PADDLING SŁUPIA DOWN TO THE BALTIC SEA

Location:

The Słupia River stretches on the area of the West Pomerania and East Pomerania Lake Districts. The river crosses the Kaszuby Lake District, Bytowskie Lake District and Polanowska Height, it flows across the border of Damnicka Height and Slupska Plain. The Słupia River rises 178 meters above the sea level, on the peat bogs of the Kaszubskie Lake District, in the vicinity of Sierakowska Huta. The river empties to the Baltic Sea in Ustka.



Słupia statistics:

Length of the river: 141 km (87 miles)
Length of the trail: 133,2 km (82 miles)
Estimated time of canoe trip: 6-7 days

Skill Level:

The trail is quite bothersome, obstacles are easy, there are rare short-distance portages, it is better to paddle with an experienced guide. The upper section of the river requires paddling experience. Spry skirt is recommended for single seat kayaks.

Camping conditions:

The tourist infrastructure is underdeveloped. The Słupia Water Trail is seldom chosen by the paddlers. Significant part of the trail runs through the protected forest area of the “Słupia Valley” Landscape Park. You should remember that camping is allowed only in the six, prepared for paddlers, harbours which allow to pitch a tent and spend a night by the river ( Soszyca, Gołębia Góra, the Głębokie Lake, Gałęźna Mała, Krzynia and Leśny Dwór). The campsites mentioned above are just perfect bases of attack to admire nature qualities of the landscape park. Thanks to the numerous education and nature paths, which are organized by the forest inspectorate, the area is really worth seeing.  

Tourist attractions:

  • The Old Water Mill in Prachowski Mlyn
  • The “Słupia Valley” Landscape Park
  • Struga (Soszyca) – The Oldest Water-Power Station in Europe  – generating electric power since 1925.
  • Gałąznia Mala Water-Power station – the largest on the Słupia River
  • Konradowo (Strzegomino) Water-Power Station
  • Krzynia Water-Power Station
  • Skarszów Dolny Water-Power Station
  • "Gołębia Góra” Forest Wildlife Reserve
  • The Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle in Slupsk
  • The Castle Mill in Słupsk
  • The 19th  century Richter’s Granary in Słupsk
  • The Ruins of Early Medieval Dwelling (8th-9th century) by Kamienica River  
  • “Buczyna nad Słupia” Wildlife Reserve


Suggested route:

  1. Gowidlino - Sulęczyno -14,3km (8,8 mi)
  2. Sulęczyno – Bylina -13,5km (8,3 mi) (transport to Soszyca)
  3. Soszyca – Głębokie Lake - 18,8km (11,7 mi) (transport to Gałaznia Mala)
  4. Gałąźnia Mała - Leśny Dwór - 15,4km (9,5 mi)
  5. Leśny Dwór - Łosino - 16,5km (10,2 mi)
  6. Łosino - Bydlino - 25,3km (15,7 mi)
  7. Bydlino – Ustka – 16,8km (10,4 mi)


Useful advices:

Two important transports should be taken into consideration:

  • Transport from Bylina to Soszyca
  • Transport from the Głębokie Lake to Gałąznia Mala (7km) (4 mi)

Description of the trail:

The water trail is over 133 km long which equals 6 or 7 days of a peaceful canoe trip in the magnificent scenery. Paddlers hit the water first on the Gowidlińskie Lake. The first section of the trail is rather tough and mountainous. The river here has swift current, there are large drops up to 4 %, the bottom is rocky, there is a number of fallen trees, the riverbanks are overgrown with willows and alder trees – you will also find the famous “sulęczynski channel” here.
The section from Sulęczyn to Gałąznia Mała is included in the register of Mountainous Canoe Trails. The section running through the “Slupia Valley” is the most breathtaking part of the trail. The section passing through the area of the Bytowskie Lake District and Polanowska Height, especially between Żukowskie and Głębokie Lakes, is equally enchanting. Typical for this region lobelia lakes are densely overgrown with relic flora. The hydro-technical, historical water-power stations, built between 1898 and 1926, with channels, earth dams, tunnels and air-traps are the next tourist showplaces which attract canoeists to the trail. These impressive constructions are still functioning, and thus, portages are inevitable. The opportunity to admire this, unique in Europe, system of the river water-power stations will surely make up for this inconvenience.
Less experienced paddlers should skip the first section from the Gowidlinskie Lake to Kajlandia (downstream from the channel). The trail is extremely interesting, quietude and primeval nature compensate for hardships of the trip.
The Słupia Water Trail is one of the least popular but one of the most enchanting at the same time. You will not regret canoeing down the river for sure. Opportunity to paddle into the Baltic Sea and celebrate on the beaches of Ustka are probably the greatest advantages of this canoe trip. Those who have already had a chance to go on sea kayaking will surely try it in Ustka again.
Beautifully located kayaking campsites which are usually out of charges compensate for the lack of organized campsites with a full tourist infrastructure. You will not find any tourist facilities on the trail, but for some people it is a convincing argument to embark on a paddling adventure on the Słupia River.