LET'S EXPLORE POLAND

Copyright 1998 by the AngloPol Corporation

This series will take us through the cities, towns, villages and countryside of Poland, 
as well as give us insights into the rich history and culture of the nation.

Part 29

NORTHEAST POLAND

MRAGOWO

Many tourists enjoy a vacation in the small town of Mragowo, lying in varied countryside, between two lakes, Czos and Juno. Their banks are mainly high and are not forested. Both of these lakes provide--as do others in the area, such as lakes Kiersztanowskie, Lampackie, Juksty, Salet and Pilakno--excellent conditions for water sports. Mragowo is also a good starting point for trips to the largest Mazurian lakes and to the beautiful and extensive Pisz Forest.

THE GREAT MAZURIAN LAKES

The Mazurian lakes district is one of the most attractive and beautiful tourist areas in Poland. One-fifth of the whole surface area of the region is covered by lakes, which are inter-linked by rivers and canals to form an extensive, branching water route system. The lakes are situated in widely varied countryside and their banks are full of inlets and peninsulas, islands, sometimes surrounded by forests.

Two of the largest Polish lakes are in the Mazurian region: Sniadrwy and Mamry. There are several other fairly large lakes: Niegocin, Nidzkie, Talty, Beldany, Jagodne, Dejguny, and several dozen smaller ones.

Thousands of tourists come to the region every year, as do those who want to practice water sports and angling and those who like to spend their holidays near water. There are excellent conditions for sailing, rowing and canoeing; fishing conditions are ideal; and in winter those who enjoy ice-boating and skating will find the lakes covered with long stretches of smooth ice. Boat trips are a great attraction. These take you through the most picturesque locales and to all major towns on the banks of the lakes. In the season the larger towns and holiday resorts become crowded tourists centers. For years, Gizycko, Mikolajki, Mragowo, Ruciane-Nida, Ryn, Wegorzewo, Wilkasy and Zgon have been popular.

THE KRUTYNIA ROUTE

The most beautiful and most popular canoeing route in Poland begins at Sorkwity on Lake Lampackie (West of Mragowo) and ends on Lake Beldany (a bay of Lake Sniadrwy). The whole route is 91 km. long and the greater part of it is through the waters of fifteen lakes. The little rivers that link the lakes are winding and often run through forests, especially the Krutynia, giving the impression of passing through a splendid green tunnel.

The area is a protected reserve, lying within the Mazurian Scenic Park, which covers several large lakes and beautiful forests. There are the woods of the Pisz forest, which covers almost 1000 sq. km. Wonderful pine woods, with an admixture of spruce and deciduous trees form a dense complex stretching between Pisz, Szczytno and Mragowo. The thick undergrowth provides plenty of opportunities for picking berries and mushrooms. The area of the forest is broken up by the beautiful lakes which fill the post-glacial gullies.

Lake Nidzkie (18 sq. km.) is the largest of them, lying in the very heart of the Pisz Forest, and there are many centres for holidays and water sports on its banks.

THE MYSTERIOUS JATZVINGIANS

Until a few decades ago, relatively little was known about the Jatzvingian tribes, who like the Lithuanians, were part of the baltic group of peoples. Although archaeological excavations have provided much valuable evidence, the history of the Jatzvingians is still full of secrets and mysteries. They have left few clues behind: only a few dozen ruins, burial grounds and the names of a few places and lakes.

Today the Suwalki Lake District is rightly famed as an area of wonderful scenery, the most important parts of which are preserved within the territory of two scenic parks: the Suwalki and Wigry Scenic Parks. The first of these lies to the North of Suwalki and is a sort of miniature lake district. The most widely varied forms of post-glacial landscape relief compose a harmonious whole with luxuriant nature, in which charming lakes with the clearest of water are studded. We can also find here traces of the Jatzvingians. The ruined fortified settlement on the banks of lake Szurpily constitutes, according to the archaeologists, the remains of the most important settlement of this tribe.

Nearby one can see the intriguing regular talus called Cisowa Gora, which tourists have christened the "Polish Fujiyama". On Lake Hancza, at the mouth of the Czarna Hancza river, there is an astonishing view: a large area over which thousands of erratic boulders have been scattered by glaciation. During the last war, stones from this area were used to build Hitler's bunker at Gierloz.

Suwalki is the largest town in the area, and is a convenient centre for visiting Lake Wigry and other areas of the Suwalki Lake District. Lake Wigry, which has very interesting shore lines within the Wigry Scenic Park. There are many holiday and sailing centers on its shores, suc has Stary Folwark and Gawrychruda. A beautiful canoeing route along the Czarna Hancza river begins here. Further East, there is the small town of Sejny with a late baroque monastery built by the Dominicans, and the vicinity has many picturesquely situated lakes.

EDGE OF THE AUGUSTOW FOREST

The Augustow Forest is one of the largest forest complexes in Poland, with an area of nearly 1000 sq. km. It stretches from the border with Lithuania in the east to a line drawn between Suwalki and Augustow; in the north it goes up to the shores of Lake Wigry; and in the south it runs to the Biebrza river. These are the remains of the ancient forests that once covered this area and stretched into Lithuania. The trees, which are sometimes of impressive size and age. are mainly pines. The forest undergrowth is luxuriant and there are many species of animals, birds and insects. Resinous trees create a healthy microclimate and the air here is very clean. Indeed, research has shown that it is the cleanest in Europe. The most interesting parts of the natural environment are protected in reserves.

The forests of the region provide a wonderful setting for the many lakes. The group of Augustow lakes are among the most beautiful and attract many water sports enthusiasts, especially sailors and canoeists. There is a landing stage at Augustow for the excursion boats making trips on the lakes and the Augustow Canal. The latter was built in the first half to the 19th century and is 82 km. long within the borders of Poland, with eighteen locks to deal with differences in water level. The Augustow Canal was designed and built by General Ignacy Pradzynski and is an out standing monument to Polish technological skills.

The Augustow forest is cut through by the Czarna Hancza river, which provides one of the most popular canoeing routes. From Lake Wigry to Augustow, it the last part of the route is on the Augustow Canal.

To the south, west of Augustow, there is the small town of Rajgrod on the picturesque Rajgrodzkie Lake. Nearby are extensive areas of marsh, which has been partly drained, but where rare wildlife can still be found. For example, one can see elk, the black cock, wood grouse, black storks and many other species of water fowl. This area is often visited by nature lovers, on "photo-safari" trips.