Bolesław Miętus's Shepherd's Hut in Lipnica Mała
Zubrzyca Górna
Tourist region: Beskid Żywiecki i Orawa
The shepherd has evidence that Babia Góra was called Teufelspitze, or devil's mountain, by the Germans for a reason. On more than one occasion he has had to deal with wolves trying to snatch his sheep. However, as in any shepherd's hut, he sleeps vigilantly, and the mountaineers already have their ways of dealing with these dangerous predators. Naturally, damage to flocks does happen – the wolf is a protected species in Poland. However, there is certainly a good energy at the shepherd's hut, and the shepherd's family is doing their best to make sure every hiker can taste the delicious cheeses. The shepherd's hut located in Zubrzyca Górna is one of the few in the Babia Góra range of the Żywiec Beskids. The tradition of oscypek production is not as popular there as in the Tatra Mountains. 'However, it is not only tourists who buy oscypek, but also the neighbours', assures the senior shepherd. The cheeses made at the shepherd's hut: redykołka, gołka, żentyca, oscypek, bryndza, bundz – all tasty and healthy, and according to some, also possessing magical properties – giving, among other things, indefatigable strength for men in order to work hard.