In reply to richardhopton:
I don't have any UK references so I can't help you with direct comparisons, but Orla Perc is a marked trail with loads of chains, ladders and other facilities that help you scale the more difficult parts.
So, any climber can do the trail without any issues.
If you're not a climber, but you are experienced scrambler that's also well within safety margin.
Now, for beginner tourists this may be a problematic trail due to exposure in some parts, but other than that, I don't think it's something to be worried about too much. Although there's a lot of iron stuff on the trail it's not a via ferrata and no climbing equipment is needed either. Of course you could use a short rope if with someone less experienced or scared, but that's normally not needed.
That said, usual rules apply:
- early start is a must (due to thunderstorms after noon and massive influx of tourists (especially if starting from the valley, not the huts)
- adding to the above, the thunderstorms develop quite rapidly, so be vary of the weather changes. The ridge has plenty of _marked_ "escapes" that go down to the valley - but [b]use only marked trails to descend[/b] The gullies and ridges other than ones marked as tourist trails are deadly traps and most fatal accidents happened there when descending in bad weather or lost.
- there's no water on the ridge (obviously) so bring plenty
- biggest danger is from other people
- helmet is a good thing to have in my opinion, although you'll almost certainly be the only person to use it
The trail is one-way only between Zawrat and Kozi Wierch so if planning to do the whole ridge - make sure you follow the west-east direction. Officially the Orla Perc starts at Zawrat pass. Lots of folks though go up the cable car to Kasprowy Wierch and start by traversing Swinica and then following down to Zawrat on Orla Perc proper. This has an upside of the views you get from Swinica, but the queues to the lift are always enormous and if you even take the first one, you arrive to Zawrat already quite late.
A good peak in the neighbourhood is Koscielec. It's a trail with no metal stuff and a nice scramble too - good for a warm up a day before Orla Perc.
If you need more info, give a shout.
Cheers
RS