Lesista Wielka is the highest peak of the Dzikowiec and Lesista Wielka Massif, tucked away in the forests of the northwestern Kamienne Mountains in Poland. This is a place for hikers who crave quiet woodland trails rather than sweeping panoramas — but it hides a genuine natural curiosity that surprises even seasoned trekkers.

The summit forms a long, forested ridge stretching 6 km, built from Permian volcanic rocks. The top is an almost flat plateau covering more than 30 hectares, entirely covered in forest, which means classic viewpoints are absent here (though an observation tower is planned). The real highlight is the famous 'wind fissures' — three perpendicular cracks about 5 meters deep, formed by erosion in porphyry tuffs. The air inside them stays at a nearly constant temperature year-round, close to the annual average, which is most dramatic in winter — snow never settles around the fissures because warm air constantly seeps out.

How to reach the summit

• Dzikowiec — blue trail, passing near the wind fissures just below the summit, moderate difficulty
• Golińsk — yellow trail toward Głuszyca
• Boguszów-Gorce — blue trail
• The red Main Sudeten Trail also crosses the summit

Practical information

• The wind fissures lie east of the blue trail from Dzikowiec — easy to miss, look for the wooden fence marking them
• The main fissure is about 5 m long and 3.5 m deep, fenced with a wooden barrier for safety
• The best time to observe the phenomenon is during a snowy winter — the contrast between bare ground and surrounding snow is most striking then

As early as the 19th century, tourists came here specifically to hear the mysterious sounds the fissures made during big temperature swings — locals called them Windlöcher, or 'wind holes'. After decades of neglect, restoration work by the Lower Silesian Landscape Parks Complex brought this curious phenomenon back to life.