Iława Lake District Landscape Park, lake Jeziorak, fot. Maciej Rodziewicz
Park Krajobrazowy Pojezierza Iławskiego [Iława Lake District Landscape Park]
The richness of Pojezierze Iławskie are numerous water reservoirs of various genesis, size and vegetation. Between picturesque lakes, rivers and streams, you can organize inspirational hikes combined with the observation of local nature and traces of interesting and tumultuous history. Among thick forests, it is easy to be enchanted with nature’s charms, forgetting about civilization and everyday problems – it is advisable to stick to your trail then. Visiting Park Krajobrazowy Pojezierza Iławskiego we can choose one of the four marked out here walking routes – all of them start in Iława city.
To the south, we go on a yellow trail, that is a part of E11 European long distance path in the Toruń – Samborowo section. We will start our route with a neo-Gothic PKP Iława train station, from where we will head on forest roads to lakes, one after another – Łęckie, Czerwone and Radomno. An interesting profile has especially the last one, which is created of two linked reservoirs – on the western one of them there is a big, thickly-wooded island that emerges high above the sheet of water. On the lake, there is a 150-metre long wood bridge that links Radomno village with Nowy Ostów peninsula. Before World War Two, in this place, there was here a border between Poland and Germany. Our hike on the terrain of the Park will end after covering 12 kilometres.
While visiting Iława, we can go to look for interesting green corners also in the north-east direction, that is in the direction where Jeziorak is stretched, the longest lake in Poland. A yellow trail amounts to a little more than 28 kilometres and covers mainly Iława forests that constitute a nesting site for many wild birds species, among others, a buzzard, sea eagle, black kite and an osprey. Our hike will end in Samborowo village, where it is worth to see a historic defence abutment of a railway bridge on Drwęca river.
History enthusiasts will be surely interested in an also marked green “Napoleoński” [“Napoleon”] trail that is 41 kilometres long. This route, as the name itself suggests, covers various places connected with the legendary French emperor, who once visited this area accompanied by his beloved Maria Walewska. We will hike through, among others, Aleja Napoleona [Napoleon Alley] in Szymbark with growing on its edges monumental pines. Bonaparte allegedly liked to take walks there while coming up with sophisticated war strategies. And when he had enough of that, he went to the palace in Kamieniec (the final point of the trail) to occupy himself with mundane affairs. Unfortunately, the beautifully situated object, due to decades of neglecting, became a ruin. Let’s add that in Szymbark we can also find the remains of a 14th century castle. One more, surely worth seeing nature attraction of this trail, is Czerwica ornithological reserve with a lake of the same name – there is a nesting colony of a great cormorant here and of accompanying it grey heron.
“Pod Omegą” [“Under Omega”] sailing base in Iława is in turn a start of a long for 55 kilometres “Piotrowski” trail that offers various attractions. It covers both the surrounding lakes (Silm, Szymbarskie, Ząbrowskie, Jasne, Stęgwica), nature reserves, as well as the remains of old settlements, hill forts and burial grounds. On this trail we will also reach Aleja Napoleona.
