Narew: a Mazovian valley of fortresses and birds

Narew – one of the most interesting kayak trails in Mazovia

The Mazovian stretch of the Narew from Ostrołęka to Serock is about 106 km of lowland, calm river. That is what comes out of the PTTK mileage, which puts the Nowogród–Serock stretch at 141 km, with Ostrołęka itself lying some 33-35 km below Nowogród. Most paddlers cover this stretch in 4–6 days, though you can always match the pace to your own ability. At an unhurried pace a typical daily distance runs from 20 to 35 kilometres.

When it comes to places to stay, the trail leaves plenty of freedom. Campsites and campgrounds operate along the Narew, and in many places you'll find landings, shelters or spots prepared with water tourists in mind. It is worth remembering, though, that not every attractive spot on the bank is a legal place to camp. Particular care is needed in areas under nature protection. Before pitching a tent it is always worth making sure you are outside a restricted area or using a designated overnight spot. Another option is the "Sleep in the forest" (Zanocuj w lesie) areas run by the State Forests.

In terms of difficulty this is an easy route, good even for a first longer trip – by kayak or on a SUP. The Narew flows lazily here, wide and without rapids, the bed is deep, and the navigable channel is marked in places by buoys. So the distances and the wind across open spaces tend to be more of a challenge than the current itself. It is worth remembering, though, that in Ostrołęka there is a weir connected with the running of the Ostrołęka Power Station. The structure keeps the water at the level the plant needs and is the most important hydro-engineering obstacle on the whole stretch described here. For that reason it is most convenient to start the trip just below the weir. Beyond that the Narew stays an easy river, friendly to kayak touring, but past Pułtusk it starts to take on the character of a lake – this is already the backwater of Lake Zegrze. The water practically stands still, motorboat traffic grows, and the last twenty-odd kilometres are covered by your own effort, without help from the current. On Lake Zegrze itself it opens out wide and yachts appear; in a bigger wave point the bow of your kayak into it, not side on, so as not to capsize. Before the trip it is worth checking the current water level.

The Polish Amazon – the nature of the Narew

The Narew is one of the few rivers in Europe that have kept, over long stretches, a wild, natural character – meanders, oxbows, side channels and floodplains, for which it is sometimes called the Polish Amazon. The Mazovian stretch we paddle is part of the Natura 2000 site "Dolina Dolnej Narwi" (Lower Narew Valley) – a bird refuge of European importance, spread over about 140 km of valley between Łomża and Pułtusk.

It is one of the country's most important bird valleys – several dozen species from the EU list of protected birds have been recorded here. On the water and in the riverside reeds you'll spot herons, terns (including the black tern), harriers and grebes, and on the wet meadows you'll hear the corncrake. In spring and autumn the valley becomes a staging post for migrating cranes and geese. With a bit of luck a kingfisher or a white-tailed eagle will flash past.

The river is alive below the surface too, and right by the bank. Pike, perch, zander and catfish swim in the water, while beavers and otters keep house on the banks – you'll more often see their tracks, felled trees and burrows than the animals themselves, for they are nocturnal company. Willow, riverside woods and reedbeds line the banks, and in summer the water's surface can grow over with water lilies.

The Narew changes with the season, too. In spring it swells and spreads wide, in summer it is warmest and greenest, and in autumn it quietens and lets mist into the valley. A great deal happens here all season long – you just have to slow down and look about carefully.

Ostrołęka – capital of the Kurpie and a town of battles

The start falls in Ostrołęka, which is called the capital of the Kurpie for good reason. It is the largest town of the Kurpie part of Mazovia, on the edge of the Green Forest – a region with its own costume, dialect, papercuts and music. The Kurpie were famous for the amber they gathered in the forest, and their culture is documented today by the local Museum of Kurpie Culture.

Ostrołęka has held town rights since 1373 and left a strong mark on military history. First the battle of 1807, for which the town's name was placed on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. And above all the battle of 26 May 1831 – one of the largest and bloodiest clashes of the November Uprising. The troops of General Jan Skrzynecki faced the army of Field Marshal Ivan Diebitsch here; on the Polish side around 7,000 soldiers were killed or wounded, and the clash became a turning point after which the uprising began to lose momentum. Legendary was the daring charge of the horse artillery under Lieutenant Colonel Józef Bem, who gathered several dozen guns and halted the Russian assault by fire alone, covering the retreat. For anyone who likes history, that is reason enough to begin the trip right here.

Różan – a small town with a fortress on the Narew

Różan is easy to pass by, which is a shame, because it is one of the more interesting stops on the route. The town is over 600 years old – it received town rights in 1378 – but the real attraction is what the Russians built here at the start of the 20th century.

To defend the crossings over the Narew, the Różan Fortress was raised in 1902-1910 – three concrete forts set in a ring around the town, plus earthen redoubts by the bridge. In the First World War the Germans tried to take it in July 1915, but did not break the forts; the Russians only withdrew when the enemy forced the Narew on another stretch. In September 1939 a Polish garrison in turn defended the Różan forts.

Best preserved is Fort I. You can walk over it freely – earthen ramparts overgrown with greenery, arched corridors and single bunkers – and the greatest impression is made by the roughly 50-metre underground tunnel leading down. Take a torch and something you don't mind getting dirty. It's a good reason to break from paddling and step off the water into the past for a while.

Pułtusk and the Bug Landscape Park

Around Pułtusk the river flows into the Bug Landscape Park (Nadbużański Park Krajobrazowy). Although the name points to the Bug, the park also takes in a 23-kilometre stretch of the lower Narew and is one of the largest landscape parks in Poland. Pułtusk itself is sometimes called the Venice of Mazovia, because arms of the river flow around it. It has a market square reckoned the longest cobbled one in Europe – about 380 metres – the bishops' castle above the square (today a hotel) and a townhouse where Napoleon stayed. And in 1868 a genuine meteorite shower fell here: close to 9 tonnes of stone fragments scattered over the area, known to this day as the Pułtusk meteorite.

Stretches of the Narew trip: from Ostrołęka to Serock

The lower Narew is best paddled in stretches. Ostrołęka-Różan is the Kurpie start, among sandy bars. Różan-Pułtusk leads on a calm, wide current to historic Pułtusk with its castle above the river. Pułtusk-Serock, the most popular and the easiest, ends in Lake Zegrze near Serock. You can see every stretch on the map below – in "Close to nature" mode, with facilities and water levels along the way. And if you'd rather plan the trip your own way, you can draw your own route in "Your own way" mode.

See the trail on the interactive map Click to load the map with the route drawn in

Serock – the finish at the meeting of rivers

The route ends in Serock, one of the oldest towns in Mazovia, with a hillfort reaching back to the 10th century. The town stands on a high bluff above the mouth of the Bug into the Narew. Today Serock is associated above all with sailing, water tourism and leisure on Lake Zegrze. It is a good place to end the trip. On top of that you'll find delicious coffee and pastries in the cafés and patisseries by the market square. Near Serock the Bug flows into the Narew.