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To the northwest of Krakow, the Ojcow Valley offers an easy respite from the rigours of the city. This deep limestone gorge of the River Pradnik has a unique microclimate and an astonishingly rich variety of plants and wildlife, virtually all of it now protected by the Ojcow national park (information at ), one of the country's smallest and most memorable protected regions. With an attractive and varied landscape of scenic river valley, twisted rock formations, peaceful forests and a rich and varied flora, the nineteen-square-kilometre park makes a beautiful and easily accessible area for a day's trekking, particularly in September and October, when the rich colours of the Polish autumn are at their finest. Anyone considering giving the park the attention it deserves should pick up the Ocjowski Park Narodowy map (1:22,500), widely available both in Krakow and on arrival in Ojcow. The valley also gives access to the most southerly of the castles built by King Kazimierz to defend the southwestern reaches - and most importantly, the trade routes - of the country from the Bohemian rulers of Silesia. Known as the Szlak Orlich Gniazd (Eagles' Nest Trail), these fortresses are strung along the hilly ridge extending westwards from Ojcow towards Czestochowa.
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