HOMOLE

Steep dolomitic ravine........

The dolomitic Pieniny Klippen Belt is exposed in the southern Poland, a little northward of the Tatra Mts. It stretches from the western area called Orawa, through Podhale and Spisz, up to Poland – Slovakia border, where it forms the eastern range of the Pieniny Mts. called Małe Pieniny. Dolomitic rocks are easily weathered and, therefore form deep ravines with speedy creeks and steep slopes. Orography of this area is similar to that of Dolomites in Italy. Among several nature reserves established in the Małe Pieniny Mts. one called “Homole” is most famous and most often visited by tourists. In the reserve a green trail is marked and in the upper part it leads through sheep pastures to another nature reserve “Wysokie Skałki” situated on the highest mountain of all the Pieniny Mts., Wysoka 1050 m asl. The reserve is located in a deep ravine of a stream called “Kamionka”. Near the entrance to the reserve small waterfalls on the stream are formed. Lime stones lying on the bottom of the stream are covered by thick layers of algae. The stream flows between steep dolomitic walls, even of 120m hight. Lime rocks of different colours, white, rose, red, green, black, grey, brown, yellow, are formed by ammonites, calpionellas, crinoids and radiolarians. These rocks were created in the Jura period. On steep walls we can see xerothermic grassy vegetation dominated by Festuca pallens, Sesleria varia and Calamagrostis varia. We can also observe other plants like: Galium anisophyllum, Teucrium montanum, Cotoneaster niger, Tanacetum corymbosum, Saxifraga aizoon, S. adscendens, Soldanella carpatica. Very valuable there is here a large population of Ophrys insectifera. On banks of the stream different species of bushy Alnus and Salix grow. A little upper, Juniperus communis, spruces, beeches, sycamores and even several specimens of Taxus baccata form a forest vegetation. Between wet lime stones Salamandra salamandra lives. Cinclus cinclus and Motacilla cinerea live here and they are birds characteristic for mountain streams habitat. On steep walls Falco tinnunculus and owls nest.
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