Winter in Poland without skiing: 7 ideas for active people
Winter in the Suwalki region
Tourists who are looking for traditional winter entertainment, while wishing to avoid the typical hustle and bustle of the winter ski resorts, should consider a trip to the Suwalki. In this fairytale called „Polish Coldest Place” you can always count on snow, while glacial terrain allows for winter sports including downhill skiing.
You can either try Beautiful Mountain in Gołdap or try Ski Szelment (awarded with the Polish Tourism Organization Certificate), where the skiers can use one of five lifts in length from 100 to 370 meters. The downhill runs are different levels of difficulty and are well prepared.
Bialowieza – Animal Watching
Winter is the perfect time to observe bison. This is when amateur and professional observations are performed to count bisons, in order to conduct an inventory of forest 'herd.
During this time of year, Bisons enjoy the places where food is supplied regularly, as well as meadows and clearings where hay is left after summer. Of course, not only bisons visit such places – other animals like deer and wild boar are also frequently observed there.
Bialowieza National Park has a rich network of hiking trails that during winter time can leave an unforgettable impression.
Cross-country skiing
Recent years have seen – mainly due to the success of Justyna Kowalczyk – increased popularity of cross-country skiing. For lovers of this activity we particularly recommend Roztocze Route (Siwa Valley in Tomaszow Lubelski) and Podlasie (The slopes on the charming Podlasie – Uroczysko Glinka in Suprasl)
Soem of the best cross-country skiing tracks are located around the Ski Village Wiartel. Nearly 80 km of slopes to classic skiing, where each stop at the frozen lake creates a beautiful viewpoint.
Coastal walks and relaxation in Kolobrzeg
The moderate climate of the Baltic Sea, the high content of iodine in the air and incredible views invite to leisure walks on the beach. You can find sometimes ice floas or bathing in ice-cold water „walruses”, and when it snows the sky is creating wonderful images. Kolobrzeg is an example one of the all-year-round destinations, where during winter you can find Spa facilities and range of therapeutic and relaxation treatments.
Winter in the saddle
Every year winter horse-riding has more and more supporters. For riders a winter attractions may include the trip through the snowy woods, fields or rural roads. More and more tourist farms – seeing growing interest in winter riding- offers its services also during the winter.
One all-year-round riding center is awarded the „Polish Tourist Organisation Certificate”: Riding Centre in Jaszkowo (www.centrumhipiki.com). This Centre conducts riding lessons for children, teenagers and adults alike. You can even learn the basics vaulting and grooming horses. Riding Centre is a real school of life for young people and adults, in which there is always a family and friendly atmosphere. Riders have at their disposal 200 horses (including ponies for children), experienced instructors and 200 hectares of beautiful scenery located near the Warta River.
Hiking trails in the Kampinos National Park
Almost all of the 23 existing National Parks in Poland has in its offer hiking and nature trails (both for those with hiking experience and beginners). Landscape parks during winter are just as interesting as the ones that we can observe in the summer.
In situated near Warsaw Kampinos National Park, tourists can benefit from marked hiking trails with a total length of 360 km.
Barlinek -Nordic Walking
For Nordic Walking lovers Nordic Walking Centre in Barlinek is offerring a full package. The Centre consists of 54 km of marked trails on 3 different difficulty levels – total 7 trails: 6 trails in Barlinecko-Gorzow Landscape Park and 1 route in the beautiful areas of meadow and forest in Lubyanka.
