BRDA – QUEEN OF THE RIVERS
Location:
Brda River is the left - hand tributary of the Vistula River and one of the most beautiful canoe trails in Poland. The trail passes mainly through protected area of “Bory Tucholskie” National Park as well as Zaborski and Tucholski Landscape Parks. Everybody will be enchanted by beauty and variety of local Wildlife Reserves. Brda basin consists of 40 tributaries and numerous lakes. The river has its sources in Smołowe Lake and the upper section flows into Szczytno Lake. Central section of the river flows through postglacial ribbon lakes of Charzykowska Plain and further through Bory Tucholskie. In the last section, it flows through Bydgoszcz and empties into Vistula River upstream from Fordon.
Brda statistcs:
Length of the river: 239 km (148 miles)
Length of the trail: 233 km (144 miles)
Estimated time of canoe trip: 10 days
Skill Level:
The trail is relatively easy, with few obstructions it is perfect for family canoe trips (central section especially), there are rare portages, no previous experience is required. The trail is perfect to embark on your first canoe trip.
Camping conditions:
The trail is well prepared for the canoeists. It has well developed tourist infrastructure, apart from the upper section up to the Szczytno Lake, where your own camping equipment is necessary. In the central and lower section, you will find a number of resorts, jetties and private camping sites with facilities designed for canoe tourists.
Description of the trail:
Extraordinary diversity of the riverside, dense forestation, numerous nature trails, gorgeous lakes and a great number of side routes attract more and more tourists enchanted by the Brda trail.
The river is considered to be one of the most beautiful canoe trails in Poland, variety of its sections make that it is impossible to be bored here. Sometimes, the river lazily meanders through woods and grasslands, sometimes it transforms into a rapid stream, running in the earth tunnel surrounded by high, steep and picturesque banks.
You will be enraptured with the quietude and mystery of many sites. Brda is very well signed and thus can be recommended for family trips, even for beginning canoeists. We can set out for a weekend trip or stay even for three weeks and canoe down the tributaries. Every enthusiast of canoes and nature simply must go down this river!!
We can divide Brda trail into three stages. The first one, the so called upper section, stretches from sources to the Szczytno Lake – it is suitable for canoeists who like portages, a large number of obstacles, quite narrow riverbed and a pleasantly fast current. You will face two permanent obstructions here – gate weir and water mill in Stara Brda. If you are lucky enough, you will observe drinking stags, does and boars. At the end of the first section, in the 300 years old forest and wildlife reserve at the same time, you will find several hundreds of cormorant’s and heron’s nests. The central section, from Szczytno Lake to Miecikal is very popular and often crowded. The river is wide here and flows quite steadily – perfect conditions for family trips. Picturesque lakes are the main attraction of the central section (Szczytno, Charzykowskie, Długie, Łąckie). Tourist infrastructure is well developed.
In the lower section Brda drops, current is swift but the section remains easy, adrenalin increases a bit. Downstream from Miecikal, we will find one of rare obstructions – Mylof dam. The section, downstream from Rytel town, is marked with captivating pine woods and in the vicinity of Tuchola, we will find the beautiful gorge with numerous rapids. The gorge is referred to as “Hell” (wildlife reserve) and ends with surrounded by trees Koronowskie Lake, which is the largest and most beautiful lake on the trail.
People who have already taken part in the Brda canoe adventure tell legendary stories and share their memories. Ask them if it is worth to canoe down this river. You probably already know the answer.
Tourist Atrtractions :
- Charzykowska Plain
- Bory Tucholskie
- "Przytoń" – Wildlife Reserve
- "Osiedle Kormoranów" (39km from the trail) – Wildlife Reserve
- Water Dam in Mylof
- educational path -"Island of the stags"
- Great Brda Canal
- Dendrology Park
Suggested route :
Nowa Brda - Gostycyn Nogawica is the 138 km long and probably the most beautiful water trail in Poland. Extremely varied, meandering riverside, extensive forests, picturesque lakes and primeval nature attract many water enthusiasts to Brda.
- Nowa Brda - Pakotulsko - 13km
- Pakotulsko - Sąpolno - 24km
- Sąpolno - Małe Swornegacie - 13km
- Małe Swornegacie - Mylof - 26km
- Mylof - Brda - 19km
- Brda - Gołąbek - 19km
- Gołąbek - Gostycyn Nogawica - 24km
