Mędralowa (1169 m a.s.l.) is a quietly rewarding summit in the Żywiec-Orava Beskids, sitting right on the Polish-Slovak border and forming one of the key waypoints on the famous Main Beskid Trail. Forested to the top, it more than makes up for the lack of a bare summit with a gorgeous alpine meadow just below and a fascinating layering of history beneath your boots.
The peak itself is covered in dense forest, but the wide-open Hala Mędralowa meadow just below the top is the real highlight — sunny, breezy, and offering views towards Jałowiec and the Beskid Mały range. A well-maintained shepherd's hut on the meadow offers shelter from rain and even a place to sleep if needed. The European Main Watershed runs right along this ridge. In summer the meadow buzzes with hikers moving between Babia Góra and Pilsko; in winter it feels wonderfully remote and wild.
How to reach the summitUntil 1564, the borders of Hungary, Poland, and Silesia all met at the historic boundary marker on Kolisty Groń — and during World War II the same spot marked the intersection of the General Government, the Third Reich, and Slovakia.