Lead Mountains
The southern part of the Kaczawskie Mountains, north of the breakthrough valley of the Bobr River between Marciszów and Janowice Wielkie, is a small range called the Lead Mountains (Góry Ołowiane). Contrary to the name, lead ore was never mined here. The range has a roughly parallel extent, with a length of 6.5 km and a width of up to 2.5 km. The highest peak is Turzec (684 m), with other prominent summits including Ołowiana (658 m) and Różanka (628 m). On the northern slopes of the Lead Mountains, below Turzec, is the source area of the Kaczawa River.
Geologically, the Lead Mountains are relatively monotonous and almost entirely built of greenstones. They are the result of the transformation of old Paleozoic volcanic rocks – basalts that formed underwater lava covers. The landscape of the main ridge of the Lead Mountains is diversified by numerous, although not very high (up to 5 m high) rocks, with larger clusters located under Turzec, in the central part of the ridge, above Kaczorów, and under Ołowiana. Rocks are accompanied by rock debris and boulders made of greenstone, formed by mechanical weathering of outcrops, falling, and movement down the slope in the conditions of a cold periglacial climate in the Pleistocene. Some of them have proper names: Urwista, Jarzębinki, Farne Rocks, Grzebień.
The ridge of the Lead Mountains is part of the Piast Castles Trail between Płonina and Janowice Wielkie, but it is rarely frequented by tourists.
Description: Piotr Migoń
