“Zelejowa Mountain Nature Reserve” was established in 1954 on 67 000 square meters including the hill of the same name. Zelejowa (372 meters above sea level) is the highest peak of the Zalejowskie Range. You can get there by taking Kielce-Małogoszcz route.
After passing by the interchange at Chęciny, you have to turn in the road leading north to Zelejowa village. You can go through the village and park at its western end in order to start hiking. The whole mountain range was covered by woods but since the beginning of human settlement, the growing need for fields has arisen. Exploitation of deposits which started in the 14th century did not leave the landscape unchanged as well. The trees were cut so that the room for new mineshafts was cleared. Moreover, the wood was needed to produce charcoal necessary to smelt the non-ferrous metals.
The crast phenomena on Zelejowa appear in numerous copybooks as a showcase of their kind. The sheep and cattle pasturage ban after the 2nd world war caused the rapid forestation of the hills in Chęciny region. Numerous interesting geological phenomena as well as clear traces of historic mines were thus concealed. Extensive exploratory works in search for metals and the unique-coloured limestone were conducted on the terrain of the current nature reserve.
This region gained its fame, however, because of the so called “Różanka Zalejowska” - the calcite of unique pattern. Red and pink calcite coloured by cherry hematite as well as greenish and blue spots of copper minerals create incredible colour-mix.
