Hiking & e-biking in the Bober-Katzbach Mountains

Lower Silesia is still a true hidden gem for many holidaymakers. The Bóbr-Kaczawa Mountains, also known as the “Land of Extinct Volcanoes,” are especially enticing with their untouched landscapes, rolling hills, and fascinating geological treasures.

Our starting point for this adventure was the idyllic Villa Greta in the small village of Dobków. From here, we explored the region both on foot and on two wheels, and were surprised by how versatile this corner of Poland is.

A scenic view of the village of Dobków in Lower Silesia, featuring a church steeple rising above a lush green forest and rolling hills under a soft, cloudy sky.

Hike to the Observation Tower on Dłużek (Repprichts-Mountain)

On our first day at Villa Greta, we had fantastically beautiful weather. Our morning itinerary included a hike to an observation tower in the Bóbr-Kaczawa Mountains. From there, we were promised a wonderful view over this area of Lower Silesia.

Shortly after a hearty breakfast, we set off with a camera and two water bottles. Our hiked route is easily visible on the map.

Villa Greta sits at an elevation of about 352 meters. The path to the observation tower went continuously uphill. First, we followed a “path”—or rather, a freshly mown trail across the adjacent meadow. This path was specially created by the owners of Villa Greta and leads directly to a signposted hiking trail, specifically the green route.

A “minor” drawback to this shortcut: it had rained during the night and not everything had dried off yet. It was a bit wet on the legs at first.

A woman with a joyful expression stands on a forest path in Lower Silesia, her grey shirt and blue jeans visibly wet from a hike in the rain.

The steady ascent took just under an hour and a half over well-paved forest and hiking trails. During this time, we climbed about 235 meters in elevation. We hiked through a quite varied landscape of wide open meadows and shady forest areas until we spotted the wooden observation tower.

Panoramic View and Picnic at the Summit

Finally arriving, I could hardly wait to climb the steps. Would the view really be that stunning?

A tall, dark wooden observation tower, or Aussichtsturm, stands atop a grassy hill in Lower Silesia (Niederschlesien), featuring multiple levels and a staircase for hikers. The structure is surrounded by lush green trees and shrubs under a bright, partly cloudy sky.

It was! The tower stands on the summit of Dłużek (Repprichts-Berg in German), which has an official height of 592 meters above sea level—almost exactly matching the 586 meters on our GPS tracker.

A view from the wooden stairs of an observation tower during a hike in Lower Silesia (Niederschlesien), looking out over a lush green forest and distant rolling hills under a bright blue sky.

We looked out over a dreamlike landscape: forest areas, the rolling hills of the Bóbr-Kaczawa Mountains, and occasional fields as far as the eye could see. On a clear day, you can even see all the way to the Giant Mountains from up here. You might spot an isolated house here and there, but otherwise, it’s just pure nature. I must admit, I didn’t expect Lower Silesia to be this beautiful.

A high-angle, wide landscape view from a hiking trail in Lower Silesia (Niederschlesien) shows rolling green hills and dense forests stretching toward distant mountains under a cloudy blue sky.

While enjoying the view, I looked down at a picnic area right next to the tower. My tip: bring a snack or a picnic and enjoy the peace and quiet. It was pure relaxation for us!

A wide-angle scenic view from a hiking trail in Lower Silesia (Niederschlesien) shows rolling green hills and dense forests under a hazy blue sky, with a distant tower visible on a far peak. A large, historic building nestled in the valley is framed by evergreen trees in the foreground.

As we made our way back, I almost regretted that we still had a lot planned for the day. Everything we had walked uphill on the way there, we now walked continuously downhill. We chose a different, somewhat more direct route that led us into the village of Dobków. This path was also very well paved, so the descent went quite quickly. After a detour to the village church (unfortunately, it is usually locked), we arrived back at our accommodation at Villa Greta.

A stone path leads toward the side of the historic St. Giles Church in Dobków, Lower Silesia, featuring peach-colored walls, a sundial, and a black-domed bell tower under a cloudy sky.

Info: Dłużek (Repprichts-Mountain) & Observation Tower

Height: 592 meters above sea level.
Location: Eastern ridge of the Bóbr-Kaczawa Mountains.
The Observation Tower: A wooden tower built in 2018 to expand the region’s tourism offerings.
Access: Free of charge and open year-round.
Hiking Trails: Well-maintained paths (like the green route from Dobków/Wojcieszów). Besides hikers, mountain bikers also use the adjacent “Single Track Dłużek.”
Infrastructure at the Summit: Information board with a panorama description, picnic benches, a table, and an official fire pit.
View: On a clear day, the panoramic view extends over the Bóbr-Kaczawa Mountains (e.g., the prominent Mount Okole) all the way to the Giant Mountains..

E-Bike Tour Through the Kaczawa Mountains: Volcanoes, Organs, and Historic Churches

We wanted to explore a bit more of the region around Dobków. Luckily, there is an option to rent bicycles nearby. However, these must be ordered in advance. The owners of Villa Greta are happy to help with this.

A man in cycling gear performs a pre-ride check on two mountain bikes in a rustic courtyard in Lower Silesia, Poland, before starting a bike tour.

Our e-bikes and helmets were already waiting for us in the morning. All we had to do was adjust the saddles, do a quick brake check, and off we went.

We had put together a route that was supposed to be about 40 kilometers long. However, after barely 32 kilometers, part of our bodies said “that’s enough,” so we skipped the final point on the route. Our ride, including the inclines, can be clearly seen on the map.

Our tour started in Dobków. For just a few meters, we rode along the main road, then turned onto a small street where we didn’t encounter a single car. Thankfully, because this gave me a chance to try out the gears—which were quite unfamiliar to me—until I got the hang of them. It really is something else to ride such a fantastic e-bike compared to a heavy granny bike with a basket and a 3-speed gear shift.

A cyclist wearing a helmet and a red backpack pauses at a rural road intersection during a bike tour in Lower Silesia, with lush green trees and a blue sky in the background.

Of Hidden Towers and Giant Stone Organs

Arriving at Route 365, we rode on a slightly busier main road until just before Muchów. There, we left the road and went up and down dirt tracks, small roads, and through the forest to an observation tower: the Wieża widokowa na górze Zawodna (445 m a.s.l.) in Gozdno. We actually wanted to climb this tower, but we must have missed the direct access path.

A wooden lookout tower stands atop a lush, green forested hill in Lower Silesia, Poland, under a clear blue sky.

In hindsight, that’s a real shame, because the wooden tower built in 2018 is a proud 20 meters high and stands on an old, 445-meter-high volcanic hill made of volcanic rock. From the observation deck at a height of 16 meters, you are supposed to have a fantastic view over the Kaczawa Mountains, the Giant Mountains, and the striking extinct volcano Wilkołak.

A sun-dappled gravel path winds through a lush, green forest in Lower Silesia, with dense foliage creating a natural canopy overhead.

The next section of our tour led us back over forest paths—some of which were made of gravel and quite steep—towards Sędziszowa. Here lies an old quarry and an absolute natural highlight of the region: the Organy Wielisławskie (Wielisław Organs). These spectacular rocks are the remnants of a volcano that erupted around 270 million years ago.

A steep, reddish-brown rock face with visible geological layers rises above a wooden fence and information sign along a Niederschlesien cycling route. Green trees and shrubs grow along the top and sides of the cliff under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

When rock was quarried here in the 19th century, the impressive interior of the volcano was exposed. The cooling magma back then formed massive, 20 to 30 cm thick rock columns that visually strongly resemble giant organ pipes. After a short break right in front of this impressive and three-dimensional rock face, we continued through Sędziszowa towards Świerzawa.

A lush green field in Lower Silesia (Niederschlesien) is filled with blooming blue cornflowers and white wildflowers, set against a backdrop of a dense forest under a cloudy sky.

Romanesque Art and the Best Soft Serve in Świerzawa

We made a short stop there at the church Kościół św. Jana i Katarzyny (St. John and Catherine). Built from stone in the first half of the 13th century, it is one of the best-preserved Romanesque churches in the region.

A stone church with a tall, pointed spire stands behind a fortified wall in Lower Silesia, featuring a small gatehouse and information boards in the foreground.

Today, it is no longer used for church services, but as a museum and for exhibitions. A look inside is well worth it. In 1977, fantastic 13th-century murals were discovered beneath the old plaster. They depict fascinating plants and somewhat exotic animals, such as storks, fish, or even giraffes.

Faded, historical wall paintings in a church in Lower Silesia (Niederschlesien) depict multiple registers of religious scenes with figures in medieval attire, rendered in earthy tones of ochre, red, and white.

A wide shot shows the interior of a historic church in Lower Silesia (Niederschlesien), featuring a stone altar and three arched windows beneath a domed ceiling covered in faded, centuries-old religious paintings. The weathered stone walls are adorned with intricate carvings and remnants of colorful frescoes, illustrating the rich artistic heritage of the region.

A few meters further on, we treated ourselves to some ice cream in a somewhat hidden shop on Złotoryjska street. Here, soft serve is handed to you directly from a small window—and apparently has been for what feels like an eternity. You pay with cash, only Polish is spoken, and the ice cream is simply fantastic! After this final refreshment, we headed back to Villa Greta in Dobków.

A person enters an ice cream shop in Lower Silesia, marked by a large, decorative soft-serve ice cream cone statue surrounded by pink flowers at the base of the stairs.

A person on a cycling tour in Lower Silesia holds two waffle cones filled with swirls of pink and white soft-serve ice cream, each with a small plastic spoon.

Info: Wielisław Organs (Organy Wielisławskie)

Location: On the slope of Mount Wielisławka (375 m) in Sędziszowa, near Świerzawa.
Geological Feature: Rhyolite rock columns (4 to 6-sided) that are 20 to 30 cm thick. They were formed by the slow cooling of magma about 270 million years ago during the Permian period.
Exposure: The impressive rock faces became visible in the 19th century when rock was quarried here for road construction.
Legend of the Gold: According to local myths, the legendary “Gold of Breslau” (Złoto Wrocławia) from the Second World War is supposedly hidden in Mount Wielisławka-it has never been found.
Visit: The site is protected as a natural monument. There is a small nature trail (“Around Wielisławka”, approx. 3.1 km), a parking lot right in front of the rocks, and a rest area with benches.

Two mountain bikes are parked in a grassy field in front of a wooden fence and an information board, with a large, rocky cliff face rising behind them during a Niederschlesien Radtour.

Our stay at Villa Greta and the excursions into the Bóbr-Kaczawa Mountains absolutely thrilled us. The mix of tranquility, pure nature, historical discoveries, and small, charming experiences, like the soft serve from the window, makes this region of Lower Silesia a perfect destination for a relaxing getaway. Whether you prefer lacing up your hiking boots or hopping onto the saddle of an e-bike: The Land of Extinct Volcanoes is definitely worth a trip.

The stay in Lower Silesia took place in collaboration with the Polish Tourism Organization in Berlin .

Published 6 September 2026