Diabliniec (1,241 m a.s.l.) is one of those Tatra peaks that truly keeps itself hidden from the crowds — a wild, forested summit jutting furthest east from the slopes of the Lejowa Valley. Wrapped on three sides by the Lejowy Stream, it stands like a natural fortress of rock and forest. Its very name tells the story: in Polish, it means something close to 'the devilish one,' named for its fiercely steep flanks.

The peak is covered entirely in forest and has a wonderfully untamed atmosphere. Between Diabliniec and the opposing ridge of Zadnia Kopka, the Lejowa Valley narrows into a shadowy gorge that curves around the peak before opening up again into the wider meadow of Niżnia Polana Kominiarska above. In spring, the stream rushes loudly through the ravine; in summer, the dense conifer canopy keeps everything cool and dark; in autumn, beeches and rowans set the hillsides ablaze. Geologists believe that Diabliniec and Zadnia Kopka once formed a single massif — the Lejowy Stream gradually cut through northward, reshaping the entire valley over millennia.

• Diabliniec has no marked tourist trail — the summit is entirely forested and inaccessible for hiking.

• Diabliniec lies within the Tatra National Park — leaving marked trails and entering the forest is strictly prohibited.
• Marked trails through the Lejowa Valley offer excellent views of Diabliniec's steep eastern face.

This is a summit best admired from below — viewed from the floor of the Lejowa Valley, those 'devilishly steep' slopes live up to their name in the most satisfying way.