Poland's Official Travel Website

Winrich von Kniprode, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, was the pioneer in sailing the route of the Great Lakes of Mazury. In 1379 he sailed from the north to the south of the Great Lakes. The greatest difficulty in this risky and difficult trip was the lack of connection between the lakes; therefore the boat was repetitively carried by land or swampy ground. A plan of connecting the lakes was prepared upon personal order of the Grand Master. Unfortunately it was executed only partially. Only in 1687 did a Polish engineer Józef Naroński prepare a realistic plan of connecting the lakes by channels. Samuel Suchodolski and his son Jan worked on the plan of channels till 1744, whereas the construction itself took only a year.
    It is easy to trace the lake route on maps. The main route of the Great Lakes of Mazury starts on Wiartel Lake close to Pisz. This lake connects with the huge Nidzkie Lake through a navigable stream. The water region, although in a great part closed for vessels, remains accessible for sailors. The lake, situated among the fir and pine forest of the Puszcza Piska is one of the largest of Mazury, and at the same time its shores are almost entirely undeveloped. The only bigger settlement – the town of Ruciane-Nida - is located on its western end, west of the pass leading to other big lakes.