At 150 km2, Podlaskie’s Wigry National Park covers a huge area, and we found the best way to explore it is by bicycle. The heart of the park is formed by the massive lake of the same name, and cycling once around it gives you a chance to check out all the best viewpoints of the lake and the surrounding area.
Apart from that, the trail also leads past the beautiful Wigry Monastery, a series of cool wooden boardwalks across the Czarna Hańcza River and the cute Wigry Narrow Gauge Railway. Read on to find out how to cover all these sights and more on your bike tour.
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How Hard is the Tour?
To be honest, it’s no cakewalk. It’s only about 60km, but the terrain is surprisingly hilly and the underground is often loose and gravelly, which means you have to be constantly careful. Stefanie and I are pretty fit, and we were quite exhausted at the end. That said, if you plan enough time and are used to cycling, it’s very doable.
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Top 3 Places to Stay in Wigry NP
Budget Option: U Jawora (AirBNB)
Midrange: Hotel Nad Wigramy
Luxury Choice: Ostoja Wigierski (pictured)
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What’s the Distance?
The loop itself is a little under 50km (32mi.), but if you start at the National Park Centre like we did, you’ll have to add another 5km each way to and from the starting point, which means that the entire tour is about 60km (37mi.) long.
How Long Does the Tour Take?
You should definitely plan all day for the tour, not only to get from A to B, but also to be able to check out the sights along the route, like Wigry Monastery.
We were told that the most focussed people make the entire loop in 4 hours, which seems pretty insane to me. Taking it slowly and exploring along the way, the whole loop took us about 8 hours.
If you plan on taking the narrow gauge railway for part of the trip, it’s worth factoring in the train schedule. See the trail description below for more info on that.
How Well Is the Trail Marked?
The trail is marked by a pictogram of a bicycle over a vertical green line, and the signage is mostly very frequent. There were a couple of intersections where we had to look a little longer to see the markings, but it’s hard to get lost on the trail.
Should you Ride Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise?
The staff at the National Park Centre, where we rented our bikes, recommended going counter-clockwise, which I’ll second. That way, the most complicated portion of the tour between Stary Folwark and the Czarna Hańcza River comes early on, when you’re still fit. This section also has the steepest slopes, and it’s much better descending them than climbing them.
Where to Rent Bikes and How Much Does It Cost?
During the summer, there are plenty of places renting out bikes, especially around Stary Folwark Village. We rented our bikes at the National Park Centre in Krzywe, which is open year-round.
We paid 50 złoty per bike, and they’ll also let you park your car in their parking-lot for the duration of your tour. Note that each person also has to pay an 8 złoty entrance fee to the National Park.
Are There Any Restaurants Along the Trail?
There are, but they’re mostly concentrated in the first half of the loop. There are both restaurants and cafés in Stary Folwark and Gawrych Ruda and there is a restaurant at the narrow-gauge railway station in Płociczno-Tartak.
After that it’s a bit sparse, but once you’ve reached Wigry, there are some cafés around (and even in) the monastery complex. That said, it’s a good idea to bring some snacks, and you should definitely carry at least 3 litres of water per Person for the tour, especially in the summer.
A Description of the Trail
This description assumes that you rent your bike at the National Park Centre in Krzywe. If you’re starting from somewhere else, just jump to the relevant part.
Krzywe to the Czarna Hańcza Gorge
The first section of the trail runs next to the main road from Krzywe to Stary Folwark. While it’s technically possible to take a shortcut from the National Park Centre to the Czarna Hańcza gorge, I highly recommend entering the looptrail at Stary Folwark, as the section south of the village is one of the most attractive ones on the entire route.
This part of the trail leads through some pretty marshland and across some wooden paths right next to the shore of Wigry Lake. At some points you can glimpse the buildings of Wigry Monastery across the water. The trail passes some tiny hamlets and farms, and we were observed by curious horses and cows along the way and constantly surrounded by bees and butterflies.
There are a few short ascents on this section, but nothing too bad, and before long the trail will veer away from the lake shore and into the woods. Before the trail turns west, make sure to cycle the 100m or so in the direction of Piecyk Village for a great panoramic view over the northern portion of Wigry Lake.
The Wooden Boardwalks of Czarna Hańcza
The next section of the trail leads through the woods along the escarpment of the Czarna Hańcza River. There are a few steeper descents and roots and patches of loose sand in many places, so make sure to be careful on this part.
Eventually, the trail will descend to the marshy flats surrounding the river. The next section of the trail leads over a series of wooden bridges through the riparian forest. The winding boardwalks are a lot of fun to navigate and personally, that was my favourite part of the entire tour.
Once you’ve left the final boardwalk, the route follows mostly flat trails south through the forest until you reach the small, attractive Muliczne Lake. Soon after, you’ll once again meet the shores of Wigry Lake, and there are a couple of wooden viewing platforms along the way.
If you need a pit stop, we can recommend getting a Kvass (fermented grain-drink – believe me, it tastes better than it sounds!) at the U Jawora inn in Gawrych Ruda Village before continuing your way west.
Narrow Gauge Railway to Krusznik
Once you reach the town of Płociczno-Tartak, you’ll have to decide whether you want to cycle east along the southern shore of Wigry Lake or do as we did, and take the historic narrow gauge railway, which follows almost the exact same route. You can take your bike onto the train and just leave at the terminus instead of returning to Płociczno-Tartak, which most people do.
We paid about 50 złoty per person for the trip, including the bikes, and enjoyed the chance to rest our legs for a bit. There are just a few connections a day, but if you have to wait for a while, there is a restaurant near the train station, which would be a great spot for a lunch break in any case.
The train only regularly runs from May to September, with three connections in July and August, and fewer in the other months. You can check the current schedule on this site. The 1pm journey is made daily from May to September and is the most convenient slot if you’re planning to integrate the train trip into your bicycle loop.
The first half of the train journey takes you through the woods, but on the second half some nice views of the surrounding landscape open up. We even spotted some cranes on a field shortly before Krusznik.
Halfway along the route, the train stopped for 15 minutes in Powały, where you’ll have enough time to walk down to the lake shore and enjoy another great view of Lake Wigry from a wooden platform. Once the train reaches Krusnik, you’ll just have to follow the dirt road north across the fields to rejoin the Wigry Lake loop trail.
Krusznik Tower to Wigry Monastery
Not long after rejoining the trail, you’ll come across the wooden Krusznik Viewtower. I recommend taking the time to climb it, as the views of both Lake Wigry to the north and the small Lake Mulaczysko are quite nice. You’ll continue across the fields and will eventually reach the Czerwony Krzyż.
The small wooden cross marks the place where a village stood until 1944, when the Nazis murdered and deported the population and burned down the buildings. As is often the case, it’s hard to imagine such horrible atrocities taking place in peaceful surroundings like these.
The next part of the trail closely follows the eastern shore of Lake Wigry and in parts we had to get off to push our bikes, as the ground is full of roots and there are some very steep slopes to climb. Luckily, you’ll reach a tarmac road after a while and the rest of the tour is much easier.
You’ll stay close to the lake shore, while you’re crossing the bucolic surroundings of the village Rosochaty Róg on a small peninsula. From here, views of rolling hills dotted with cattle open up, and soon Wigry Monastery comes into view.
lf you still have enough daylight and energy left, you can turn left when you can take a small detour to explore the monastery. For that, you’ll just have to turn left at the t-junction shortly after crossing an arm of the lake via a wooden bridge.
Wigry Monastery and the Way Back
This Monastery is one of the main sights in the area and if you can manage it, I highly recommend taking an hour or so to explore it. Otherwise, you can just come back the next day by car, as roads lead all the way to the complex.
The monastery belongs to the Post Camaldolese-Order of Monks, and you can visit the beautiful baroque-era church, as well as the catacombs and several monk’s quarters. You can also climb the view tower near the monk’s cells.
If you’ve still got some energy, you can walk about 5 minutes west from the monastery to reach another great viewpoint at the lake shore. Otherwise, you can plunk down in the café in the pretty gardens east of the monastery and have a drink and snack. The staff is very friendly and locally made juice is really good.
Once you’re ready to leave, you’ll just have to follow the road east and turn left at the first possibility (this is the only spot where we couldn’t find a sign for the cycle loop, but it’s the official route. Once you’ve reached the main road, all you have to do is follow it West until you reach your starting point at the National Park Centre.
Wigry Lake Bike Tour Map
You can see the entire route I described and the sights along the way in this map of Wigry Lake.
Where to Stay in Wigry National Park
We stayed at U Jawora Inn in Gawrych Ruda. It was very basic, but cheap, friendly and right by the lake shore. Their rooms are listed on AirBNB. If you’re looking for a midrange option, Hotel Nad Wigramy, which is also in Gawrych Ruda, has good reviews.
Apart from that there aren’t many traditional hotels around, but if you’re craving a bit of luxury, you might want to consider renting a cabin, like the well-rated Ostoja Wigierski at the eastern shore of Lake Wigry. Have a look at the map below for some more options.