Schronisko Kręte Cave in Panieńskie Skały

Schronisko Kręte is a small cave in Panieńskie Skały, on Sowiniec hill in the Wolski Forest, in the Kraków district of Zwierzyniec. The name does not mean a tourist hut: it is a karst feature, that is a cave shelter in the rock.

The cave

It is 8 metres long and practically has no depth. A wide but low opening facing north-east quickly narrows into a tight karst tube. It formed in Jurassic limestone, at an altitude of 279 m above sea level. Inside there are few dripstone formations and a lot of sediment, mainly wind-blown leaves, and icicles form in winter. Mosses grow at the entrance. About 2 metres can be passed, after which the passage is too narrow, and a short side branch ends blind.

The first mention dates from 1894 (S. Zaręczny), a plan was drawn up in 1938 by T. Fischer, and the cave was documented in 1999 by M. Pruc and J. Baryła. The area is managed by the State Forests.

Nearby

The Wolski Forest is a walking area, and nearby (about 800 m) is Kraków Zoo, while the Kościuszko Mound is about 2.5 km away.

Practical information

• Location: Panieńskie Skały, Sowiniec hill, Wolski Forest, Kraków.
• The interior is very tight, so people usually look only at the opening and the rocks around it.