Discover Rychwald: landscapes, trails and memorial sites

• Rychwald lies on the edge of the Ciężkowice Foothills and within its landscape protection area.
• The Rychwałdzianka stream flows through the village and joins the Biała Tarnowska.
• The blue-marked Piotrkowice–Rychwałd hiking trail passes through Rychwald; the “LEGIONISTÓW” cycling route is 14 km long.
• Local points of interest include landscapes, memorial sites, religious life and regional produce.

Wooded slopes frame the village, which stretches along the Rychwałdzianka stream. The hills, covered with mixed forest, offer panoramic views of the northern part of the Ciężkowice Foothills. For those centring their trip on nature and scenery, this offers a specific geographical setting rather than a coastal or urban landscape.

Rychwald is part of the Ciężkowice Foothills Landscape Protection Area. Within the network of protected areas, it serves as a buffer zone for the Ciężkowice-Rożnów Landscape Park and the Brzanka Range Landscape Park. Its protected-area status and location by the stream describe different aspects of the village: its place within a larger landscape and the course of its local waterway.

The blue-marked Piotrkowice–Rychwałd hiking trail passes through Rychwald. The 14 km “LEGIONISTÓW” cycling route is another way to explore the area over a longer distance. It starts at the Legionnaires’ Cemetery in Łowczówek, passes through Rychwałd Klepków, Lichwin Pustki and Lubinka Piekarzówka, and ends in Lichwin Nowy Świat. These are distinct routes; the cycling route should not be confused with the hiking trail.

Rychwald’s tourism and leisure offer also includes the Eko@sklep “Na Trasie” ecological nature trail. It connects 17 farms in the municipality. The farms offer fruit, milk, quark, eggs, honey and flowers; one of them is in Rychwald. The trail thus links nature tourism with regional produce, although not all the offerings are located in the same place.

Military Cemetery No. 188 in Rychwałd covers 0.05 hectares. It is the burial place of 29 Austro-Hungarian and 25 Russian soldiers. Three memorial sites in Rychwałd have also been renovated in recent months. These places provide a tangible connection to the area’s history; however, the details about each memorial site relate to different events.

In Olszówki, a monument with two graves commemorates the place where, on 31 March 1944, 13 political prisoners brought from Limanowa or Nowy Sącz were shot. Also in Olszówki is the site where, on 30 March 1944, four prisoners brought from Tarnów were shot. Another monument beside the memorial commemorates combat actions by the Barbara AK Battalion, known as the “Butter Action.”

Another historical site is in Las Koszycki in Rychwałd. There, 18 Poles were shot by Germans in 1940. They were probably brought from Tarnów; the date is believed to have been 8 September. If you include these memorial sites in your travel plans, the separately listed locations and dates can help you distinguish between the events.

A service is listed at 10:15 a.m. on Sundays and public holidays at the Chapel of St. Joseph (św. Józefa) in Rychwałd. This is a useful point of reference for travellers who wish to include religious sites or services in their plans.

The Małopolska Fruit Trail is also considered part of the village’s tourism and leisure offer. Across the wider region, this trail brings together agritourism and commercial farms and aims to promote the “Owoce Małopolski” brand. To compare other destinations, you can also visit Wojnicz, Jamna, Ciezkowice, Zgłobice, Milówka, Skrzyszów, Janowice and Pleśna.

Where is Rychwald?

Rychwald lies on the edge of the Ciężkowice Foothills and within the Ciężkowice Foothills Landscape Protection Area.

How long is the “LEGIONISTÓW” cycling route?

The cycling route is 14 km long. It runs from the Legionnaires’ Cemetery in Łowczówek through Rychwałd Klepków, Lichwin Pustki and Lubinka Piekarzówka to Lichwin Nowy Świat.

When is the service at the Chapel of St. Joseph (św. Józefa)?

A service is listed at 10:15 a.m. on Sundays and public holidays.

For the broader travel overview: Tarnów.