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Robson Green World's Most Amazing Walks Season 1 Episode 8
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00:01Walking.
00:03Is there a more glorious pastime?
00:05You never know what you might encounter.
00:07That just stops you in your tracks.
00:09It's the only way to really get to know somewhere.
00:12I love it.
00:13From exotic far-flung trails.
00:15Take a look at that.
00:17To gems on our doorstep.
00:19Join me, Robson Green, on some of the world's most amazing walks.
00:30This time, I'm walking in Poland.
00:34Following the celebrated trail of the Eagle's Nests.
00:38A route of castles built on spectacular limestone rocks.
00:42That is epic.
00:44Travelling through spooky forests.
00:47Extraordinary caves.
00:49It's such an alien world. Look at this.
00:52And what could be one of the world's smallest deserts.
00:56What a strange place.
00:58All the while, learning about the rich history that shaped this mighty nation.
01:28Oh, you look at that.
01:31Lush, vibrant green forest.
01:33As far as your eye can see.
01:35You've got these incredible limestone boulders everywhere.
01:40Sculptured by the forces of nature.
01:45You know, when you think about the world's most amazing walks,
01:48Poland isn't the first country that springs to mind.
01:51Nor the second for that matter.
01:54But once you take a step into its landscape,
01:58you realise it really does deserve a place on that list.
02:02I'm setting off on the Eagle's Nests trail.
02:09How's that for a natural gateway?
02:12Start my journey.
02:14Oh!
02:15This historic route links 16 medieval castles and watchtowers,
02:21which were once part of a vast defensive network.
02:24The name The Eagle's Nests comes from the fact that these castles are perched high up on the limestone cliffs
02:31that characterise this region of southern Poland known as the Jura.
02:36Right. Here we go. Here we go.
02:46The full trail spans just over a hundred miles from Częstochowa all the way to Krakow.
02:54I'm following the castles north to south, finishing up at Oysterv Castle, just outside Krakow.
03:01Now, if you feel up to it, you can hike the whole stretch,
03:06or you can split it into more smaller and accessible walks,
03:10which is what I'm doing,
03:12because I'm not as young as I used to be.
03:15I know I don't look a day over 35, but the wheel's still turning,
03:20but the hamster is really struggling.
03:23My first leg starts on top of the great Taverna Mountains,
03:29and onto my first castle at Olszten.
03:35Oh, man.
03:40There it is, Olszten Castle.
03:42One of the many castles I'll discover on this trail.
03:45The castles were built under the orders of King Casimir the Great,
03:50one of Poland's most respected rulers back in the 14th century.
03:55Do you know when I see a vista like this?
03:57I'm reminded of home, Northumberland,
04:01with all its castles dotted along the north-eastern coastline,
04:04like Bambrough Castle, Annick Castle, Dunstanborough Castle.
04:08Most of them built on the orders of William the Conqueror,
04:11after the Battle of Hastings, 1066.
04:13Robson Green, fact machine.
04:16I'm wondering what inspired King Casimir the Great
04:19to build so many castles in such a small area.
04:25Well, there's only one way to find out.
04:33Casimir ordered the construction of this castle
04:35to help protect Poland's borders from the Kingdom of Bohemia,
04:39a powerful neighbour to the south,
04:41and to keep trade routes safe from roaming raiders.
04:46I'll be honest with you.
04:47I'm no expert on strategies and defence fortifications,
04:52but if you want to build a castle,
04:55this is the place to put it,
04:57because you've got an incredible 360 view of the region.
05:02So if an attacker was coming towards you,
05:05you'd spot them.
05:08As peace returned to the region over the centuries,
05:11Ulsten Castle was gradually dismantled,
05:13with stones taken to help build a nearby parish church.
05:18Today, the most striking part that remains
05:20is this enormous stone tower.
05:23You know, I have come across many castles around the world in my time,
05:29but never have I seen a structure like that one.
05:35I've got a feeling there might be a dungeon in there.
05:40What's going on here?
05:52What battle is this before me?
05:54Back in the Middle Ages, Poland saw its fair share of turmoil.
05:58Mongol invasions, power struggles, border disputes and castle sieges.
06:03It was a time when conflict was never far away.
06:07I love it.
06:08When you're on the eagle's nest trail, always expect the unexpected.
06:12Today, that turbulent history is a source of real national pride,
06:17and it's not uncommon to see people getting together at these castles
06:21to re-enact famous battles.
06:23Obviously, today's gathering is a little smaller,
06:27but each year, tens of thousands of people meet up to enjoy the spectacle.
06:33Hello, hello.
06:34Oh, hello, nice to see you.
06:36It's Robson.
06:37I come in peace.
06:39What is your name?
06:40My name is Tom.
06:41Very nice.
06:42You're to come in peace, of course.
06:43Lovely to meet you.
06:44Yeah, lovely to meet you.
06:45Thomas, what are you guys re-enacting here?
06:47It's a knight's duel.
06:49A knight's duel?
06:50Yeah.
06:51The costumes are amazing.
06:52Yes.
06:53So, what character are you?
06:54I'm a Polish king.
06:55Władysław Jagiewicz.
06:56Tomasz and his merry band of armoured men are re-enacting a duel from the Battle of
07:03Grunwald, a famous 15th century clash where Polish and Lithuanian forces defeated the
07:09powerful Teutonic order, made up largely of German knights.
07:14It's a real passion for all of us.
07:17They're really going for it.
07:19The Battle of Grunwald, was that a pivotal moment in Polish history?
07:22Yes.
07:23It was a very important moment and one of the biggest victory in the Middle Ages.
07:30What was the result of that battle?
07:32Who won?
07:33We won.
07:34We won.
07:35Polish and Lithuanian knights won in this battle.
07:39And it was a disaster.
07:42A real disaster for the Teutonic order.
07:45Yeah.
07:46So, it was the Polish and the Lithuanian alliance against the Teutonic knights.
07:50Against the Teutonic knights.
07:51And they were made up of a lot of European countries.
07:53Yes.
07:54Yes.
07:55Yes.
07:56They have help for Western Europe from knights from England, for example.
08:00Really?
08:01Yeah.
08:02France.
08:03I apologize for that.
08:04That's a Western.
08:05Yeah.
08:06Things have changed now.
08:07And why do you think it is important to remind people of what went on here?
08:12I think it's important, for example, for young people to know their own history.
08:21For us, it's a real passion of life.
08:23It's a real, really, really nice thing and fantastic hobby.
08:28Yeah.
08:29Well, believe it or not, in my daytime job, I am an actor.
08:32And I played many a role in many a period drama.
08:35Could I talk to some of the actors?
08:37Yes, of course.
08:38Of course.
08:39Loving the Perf, darling.
08:40Marvellous Perf.
08:42That was a sight to behold.
08:45Do you want to take your helmet off?
08:48And help our guest.
08:50Thank you so much.
08:51Oh, quickly, that's heavy.
08:53It's about five kilograms.
08:55How long have you been a re-enactor?
08:57About four years.
08:58Tell me, why do you love it so much?
09:00Why are you so passionate about it?
09:02It's all started when my father bought a wooden sword for me.
09:06And after that, when I was a kid, it was my dream to become a knight.
09:11It's the nearest you're going to get to the real thing.
09:13Because you guys were really going for it.
09:15I mean, there's swords that can hurt, eh?
09:18Yeah.
09:19This is why we have all that armor as close as possible to those times we re-enact.
09:25We're making our dreams from childhood come true.
09:28Fantastic.
09:29In Poland, there's a real sense of pride in its medieval past, especially in the reign of Casimir the Great, the king behind the Eagle's Nest's castles.
09:44He ruled from 1333 to 1370, and in just under four decades laid the foundations for what would become modern Poland.
09:56Well, I'm guessing you've all gathered by now.
09:59I'm no historian.
10:01Never been an expert of anything, me.
10:03And I don't profess to be.
10:05But what interests me are people.
10:07And it seems a whole nation fought and still thinks that one person was so special, they called him the Great.
10:17Now, why that title?
10:19Why that label?
10:20Because it has to be more than just castles and bricks and mortar.
10:26And what else is happening?
10:27Anyway, let's get to the end of this graph.
10:28It's a little bit awkward.
10:29I've a cool thing.
10:30I've a cool thing.
10:31Okay.
10:32It's a little bit awkward.
10:33I've got it, look.
10:34I've got to get to the end of this past.
10:35THE EGLE'S NEST TRAIL
10:55Take a look at that.
11:00I'm walking the Eagle's Nests Trail in the Polish Jura.
11:04Named after the Jurassic limestone that defines this region.
11:10I mean, come on.
11:12Just when you thought the views couldn't get any better.
11:16That is epic.
11:18Today, I'm heading into a forest scattered with limestone formations.
11:24That forest is vast.
11:28Everywhere you look, just trees as far as the eye can see.
11:35The trail continues into the Ostresnik Nature Reserve and then onto the Jetkavica rocks, which are meant to be well worth a look.
11:45Venturing downhill into this reserve, the landscape changes dramatically.
11:51Initially, when I entered this forest, I thought I was going to be surrounded by lush, green, dense vegetation.
12:02But the further you get in, the more it opens up.
12:08Ostresnik Nature Reserve was set up in 1960 to protect the ancient woodland that grows here.
12:15With its gentle paths winding through hornbeam and beech trees, it has become a favourite spot for walkers.
12:21And forests, not so long ago, were places that ordinary folk should stay away from.
12:29Because it was believed they were inhabited by evil spirits and bandits.
12:35Then would you believe it, the Eagle's Nest Trail goes straight through this forest.
12:44Hidden in these limestone hills is a network of caves once used as shelters by partisans during World War II.
12:52And you don't have to walk far to stumble across clues to the area's rich, medieval past.
12:59What's that?
13:01That can't be a castle, can it?
13:04What is that?
13:05Tucked among the trees is the largest limestone formation in this reserve.
13:13Along with the remains of a castle, shrouded in mystery.
13:20So I guess I'm looking at what was once another fortification.
13:26No one's quite sure how Ostresnik Castle came to be.
13:29One tale suggests King Casimir began building it in the 14th century, but later abandoned it for castles that were better placed to defend Poland's western frontier.
13:41So this would have been the foundation here.
13:44And on top, there would have been a wooden structure, like a watchtower.
13:49And look what's inside this foundation, this kind of amazing honeycomb effect of labyrinths and caves and tunnels.
13:59This cave stretches back around 90 metres.
14:03And there are rumours there were once miles of tunnels connecting all the way back to Olshton Castle.
14:09I would love to go in, but I can't.
14:13Because inside there are bats.
14:17Lots of them.
14:19And it's hibernation season and they're asleep, so I can't go in.
14:24Not that I'm scared or anything.
14:25Some say the castle was once a hideout for robbers, with treasure still buried somewhere underground.
14:35Other legends speak of a prison deep in the rock, with skeletons lying undiscovered in the basement.
14:40Fortunately, it's not all spooky legends.
14:44These woods are alive with birdsong, thanks to the 50 odd species that live here now.
14:49You want to know why I love walking?
14:55Because of that.
15:01You're the woodpecker.
15:02You're the woodpecker.
15:05This is why I love doing stuff like this.
15:08Surrounded by so much birdsong.
15:11And how many times in our lives are we surrounded by birds and we never listen to them?
15:16But once you do, it makes you smile.
15:25Emerging from the woods, the dramatic limestone that defines the Jura rises into view again.
15:33Wow.
15:35Look at that.
15:38These cliffs began life millions of years ago, formed from coral, shells and calcium-rich seawater.
15:45Look at it.
15:47It's kind of prehistoric.
15:50Well, of course, because, you know, at one time, all of this was under seawater.
15:56Over a while, the sea level dropped.
15:59And I'm basically walking on that seabed.
16:02And what's left behind are creations like this.
16:09This 30-metre high wall of limestone is one of the Jet Kvitsa rocks.
16:14Where once King Casimir might have planned to build a fortress,
16:18today, they're celebrated in a different way.
16:21As a paradise for climbers.
16:23How are we doing? Hello there.
16:25Hello, Robson.
16:27Hi, I'm Neta.
16:28Neta, nice to meet you.
16:29That's Kasia.
16:30Kasia, nice to meet you.
16:31And who's making this climb look very easy?
16:33Who's up there?
16:34It's Aga.
16:35Aga.
16:38With more than 450 routes of all levels packed into just half a mile,
16:43it's no wonder this is one of Poland's most popular climbing spots.
16:48You see Aga up there?
16:50Now, 20, 25 years ago, I'd be able to do that, no problem.
16:53No problem.
16:54Now, I'm over 60.
16:56By the time I got to there, I'd have disco legs.
17:00You know the disco legs?
17:01Yeah, disco legs is something very normal, even if you are younger, so it's okay.
17:05It's a part of climbing.
17:08How do you feel about making an old guy feel very young again?
17:11Can I join your climbing club today?
17:13Yes, of course.
17:14Is that okay?
17:15It's going to be fun and safe.
17:17Yeah.
17:20To spare these old legs the climb, I'll be abseiling down instead of scrambling up this incredible rock face.
17:27Wait for me, you young whippersnappers.
17:34Climbers call this Orkennik, named after the natural rock window near the top.
17:41It's a favourite with today's climbing community, but centuries ago, this was the site of an early hill fort known as Pashikar.
17:48Are we there yet?
17:51Almost.
17:53Well, that's got the heart rate up.
17:58So this is our place.
18:00What a place it is.
18:01Wow.
18:04How's that for nature's window?
18:06Now you begin to understand why it's called the eagle's nest.
18:15And that is very high.
18:20Our rate's gone up.
18:22It does.
18:23Aneta, Aga, I think I picked a bad day to discover I suffered from vertigo.
18:28It's not going to be so bad, you will see.
18:29I have actually climbed a few rocks in my time, but the nerves still hit you when you're 30 metres above the ground.
18:37Okay.
18:38Kasia!
18:40Block!
18:44What is Polish for help?
18:46Pomocy.
18:47Pomocy?
18:48Ratunku.
18:49Ratunku.
18:50Pomocy, ratunku.
18:51And what is Polish for, I pooed my pants?
18:56Beep!
18:58And now...
19:01Now you're going.
19:02So, have fun.
19:03Have fun?
19:04Yes, try to relax.
19:06Don't look down.
19:08Don't look down!
19:10Sorry!
19:11I didn't look down!
19:12Why did I look down?
19:14Right.
19:15Okay.
19:18This is the hardest part.
19:20Just gonna step off the edge and then...
19:23I'm basically free-falling.
19:24That's what I really love about abseiling.
19:28Kind of just...
19:30It's a kind of puzzle.
19:31Just working out where to put your hands, where to put your feet.
19:34That's it.
19:35Just in flow.
19:37Not thinking about anything else.
19:39But this.
19:41Focused on this moment.
19:43You're completely and utterly in the present.
19:47Whoa!
19:49I've just got to be careful at this point.
19:52Because I'm going to swing out.
19:54Oh!
19:55Don't look down!
19:56Don't look down!
19:58Woohoo!
20:04How is that, man?
20:06How is that?
20:09Loving it.
20:11Let me just cherish this moment.
20:12Let me just take it in, what I'm actually doing.
20:18Great stuff.
20:20Great stuff.
20:22Three, two, one.
20:27The eagle has landed.
20:33Congratulations!
20:35Thank you so much.
20:37I haven't done that for quite a while.
20:38But at the start, honestly, your heart is just going and going.
20:42It must have been about 160 beats per minute.
20:45And what it does, it just heightens the experience.
20:48Because suddenly you turn around and you just see that vista.
20:51And it just, it's like an out-of-body experience.
20:54It really is.
20:56Kasia, thank you so much.
20:59I am free to carry on the Eagle's Nest Trail.
21:03That's for you.
21:04Thanks.
21:05She'll miss you.
21:06I will miss you too.
21:08See you later.
21:09Bye.
21:10Take care.
21:11Bye.
21:12Bye.
21:13Miss you already.
21:15Me too.
21:16Promise you'll write.
21:18I know you won't.
21:35Well, what do you know?
21:36More climbers.
21:37I'm following the trail of the Eagle's Nests in Poland, where adventure and medieval castles seem to appear around every corner.
21:52Today, I'm heading for Ogre Dzenietz Castle, then making the six and a half mile journey to a stable near the town of Ryčovic.
22:02There are a lot of castles along this trail.
22:05But this one in front of me, it tops the lot.
22:11I give you Ogre Dzenietz.
22:20Sitting on the highest point of the trail, at 515 metres above sea level, this is the largest castle ruin on the route, making it a tourist hotspot.
22:31And it is incredibly impressive. Look at that. Polish flag flying proudly at the top there.
22:40What makes this castle extra special?
22:43It's in the very popular TV series, The Witcher, about the monster hunters.
22:51And you can see why.
22:53That is a production designer's dream.
22:56Ogre Dzenietz has changed a lot over the centuries.
23:02In Casimir the Great's time, it was reinforced with strong stone walls, towers and passageways to defend against attack.
23:11In the centuries since, repeated invasions have left the castle in ruins.
23:16But it still stands as the crowning jewel of Casimir's legacy on this trail.
23:22And while I grab some lunch with historian Martin, I'm hoping to learn a bit more about the king behind the castle.
23:31Oh, smells amazing. I'm starving. So what do you recommend? Do you want the burger, should we have the kobeb or the sausage?
23:37The king was starving, he always ate sausage.
23:39So we need a meal fit for a king. Okay.
23:43And with the sausage, should we have a pickled gherkin?
23:46Yeah, obviously.
23:47You ever heard of the pickled gherkin song?
23:49It's long and green and it looks obscene and it always has me burping.
23:53But I must confess what I like best is a great big pickled gherkin.
23:59Joe, I love that song. It went to number one in the charts.
24:02When?
24:04Many years ago. Novelty song.
24:06So, are you having a sausage?
24:09Before Martin hits me with a history lesson, I need to refuel.
24:14Not a bad backdrop to have lunch in front of, eh?
24:18Right.
24:20Let's see what all the fuss is about with this sausage.
24:25Dig in, enjoy.
24:29Oh, God.
24:30Oh, my God. Hang on, it's like a brick.
24:33This is not a sausage.
24:35I've gone through 200 slotties for this.
24:37You know what? There's only one way.
24:40Here we go.
24:44Oh, nice.
24:46After a long day of walking, perfect.
24:48So for you, Martin, what was the most important achievement by King Casimir the Great?
24:55He changed the kingdom in lots of areas.
24:59We knew the sentence in Poland that when he started his reign, the kingdom was made of wood and when he finished, the kingdom was made of stone.
25:10Mm-hm.
25:11He was a founder of more than 50 castles, stone castles.
25:16So a lot of the fortifications along the eagle's nest would have been wooden construction.
25:20He established more than 100 cities under Magdeburg law and many more villages, but the most important thing for me in his reign was the foundation of the university in 1364.
25:37It was the second university after Prague in Central Europe or Eastern Central Europe.
25:46The state completely changed during the three decades and it became the modern European state.
25:56What do we got here?
25:57It's a surprise.
25:59Looks like a scallop.
26:01Yeah.
26:02It is an original King Casimir charter from 1369.
26:09Oh my goodness.
26:10And it's an original 700 or nearly 700 years King Majesty seal.
26:17This is a wax seal?
26:18Yeah.
26:19Oh my goodness.
26:20Look at that.
26:22Wow.
26:23And King Casimir had this particular charter in his hands one year before his death.
26:33Oh my goodness.
26:34And what's the charter?
26:38Forgive me.
26:39What does that say?
26:41In Latin, it is a document of establishing of a particular village somewhere in Poland.
26:48What?
26:49Made of stone.
26:50Yeah.
26:52I mean, that is extraordinary.
26:54I'm looking at something nearly 700 years old and King Casimir would have held this.
27:00Yeah.
27:01For sure.
27:02Amazing.
27:03You suddenly just brought it all to life.
27:05Wow, wow.
27:06What an honour.
27:07What a privilege.
27:08Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
27:09Love that.
27:10Love that chat.
27:12You take care.
27:13See you.
27:18What you realise when walking this trail is it offers much more than just castles.
27:28After forests and dramatic limestone cliffs, the path opens out into rich farmland, made fertile
27:36partly by the limestone beneath.
27:38A different landscape, but still shaped by the same ancient rock.
27:43After a long day on the trail, I'm making a stop for a rather unexpected way to unwind.
27:50Well, just before that sun sets, I'm taking a little detour.
27:53Hello there.
27:54I've spent most of my life growing up alongside ponies and horses.
27:59My granddad, he was in the Royal Horse Fusiliers.
28:03His son, my dad, was a permit holder for point-to-point horse racing.
28:09And his brother, my uncle, Matheson, he was a champion jockey when the Yorkshire Open on a horse called Rivan.
28:15And me, I cleaned out the stables.
28:19But I love places like this.
28:21And I thought I'd end the day with a bit of equine therapy.
28:28Humans have embraced the calming nature of horses since ancient times,
28:32from physical rehabilitation to mental wellbeing.
28:36I'm not entirely sure what equine meditation involves, but it's offered here at the stables.
28:42And Anna is going to guide me through it.
28:45Robson. Anna.
28:47Do you know, have you noticed, when people are next to horses, our voices immediately just drop.
28:52So I understand you run horse meditation courses.
28:55Yes.
28:56Do you think horses are aware of how we're feeling, if we're stressed?
28:59Yes, they are a perfect example of empaths.
29:02Yes.
29:03Yeah.
29:04They are receiving emotions from the herd.
29:06It's the saying in Poland that if you're angry, don't go to the horse.
29:11OK.
29:12Well, I tell you what, do you want to get the saddle and I'll just, I'll groom...
29:14Yeah.
29:15What's his name?
29:16We call him Kwiatek.
29:17Kwiatek.
29:18It's a flower.
29:19Ah, OK.
29:20Well, you go and get the saddle and I'll...
29:22OK.
29:23I'll groom Kwiatek.
29:25They're beautiful creatures, horses.
29:27I love them.
29:29As soon as you're next to them.
29:32You just feel at peace.
29:34My dad always told me when you stand next to a horse, it wants to smell you.
29:39Wants to suss you out.
29:41This one's sussing me out.
29:44Yeah, we're going to be all right.
29:46You and me.
29:47Time to chill.
29:48Flower.
29:49I've spent lots of time with horses, but never meditated on one before.
29:56This might take some getting used to.
29:59Well, we picked a lovely evening for it.
30:01Yes, yes.
30:02It's perfect.
30:03Beautiful sunset.
30:04Birds are singing.
30:05Yes.
30:06What do you want me to do?
30:07I want you to go on the horse.
30:10Ready?
30:11Yeah.
30:12Oh, this takes me back, Anna.
30:15Yeah.
30:16So, for the meditation, start breathing in the calm way.
30:26Okay.
30:27So, breathe in.
30:28Breathe out.
30:29Yeah.
30:30And breathe in your own speed.
30:33Okay.
30:34And now, put your arms on the sides like a plane.
30:49Mm-hmm.
30:50Yeah.
30:51Above of them.
30:52And breathe.
30:56Can I just say something?
30:57This is a first for me.
30:59It's funny what happens when you just turn a different corner.
31:02Yeah.
31:08Okay.
31:09And now, the hands before you.
31:13Yeah.
31:14And breathe.
31:17My grandfather used to always say that horses have really big hearts.
31:21And like humans, we pick up on signals around us.
31:24Yes.
31:25I think with humans, it's something like three meters.
31:27But with horses...
31:28Yes.
31:29And the horse is 7.6.
31:30Yes.
31:31They do pick up on that.
31:32Oh.
31:33No.
31:34Yeah, he's bored.
31:35Yeah, hold.
31:36He's sensing my incompetence.
31:37Yeah.
31:38He realizes I'm a fake.
31:40He's like, meditate, don't talk.
31:44Yeah, okay, I'll shut up.
31:45Shut up.
31:46Yeah.
31:47No talking, just relaxing.
31:50After a while, I can get into this.
31:53And with breathing out, put your hands on your thighs.
32:00Yeah.
32:01And breathe.
32:10You have to be in the moment.
32:11Yeah.
32:12Yeah, to experience everything around you.
32:17That's it.
32:18It's all about being in the present, isn't it?
32:19Yes.
32:20Just focusing on what the now, the here and now.
32:22Yes.
32:23And you don't want to be anywhere else but here.
32:25Yes.
32:26Yes.
32:27A bit of time with Kvyatik and Anna and I'm feeling surprisingly chilled.
32:32Not a bad way to end the day.
32:34Ah, what a way to start the day.
32:35It's the final leg of my Polish walking adventure and I'm back on the trail.
33:03This last stretch takes me through the Buendorf Ecological Park onto Jörgmanowice and finally
33:10to Øjsdorf Castle, the last stop on my journey.
33:16I mean, I do walks like this back home nearly every other day.
33:21Northumberland National Park is absolutely glorious.
33:25And I guess in the springtime and the summer, this place would be the same.
33:33But at this time of year, the trees are bare but you get these lovely silver colours.
33:40It's very beautiful.
33:42I've been walking for 45 minutes.
33:46And what was lush, green, dense forest has now really opened up into something quite bare.
33:54And I'm just looking at the ground.
33:57It's turned from rock to sand.
34:01Yeah.
34:02Sand everywhere.
34:03This can't be right.
34:04Oh my word.
34:05What's happened here?
34:22That right there is a desert.
34:27It's just this circle of beautiful, dense, green forest.
34:31And then you've just got this barren, dry land.
34:35Well, I never.
34:37So the Eagle's Nest Trail takes you across a desert.
34:43Known as the Polish Sahara, the Buendorf Desert covers around 12 square miles,
34:49which would make it one of the smallest deserts in the world.
34:54What a strange place.
34:58God, I'm thirsty.
35:02I wasn't expecting to stumble across this landscape on my journey.
35:06So I'm keen to learn how it got here.
35:09And luckily, I've got geologist Chris with me to explain.
35:14It is such a strange sight.
35:16You know, there's me walking past a really spectacular castle
35:21and there's these limestone formations and you have forests.
35:25And then you come across this.
35:27And I'm just thinking, you know, you're a geology expert.
35:31What cataclysmic geological event caused this?
35:37It all started with an ice sheet coming to this area
35:43and large volumes of meltwater depositing the sand and gravel.
35:50Now home to rare species of plants and animals,
35:56this sandy patch was once used by the Luftwaffe for military exercises
36:00during World War II.
36:02And it's still an active training ground for Polish Air Force paratroopers today.
36:07Rocks, forests, deserts.
36:12This walk seems to have every terrain imaginable.
36:15Although there's one feature I'm hoping Chris will help me safely explore.
36:20Caves.
36:22There's 1,700 of them on this trail.
36:25The caves I've been passing, been looking into,
36:27you can't go in because the bats are hibernating.
36:29You know a place we can go in?
36:31There is a cave called Bat Cave.
36:34It should be open to us.
36:37Mate, you couldn't have teed it up better.
36:39Chris, to the Bat Cave.
36:43We're travelling to Jumanovice,
36:45and a cave that began forming millions of years ago,
36:49when rainwater slowly dissolved the limestone,
36:52carving out this maze of natural chambers.
36:56I've never been in an environment like this.
36:59This is extraordinary.
37:03Such an alien world, look at this.
37:07My goodness.
37:09I didn't realise it would be as big as this.
37:12There are thousands of caves in this region,
37:15but actually this is the longest one.
37:18More than 1,000 metres long.
37:20Oh my goodness.
37:21The whole system.
37:23But it is only known for a few years how long it is,
37:29because it was not fully explored.
37:33They might look like natural wonders now,
37:36but these caves once had practical uses too.
37:39For centuries, Poland has mined salt, coal, copper and lead.
37:43But in the 19th century, what they were digging out of this cave
37:46might just surprise you.
37:48Calcite sarandas, but what was mined here was bat guano.
37:54So we're talking about bat poo.
37:56Yes?
37:57Yes.
37:58So in order to mine bat poo, there must have been a lot of bat poo.
38:01Actually, in some places up to 2 metres thick layer of bat poo.
38:07Sorry, you're saying there was that many bats in here.
38:10The bat poo was over six foot deep.
38:13Yes, but it's accumulated for thousands of years.
38:16So those bats have had enough time to produce this.
38:21And it was used to just, what, fertilize crops?
38:24Yes.
38:25Back in the 19th century, there were no chemical artificial fertilizers,
38:30so they had no choice but to use natural one.
38:36So it just gets bigger and bigger.
38:38Whoa!
38:39Oh, my God.
38:42This is incredible.
38:44I really feel like I've walked onto a film set.
38:48I'm Bufas, we can see the colony of bats.
38:51Where?
38:52Oh, my goodness.
38:54They're tiny.
38:55They are so small, you can barely spot them.
38:58But they are definitely there.
39:00These were the residents of caves like this all those years ago.
39:04And they were producing all that guano.
39:06Yes.
39:07Oh, my God.
39:09Bat poo aside, it was Poland's minerals that really shaped its fortunes.
39:15Mining was a big thing, wasn't it?
39:17That's right.
39:18Especially this area, southern Poland, during the Middle Ages,
39:23was the key to the wealth of Polish Kingdom because of rock salt.
39:28Salt was white gold.
39:31So in Poland they were mining lead and zinc and salt and bat guano.
39:39Back home we were mining coal and iron.
39:44All for the wealth of the country.
39:47Yeah.
39:49Mining runs deep in my family, so this little detour has been a real treat.
39:55But now it's time to get back on the trail.
40:00I'm now just four miles from my final stop and the end of the Eagle's Nest's trail.
40:06Oitstuf Castle.
40:08Do you know, before I came here, I'd heard whispers about how beautiful this place was.
40:24But nothing really prepares you for this landscape.
40:29My journey ends with a walk through Oitstuf National Park.
40:33It's bursting with plant life and home to over a thousand different species.
40:40I just love the way these beautiful little purple flowers just bursting through this blanket of leaves.
40:46Shoots of spring on their way.
40:56Now that in front of me there, that natural gateway, tells me I'm nearing the end of the Eagle's Nest Trail.
41:07And you may have noticed, I've picked up a stick.
41:11And I've not picked it up in order to prop me up.
41:16I'm using it to prop the gateway up, like all the other walkers do.
41:23Look at all of these. Thousands and thousands of sticks.
41:29To keep this gateway open.
41:32Because legend has it, if it closes, the world will end.
41:41And nobody wants that.
41:46It's here you'll find the final castle on my route.
41:50Fortified in the 14th century by King Kasimir the Great to help defend Krakow from his foes.
41:59I have come to the end of my journey.
42:02I give you Oitstuf.
42:10You see for me this journey, it's been a lot more than just a walk.
42:14It's been a history lesson where castles, well for me they're more than architectural wonders.
42:23They're a profound connection between the past and the present.
42:28And I guess, for the people of Poland and anyone who comes here, like me, they evoke a sense of pride.
42:41Centuries ago, a Polish king turned these castles from wood to stone.
42:46Shaping not just a defensive line, but a lasting legacy.
42:53King Kasimir the Great, he really did do a lot for Poland.
42:59And you now have a landscape and a people that evokes peace and continuity.
43:06And continuity.
43:09And hope.
43:11Hmm.
43:36Nothing.
43:46No passado.
43:48Even the STEF barbarousок and roommate people.
43:51It was great to not try and think it was it?
43:54Yeah!
43:55Any opportunities to make women,
43:58whether� tamamen screen,
44:01well,
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