Mała Sowa (972 m a.s.l.) is the second highest peak in the Sowie Mountains (Owl Mountains) in the Polish Sudetes — a quiet, forest-covered summit that rewards those looking for a genuine mountain experience away from the crowds. It sits just below its big sibling, Wielka Sowa (1015 m), and makes a natural stop on the ridge walk between the two.
The entire summit and its slopes are blanketed in spruce forest, giving Mała Sowa a dark, fairy-tale character that changes beautifully with the seasons — fresh and bright green in spring, deep and atmospheric in summer, and wonderfully moody under a winter snow cover. Near the top you can spot patches where the forest has suffered ecological damage, a visible reminder of the pressures facing mountain spruce stands across Central Europe. The peak lies within the Sowie Mountains Landscape Park, ensuring the area remains protected and peaceful.
How to reach the summitThe name 'Sowie' means 'Owl' in Polish, and the dense forests around Mała Sowa are genuinely good habitat for owls and other woodland birds — keep your ears open as you walk.