Pasłęka: a wild beaver refuge

Pasłęka – the wild river of Warmia flowing to the Vistula Lagoon

The Pasłęka is one of Warmia's two main rivers, alongside the Łyna - the state Hydrographic Division Map of Poland puts it at 186.6 km - and one of the wildest rivers in northern Poland; the PTTK describes its valley as little known and rarely visited. It begins near the villages of Gryźliny and Stawiguda, separates historic Warmia from former Upper Prussia, and ends its course in the Vistula Lagoon, which is connected to the Baltic. For almost its whole length it is one vast reserve, protecting one of Poland's most important refuges for beavers and birds.

It flows first among meadows, then cuts into a deep, gorge-like valley amid wild forests. It would be hard to find a better place for a paddler who goes out for the nature.

The Pasłęka route: through the beaver reserve

The first thing is a formality. Along its entire length as far as Braniewo, the Pasłęka forms part of the "Beaver refuge on the Pasłęka river" reserve, so to paddle it you need the consent of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection (RDOŚ) in Olsztyn (informally: the regional nature conservator). What is more, in the conservation task plan for the Natura 2000 area Rzeka Pasłęka the RDOŚ earmarked two sections to be excluded from paddling - Pelnik-Mostkowo and Pityny-Olkowo - and on the rest permitted paddling only with its consent. So the extent of the route has to be agreed with the RDOŚ in Olsztyn. This is not a river you set off on at will - protecting the beavers and the birds takes priority here.

The trail described by the PTTK is 142.5 km long and starts at Gubity on Lake Morąg, on a tributary; the Pasłęka itself is navigable by kayak from Lake Wymój, and from there it is about 180 km to the mouth. Paddling the trail takes 5-6 days. The channel is wide, in places up to 40 metres, and here and there overgrown with reeds. You should expect obstacles: in the upper part of the gorge fallen trees can usually be worked around, but lower down, between Sportyny and Olkowo, willow thickets can block the entire river - the PTTK describes this section as exceptionally arduous, with a pace of 1-2 km/h. Near the village of Wapnik, by the remains of an old mill, a difficult and long rapid with a big drop awaits - the hardest spot on the trail. The river is also barred by hydro plants, where you carry the kayaks around the weirs: at Pierzchały along the right side of the water plant, at Braniewo along the left bank. Earlier, a portage awaits at the Kasztanowo mill past Pityny, along the left side of the building. This is a route for the experienced. Before setting off, check the current water level.

The banks give you both sun (the meadow stretches) and deep shade (the forested gorge valley). Because of its wildness and the formalities, a trip on the Pasłęka is worth planning with care and local support.

Nature along the Pasłęka: a refuge for beavers and birds

Nature is the heart of the matter here. The "Beaver refuge on the Pasłęka river" reserve, created in 1970, covers about 4,240 hectares and stretches for nearly 200 km - from the source to the borders of Braniewo, together with the lakes Sarąg, Łęguty and Isąg, the Pierzchały reservoir and the lower reaches of the tributaries. It was set up to protect beavers, but a whole wealth of wild life lives here.

Besides beavers, otters and the American mink live here, the kingfisher and the osprey hunt over the water, and in the valley there are white-tailed eagles, eagles and cranes. The Pasłęka valley is a bird refuge of European rank: at least 23 bird species from Annex I of the Birds Directive have been recorded here, including the black stork, the corncrake, the marsh harrier and the black tern, as well as many birds of prey. In the forests you will come across red deer, wild boar and elk. For anyone watching or photographing wild nature it is one of the best places in Warmia - provided the animals' peace comes first.

Region and history: Braniewo and the border of Warmia

The main town of the lower course is Braniewo - the oldest town in Warmia, founded around the middle of the 13th century (chartered in 1254) on the site of the Prussian stronghold of Brusebergue. In the early modern period it became renowned as a centre of learning: Bishop Stanisław Hozjusz founded the Jesuit Collegium Hosianum here in 1565, one of the most important academies of the old Commonwealth. For centuries the Pasłęka itself marked the border between Catholic, episcopal Warmia and Protestant Upper Prussia (Ducal Prussia) - and that divide is still felt in the region.

Stretches of the Pasłęka trip: from the source to the Vistula Lagoon

The Pasłęka - one of the longest rivers in Warmia - is best explored in stretches. The upper section is a wild, forested river running through lakes. The middle course surprises with gorge-like, picturesque stretches of the valley, with drops and weirs. The lower section leads towards Braniewo and the mouth at the Vistula Lagoon. 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

Towns and villages along the Pasłęka

The trail leads through wild, sparsely populated country, and its most important town is Braniewo at the threshold of the mouth. The river ends its course in the Vistula Lagoon, near Nowa Pasłęka with its marina belonging to the Żuławy Loop. The Pasłęka is a route for aware nature lovers: demanding and hedged with protection, but with a wild valley, plenty of animals and a finale on the very edge of the lagoon.