Góra Chełmowa, Świętokrzyski National Park

Chelmowa Mountain - a peak in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, located north of Nowa Słupia, in the arc of the Pokrzywianka and Słupianka Rivers being the highest elevation of the Pokrzywiański Range. The mountain is built in the main mass of light Lower Devonian sandstone covered by deposits of loess.

In 1920 on the slopes of Chelmowa Mountain a nature reserve was established, which became the beginning of the Swietokrzyski National Park. The first efforts to create a reserve, were undertaken by the Polish Society of Skiers as early as 1908. Currently the reserve is part of the Park as a separate enclave.

In the reserve there are natural stands of Polish larch. Some of the larches growing here are over 300 years old. The age of the oldest two specimens is 336 years, the girth is slightly over 500 cm. The height of the tallest ones reaches 40 m. Even at the beginning of the 20th century, their boughs, reaching 8 meters in diameter, led the local people to believe that the trees were about 1000 years old. During the warfare of 1944-1945 a large part of the stand was damaged, and it was replaced by young trees. To this day, the tree crowns provide shelter for 88 species of birds.

Research was conducted here by botanist and larch researcher, professor Marian Raciborski. It was here that Raciborski identified the Polish larch species. A monument dedicated to the professor was erected on the top of the mountain on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

There is a very high density of ant colonies on Chelm Mountain. There are about five hundred large anthills in a relatively small area. The most common species are the moth ant and the red ant.

The black tourist trail from Nowa Słupia to Szczytniak passes through the mountain.