend tells of a cruel princess named Kunigunde who challenged her suitors to ride on horseback around the castle walls along a narrow rocky ledge — very few survived the attempt.