Wel: a lowland river with a mountain gorge

Wel: a kayak trail in the Wel Landscape Park

The Wel is a left tributary of the Drwęca. It rises in the Dylewo Hills and, after more than a hundred kilometres, joins the Drwęca at Bratian near Nowe Miasto Lubawskie. The kayak trail runs about 91 kilometres, from Dąbrówno all the way to the mouth, threading ten lakes along the way. Taken gently it spreads over four to five days; you can also do it in stages, over two or three two-day weekends. A large part of the route runs through the Wel Landscape Park, and for most of the way the river is gentle and scenic - with one exception, the one that made its name.

Where the Wel flows from and to

The trip starts at Dąbrówno, where the river flows out of Lake Dąbrowa Wielka; you can also start higher up, from the lake side, at Kolbórz or Samin. From here the Wel leads through the upper lakes - Dąbrowa Mała, Pancerz, Rumian - and the narrow river stretches between them. Halfway along it enters Lake Lidzbarskie, on whose shore stands Lidzbark, the gateway to the park, with a town beach and a campsite. Then, in its lower course, it passes more mills and weirs, until it ends at Bratian, where it gives its water to the Drwęca.

Piekiełko: a mountain gorge on a lowland river

The Wel keeps its greatest curiosity for its lower course, below Chełsty. There a wooded ravine called Piekiełko ("Little Hell") begins: for some two kilometres the river cuts between steep, forested slopes, the current quickens noticeably, and stones and boulders left long ago by the glacier appear on the bed. The water roars over the rapids like a mountain stream, and fallen trees lie in the channel, not always visible round the bend. This is the hardest part of the whole trail - a stretch for people who already have a few trips behind them; at high water it becomes harder still. It is no accident that the thirty-kilometre stretch from Tuczki to Lidzbark counts towards the PTTK Mountain Kayaking Badge - a "mountain" award, even though all this happens on the lowlands.

Portages at mills and power stations

For centuries the Wel drove mills, and some of them are now small hydro plants. For a paddler that means one thing: portages. There are several along the route, and most fall exactly at the mills, weirs and power stations. The longest waits right at the start in Dąbrówno, where you carry the kayak along the right bank around the lake outflow, about half a kilometre. Further on you portage, among other places, at the high weir in Grabacz, in Lidzbark along a convenient little path, and at the power stations in Kurojady, Trzcin and Kaczek. The last one is just before the finish, at the mill in Bratian. These are ordinary portages - you lift the kayak onto the bank and carry it a few dozen metres - so it is worth having light gear and shoes you can wade in.

Lakes and reserves along the route

The Wel passes ten lakes and several nature reserves along the way. On Lake Tarczyńskie lies the Ostrów Tarczyński reserve, a woodland bird refuge; on Lake Lidzbarskie, the Klonowo reserve with its old-growth stand; and the gorge below Chełsty is itself protected as Piekiełko. The lakes give a breather between the river stretches: a broad sheet of water, beaches, places to camp. The largest of them, Lidzbarskie, is over three kilometres long, with high, wooded banks, and to the south a town beach and a campsite at Lidzbark.

Is the Wel difficult? Who is this trail for

The Wel is sometimes called a river for everyone, but that is a simplification. For most of the way the paddling is calm and scenic, without much difficulty, and even a less experienced person will manage that part. Two things cause trouble: the many portages, where you have to lift the kayak out, and the mountain gorge of Piekiełko, where confidence in handling the boat starts to matter. The gentlest for learning is the two-day Szczupliny-Podcibórz stretch, recommended for beginners. The whole trail is better left to people who have a few trips behind them. The Wel Landscape Park the route runs through is not a national park - there are no entry cards or time limits here - but the reserves you pass are left in peace, without going ashore and without noise.

How many days, and when to paddle the Wel

The whole Wel from Dąbrówno to Bratian usually takes four to five days. If you don't have that much time at once, the route divides well into shorter, two-day stretches to paddle over a few weekends. A lot depends on the water level: at high water the Piekiełko gorge becomes faster and harder, and in the lower course, at Grodziczno, the river splits into the old Wel and a more reliable, deeper branch called the Bałwanka - at low water the old channel can be too shallow. Before setting off it is worth checking the forecast and the current water level, especially if the gorge is on the plan.

Where to start, and where to rent a kayak

Most people set off from Dąbrówno, by Lake Dąbrowa Wielka; anyone who wants to skip the upper, more troublesome stretches can start lower down, for instance at the kayak base in Cibórz or in Lidzbark. Rentals operating in the Wel valley, mainly around Lidzbark, offer equipment with delivery and a return shuttle. Lidzbark itself is the natural base for the whole trip: by the lake there is a beach, a campsite and facilities. The finish is at Bratian, at the mouth on the Drwęca; from there, if you still have time and strength, you can paddle on down the Drwęca.

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