Warzecha is a steep gully in the Western Tatras, descending from the Bacuch Pass between Mały Giewont and Grzybowiec. It is a spot for hikers who appreciate the quieter, wilder corners of the Tatras, away from the crowds heading up Giewont itself.

The gully has a grassy, dry bottom and drops down into Mała Dolinka pod Giewontem, the upper branch of the Strążyska Valley. Both slopes are covered with upper-montane spruce forest, giving the place a dark, atmospheric character. In the past this area was part of the Hala Giewont pastureland and was grazed by livestock, which kept the gully more open and scenic. Today it is gradually becoming overgrown with forest, losing its former open pasture look but gaining a wilder feel. The slope of Grzybowiec on its orographic left side carries its own name - Mały Bacuch. In winter the gully can be at risk of avalanches, while in summer, despite being steep, it remains passable for experienced hikers.

How to get there

• A tourist trail leading up to Giewont once ran through this gully, but it is currently closed to hikers.
• The Strążyska Valley, from which Mała Dolinka pod Giewontem branches off, can be reached from Zakopane via the trail heading toward Giewont.

Practical information

• The route through Warzecha is currently closed - there is no official marked trail here at present.
• The area lies within Tatra National Park, so nature protection rules apply.

The gully takes its name from a wooden ladle called a warzecha, once used by highlanders in Podhale to stir the cauldron and scoop up whey and other dairy products - a small trace of the region's old shepherding traditions.