Kościelec is a quiet, unassuming peak in the Suche Mountains that sits right on the Polish-Czech border. It's a great pick for hikers who crave solitude and a genuinely wild, border-region atmosphere rather than crowded trails.
The summit itself lies entirely in Poland, but the state border runs just below it, which makes for an interesting detail on any hike here. The slopes are covered mostly by spruce monoculture, though patches of older mixed and beech forest survive, glowing beautifully in autumn colors. The Czech side of the massif falls within the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area, underlining the ecological value of the region. In winter the area feels remote and little-visited, while summer brings peaceful forest walks through the calm of the Kamienne Mountains.
How to reach the summitThe name Kościelec and its Czech counterpart Čertův vrch (Devil's Peak) hint that this border hill has long stirred local imagination — a good enough reason to see its atmosphere for yourself.