Gówniak, Babia Góra National Park

Gówniak - a peak in Beskid Żywiecki, in the northeastern ridge of the Babia Góra massif. The Geoportal map gives its height as 1644 m. Gówniak is one of the so-called five ridge peaks of Mount Babia and is often mistaken by tourists for the right peak of Babia Góra.

The name "Wołowe Skałki" comes from the fact that in the past the Orava shepherds who grazed oxen on the southern slopes of Babia Góra herded them for the night under the protection of the local rock outcrops, while the name "Gówniak" comes from the large amount of cattle excrement that accumulated there. The name "Gówniak" appearing on some maps is, according to W. Midowicz, a distortion of the name "Gówniak" and an expression of false modesty.

The border between Galicia and Orava, which belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary, used to run through the peak. Since 1920 the whole area of the five ridge tops belongs to Poland. During the World War II the border between Slovakia and Germany ran through this area. Its remnants are granite posts with letters S and D. These posts were later toppled. In 2012, they were used to build a tourist trail.

The peak of Gówniak forms quite a distinct rocky uplift, and its surroundings are collapsed with boulders. This is the so-called rubble of Babia Góra. On this rubble in the springtime the Pasqueflower blooms with white flowers.

A tourist trail leads through Gówniak to the main peak of Mount Babia - Diablak. On this trail above Gówniak there are two more flattened ridges: Mały Garb Niżni and Mały Garb Wyżni, as well as a shallow pass just below the Diablak summit, known since 1980 as Saddle of Boncza.