Origin

The rough and dark looming mountain massif of the High Tatras reaches 2660 m above sea level. On a relatively small area of 1000 square kilometers, nature created a veritable maze of hundreds of granite peeks, rocks, valleys and passes. The dark view of the giant mountains is being softened by green meadows, forests, babbling brooks, glittering like crystal and countless rapids. The mountainlakes, and specially Morskie Oko are of an astonishing beauty. The sun plays its game of shades and light over the country. The northern part of the mountains is located on Polish soil and is called the highlands of Podhale. The current name is formed of two words: “pod and halami”. Which means “under the mountain pastures”. A beautiful county with its own dialekt, habits, customs and costums, folk art and crafts. The home of the highlanders of Gorales stretches from the Beskids on the east, the Pieniny mountains, the Gorcemassif to the Tatras. The highlands are dissected by fortested ridges from which the Gubalówka is the most extensive. From there you have a beautiful view over the more than 50 km long ridge of the Western Tatras. In the valley lies Zakopane, but  also pittoresk places as Nowy Targ, Poronin and Bialy Dunajec, named after the river. Higher up, at the northern side the somewhat less easier to reach places like Nowe Bystre and Ratulow. This is the homeland of the Tatra Mountain Dog or, Polski Owczarek Podhalanski.