The Góry Stołowe (goo-ri sto-wo-veh; Table Mountains) are among the most spectacular ranges of the Sudetes, as they’re topped by a plateau punctuated by fantastic rock formations.
One of the highlights of the 63-sq-km park is Szczeliniec Wielki, its highest outcrop. Both German poet Goethe and the USA's sixth president, John Quincy Adams, walked here and admired the dramatic scenery. From a distance, the plateau looks like a high ridge adorned with pinnacles, rising abruptly from the surrounding fields.
From just beyond Karłów, a small village about 1km south of the plateau, you ascend 682 stone steps, which takes about 40 minutes. From there, the one-hour trail around the summit gives excellent views of both the mountain scenery and the rock formations, before arriving back at its starting point.
About 4km to the west, the Błędne Skały are another impressive feature, comprising hundreds of 'Errant Rocks', some up to 11m in diameter. They were deposited by glaciers in vaguely geometric shapes, forming a vast stone labyrinth. A sometimes very narrow trail runs between the rocks.
To get to Karłów, catch a privately run minibus from Kudowa-Zdrój (8zł, 20 minutes). Alternatively, take one of the frequent buses from Kudowa-Zdrój to Polanica-Zdrój (9zł, 35 minutes, half-hourly), from where there are three daily buses to Karłów (10zł, 50 minutes).
