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St John's Hermitage – Porubské sedlo

Start: Barwinek
Range: Low Beskids
Hiking routes of the Polish Carpathians
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20.6 kmLength
672 mAscent
705 mDescent
687 mMax. altitude
375 mMin. altitude

Trail map

Route, springs and shelters: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · elevation: Copernicus DEM © DLR e.V., © Airbus DS · Data & licences

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About the trail

Route St John's Hermitage – Porubské sedlo. Has green marking (regional route). Waymarking data: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL).

Officially marked regional tourist route. The marking is green, the sign is a horizontal stripe on a white background. The length of the route is 20.6 km. Location: mountain range — Nizki Beskid, Poland.

At a glance

A one-day route of 20.6 km with 672 m of ascent from St John's Hermitage to Porubské sedlo. Estimated walking time: about 6.5 h, not counting stops. Difficulty: moderate. Waymarking: green.

How we estimate walking time

By Naismith's rule, used by mountain clubs and guidebooks: an average hiker walks 4 km an hour on the flat and needs one more hour for every 600 m of ascent. For this trail: 20.6 km ÷ 4 = 5.1 h + 672 m ÷ 600 = 1.1 h, about 6.5 h of walking in total.

  • Breaks, snacks and photos: add 20–30 %.
  • A heavy pack, children, snow, a wet path or windfall add more; a long steep descent also takes time, especially for the knees.
  • The height of the Carpathians (up to 2,655 m) hardly changes the pace — on the ridges wind, fog and weather slow you down.
  • Limits: up to 9 h is one day; 9–13 h is a very long day or two; over 13 h means several days with overnight stays.

Route stages

  1. 0–10 kmGentle ups and downs at 420–670 m
  2. 10–11 kmDescent of 240 m (down to 421 m)
  3. 11–14 kmGentle ups and downs at 370–430 m
  4. 14–15 kmClimb of 190 m (up to 569 m)
  5. 15–19 kmGentle ups and downs at 560–670 m
  6. 19–21 kmDescent of 150 m to Porubské sedlo

Steepest kilometre: km 10–11, a descent of 230 m (≈23%).

Water and overnight stays

A spring near the trail: at km 21. There are no springs between km 0 and 21 — carry at least 3.5 l of water.

When to go

The route can be walked most of the year; it is most comfortable from April to October.

Getting there

Start: St John's Hermitage. This is a one-way route: the finish is 10 km from the start in a straight line, so plan your way back in advance.

Directions to the start in Google Maps

FAQ

How long does the route take?
Estimated walking time: about 6.5 h, not counting stops.
Is there water on the route?
A spring near the trail: at km 21. There are no springs between km 0 and 21 — carry at least 3.5 l of water.

Water and shelter on the route

  1. Spring of St. Jan, 513 mkm 20.5 from the start · Not verified · 513 m

All springs of the CarpathiansAll Carpathian huts

Walk this route in 3DReal terrain, satellite map, Carpathian forests Play

Comments and trail condition

Travellers’ experience: reports, tips, questions.

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Wildlife along the route

All
Blackthornfruit nowEdibleBlackthornPrunus spinosaA spiny bush that turns white with flowers in spring before the leaves appear. The tart blue-black fruits sweeten after the first frosts.
St John's wortin seasonIn season nowSt John's wortHypericum perforatumYellow inflorescences on dry meadows and forest edges; leaves appear to be pierced with a needle. Blooms from June to August; a traditional herb for tea.
Turkey tailin seasonIn season nowTurkey tailTrametes versicolorThin striped 'fans' that cover the stumps and logs of deciduous trees. Visible all year round; inedible.
Yarrowin seasonIn season nowYarrowAchillea millefoliumWhite clusters of small flower heads and feathery leaves on every meadow — from the village to the polonyna. Blooms from June to September.
European beechEuropean beechFagus sylvaticaA tree with light gray smooth bark that forms the Carpathian primeval forests — a UNESCO World Heritage site. It grows up to a height of about 1400 m.
Common buzzardCommon buzzardButeo buteoThe most numerous bird of prey in Ukraine. It circles over the polonynas and meadows with a mournful 'ki-ya' and hunts for voles.

Based on naturalists’ records nearby (GBIF, iNaturalist), matched by altitude, habitat and season. Sightings are not guaranteed.

Trails nearby

All trails
Main Trail of BeskidyHardMulti-dayMarkedMain Trail of BeskidyElevation profile309–1 723 m499.9 kmascent 19 519 mVýchodokarpatská magistrálaHardMulti-dayMarkedVýchodokarpatská magistrálaElevation profile390–1 209 m213.5 kmascent 7 991 mTylawa – BaranieModerateOne-dayMarkedTylawa BaranieElevation profile386–754 m15.2 kmascent 466 m≈ 4.5 h walking

Craft nearby

All craft places
FIGA Organic Goat Cheese Farm, Mszana near DuklaCheese dairies & pasturesFIGA Organic Goat Cheese Farm, Mszana near DuklaMszana6.7 km from the trailThe FIGA organic family farm in the Lemko village of Mszana near Dukla is one of Poland's oldest goat cheese dairies.Browar Dukla: craft brewery and brewpub on Dukla market squareCraft beer & breweriesBrowar Dukla: craft brewery and brewpub on Dukla market squareDukla15 km from the trailDukla is an old small town at the foot of Mount Cergowa, on the historic trade route from Poland to Hungary over the Dukla Pass.Iwonicz-Zdrój: mineral-water pump room, pool and salt caveWater parks & thermal poolsIwonicz-Zdrój: mineral-water pump room, pool and salt caveIwonicz-Zdrój18 km from the trailIwonicz-Zdrój is the largest and oldest spa in the Podkarpackie region, a quiet little town in wooded hills south of Krosno, on the threshold of the Low Beskids.Rymanów-Zdrój: pump room, Tytus and Klaudia waters, graduation towerWater parks & thermal poolsRymanów-Zdrój: pump room, Tytus and Klaudia waters, graduation towerRymanów-Zdrój20 km from the trailRymanów-Zdrój is a spa in the valley of the Tabor river in the Beskid Niski, about 4 km south of the town of Rymanów.Bardejovské Kúpele: Wellness Spa Ozón and summer poolWater parks & thermal poolsBardejovské Kúpele: Wellness Spa Ozón and summer poolBardejov30 km from the trailBardejovské Kúpele is one of Slovakia’s oldest spas, a part of the town of Bardejov about 5 km from its centre, in a valley under the Magura massif that shelters it...Manufaktura Nalewek, Krosno: tasting Podkarpackie fruit liqueursCraft producersManufaktura Nalewek, Krosno: tasting Podkarpackie fruit liqueursKrosno30 km from the trailManufaktura Nalewek is a family producer of traditional Polish nalewki in Krosno, Podkarpackie. Nalewki, strong infusions of fruit, berries and herbs, were once the...