KORMAN :: Hotel :: bicycle tour :: accommodation :: bed and breakfast :: by the sea

The southern part of Kashubia is covered by the Bory Tucholskie Forest. It is a huge area of infertile, sandy soils, a glacial plain divided by meandering rivers and tunnel-valley lakes. Coloquially, this region is referred to as ‘Bory and Zabory’. In its western part the most important river of southern kashubia, the Brda, has its source. Its flows across the Charzykowska Plain, flowing through numerous lakes, including the Charzykowskie Lake. In this area, in 1966 the “Bory tucholskie” National Park was separated off from the Zaborski Scenic Park. The rich flora and fauna of the park includes many protected relict varieties of plants, and over 100 different species of nesting birds including the rare Crane and Black Stork.

To the south of this charming region lies Chojnice, the town referred to as the “gate to kashubia”. Here Kashubia begins and ends. At the north eastern end of the forest, in the Wdzydze Scenic Park lies the Wdzydzkie Lake called the “Kashubia (north, center and south) and from Kociewo.

South of Wdzydze Lake in the old Kashubian village Wiele, the Wiele Calvary representation can be found with 23 station of the cross. A unique attraction is the archelogical – nature reserve called “Kamienn Kręgi” (stone circles) in Odry, forcing the visitor to meditate upon the history and culture of the ancient inhabitants of kashubia. The history of the boulders placed in a circle and the nearby monuments reaches back two thousand years.

Near Kościerzyna, the main town of southern Kashubia apart from Chojnice, in the village of Będomin, Józef Wibicki, the author of the Polish national anthem with mementoes of Mr Wybicki functions in a local manor house.

The history of Kościerzyna dates from the end of the 13 th century.It is one of the more interesting Kashubian towns.Eminent Kashub acivists were conected with it,aspecially during the period of the partitions.At the end of the 19 th century it was a stong centre of Polish ness in Hashubia .The town lies on rolling post glacial morainic terrain,in yeh near vicinity of lakes and forests. To the north of the town stretches the Kashub Scenic Park,while to the south there is the Wdzydze Scenic Park.

Józef Wybicki,the autor of the Polish national anthem,a senator of the Duchy of Warsaw and a mayor of Poznań,was born in 1747 in Będomin village tho the east of Koscierzyna.There is a staue of him in Koscierzyna.In the manor house where Wybicki was born there is museum of the national anthem,presenting Wybicki against the background of his time,as well as the history of “ Dąbrowski’s Mazurka”.

An eastern tongue of Wdzydze lake – the charming Gołuń Lake, on the banks of which lies Wdzydze Kiszewskie – the holiday centre of this region and an important Kashub handicraft centre.

One of the largest and most beautiful Kashubian lakes is the Wdzydze Lake,called “the Kashubian Sea”.It is shaped like an irregular cross.It is in fact an amalgamation of four lakes:the jeleń, the Gołuń, the Radolne and the Wdzydze – altogether a surface area of over 1455 ha. There are 9 island on the lake,the largest,called Wielki Ostrów is about 3 km long.Apart from ordinary varieties of fish the Wdzydze lakealso contains the rare Wdzydze Bulltrout.

The Kashubian Ethnographic Park in Wdzydze Kiszewskie is a continuation of Theodor and Isadora Gulgowski’s idea.They purchased a Kashub cottage (a checz) in 1906 and estblished the first Polsh open air museum there.Nowdays it has historic cottages and outbuildings, ctofts, manor houses, a village scholl, windmills, (the “Kożlak” and “Dutch” types) a sawmill, a church, handicrafts, regional art and utensils from the Kashub and Kociewo regions.

The Wdzydze open air museum contains a variety of examples of Kashub and Kociewo architecture, originating mostly in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.Of particular interest are the cottages of the “Gburs” – rich farmers,a beautiful cottage from Lipuska Huta dating from 1787 , and a Kiszewska cottage in the interior of which there is a stove made of flower pot tiles.

In july every year, crowds of tourists and folk artists come to the “Jarmark Wdzydzki”(Wdzydze Fair) which is organized in the lokal ethnographic park. There are folk shows and exhibitions of folk art and excursions on the lake.

Chapels of the Wielewska Calvary representation,situated to the south of the Wdzydze Scenic Park,built in the years 1917-1927.It consists of 22 stations of the cross in the form of chapels or statues.It was built to commemorate the victims of the I World War. The Calvary was built on a hill,near Wiele village in which the outstanding Kashub poet Jan Hieronim Derdowski (1852-1902) was born.

Leśno lies between Wielkie Lubań and Małe Lubań lakes, where the Zbrzyca River has its source.The oldest wooden church in Gdańsk Pomerania can be found here.It dates from 1650, and was founded by Quinn Mary Ludwika.

Chojnice – the southern gate to Kashubia.Close to the most beautiful parts of the “ Bory Tucholskie” National Park. In the centre of the old town the neo – gothic town hall and 19^th century buildings are particulary noticeable.

The Karsińskie Lake is a northern extension of the Charzykowskie tunnel-valley lake and is connected with it. The holiday resort of Małe Swornegacie lies between them.The lake is surrounded by the Bory Tucholskie Forest, rich in undergrowth.

Sunrise over the River Brda in the Zaborski Scenic Park.This river is considered one of the most beautiful canoe waterways in Europe.

Swornegacie (2) – the biggest Village in Zabory, attractivelly situated on the Brda river.

Asmus (1) – a roadside chapel like many others which form an integral part of Kashub scenery.

Everything is transitory – a destroyed historical water sawmill at Chocimski Młyn (3) near the Charzykowskie Lake.

Zbrzyca River – the largest and most interesting tributary of the Brda. It joins it after flowing through the Laska, Księże, Długie, Parszczenica and Śluza Lakes, and the lock on Witoczno Lake. In the wild surroundings of the Zaborski Scenic Park through which it meanders,one can meet inhabitants of the forest – the Tawny Owl and the hardworking Beaver.

The large and shallow Somińskie Lake (433 ha).Sominy village lies on its shores, a fishing village of 14^th century origins surrounded by forest on all sides. Wandering trough the Bory Tucholskie forest, one often comes across places like Windorp village, where time seems to have stopped.

On the shores of Parzyn Lake – typical scanery of the Zaborski Scenik Park.

Gochy – The region to the north of Chojnice. Famus Kashub noble families such as the Borzyszkowscy who come from a village on the shores of the Borzyszkowskie Lake originate here.A typical village in this region of impoverished noblemen is Łąkie.

The Ostrowite Lake with a surface area of 288 ha,the largest lake on the Struga Seven Lakes Waterway.

Situated in the middle of the Bory Tucholskie National Park – the charming Struga Seven Lakes Waterway. The route leads through the Struga River gorge, flows through lakes concealed in the forest and finally ends in the Charzykowskie Lake.

Typical vegetation in the Kashub Lake District: (1)loosestrifeLysimachia thyrsiflora growing in water logged undergrowth and meadows (2) Frogbit Hydrocharis morsusranae a smoll perenniel growing in still or slow flowing water (3) Lake Lobelia Lobelia dortmanna.

Kashubia:

Northern Kashubia

Central Kashubia

Southern Kashubia


	Kashubia: Northern Kashubia Central Kashubia Southern Kashubia The southern part of Kashubia is covered by the Bory Tucholskie Forest. It is a huge area of infertile, sandy soils, a glacial plain divided by meandering rivers and tunnel-valley lakes. Coloquially, this region is referred to as ‘Bory and Zabory’. In its western part the most important river of southern kashubia, the Brda, has its source. Its flows across the Charzykowska Plain, flowing through numerous lakes, including the Charzykowskie Lake. In this area, in 1966 the “Bory tucholskie” National Park was separated off from the Zaborski Scenic Park. The rich flora and fauna of the park includes many protected relict varieties of plants, and over 100 different species of nesting birds including the rare Crane and Black Stork. To the south of this charming region lies Chojnice, the town referred to as the “gate to kashubia”. Here Kashubia begins and ends. At the north eastern end of the forest, in the Wdzydze Scenic Park lies the Wdzydzkie Lake called the “Kashubia (north, center and south) and from Kociewo. South of Wdzydze Lake in the old Kashubian village Wiele, the Wiele Calvary representation can be found with 23 station of the cross. A unique attraction is the archelogical – nature reserve called “Kamienn Kręgi” (stone circles) in Odry, forcing the visitor to meditate upon the history and culture of the ancient inhabitants of kashubia. The history of the boulders placed in a circle and the nearby monuments reaches back two thousand years. Near Kościerzyna, the main town of southern Kashubia apart from Chojnice, in the village of Będomin, Józef Wibicki, the author of the Polish national anthem with mementoes of Mr Wybicki functions in a local manor house. The history of Kościerzyna dates from the end of the 13 th century.It is one of the more interesting Kashubian towns.Eminent Kashub acivists were conected with it,aspecially during the period of the partitions.At the end of the 19 th century it was a stong centre of Polish ness in Hashubia .The town lies on rolling post glacial morainic terrain,in yeh near vicinity of lakes and forests. To the north of the town stretches the Kashub Scenic Park,while to the south there is the Wdzydze Scenic Park. Józef Wybicki,the autor of the Polish national anthem,a senator of the Duchy of Warsaw and a mayor of Poznań,was born in 1747 in Będomin village tho the east of Koscierzyna.There is a staue of him in Koscierzyna.In the manor house where Wybicki was born there is museum of the national anthem,presenting Wybicki against the background of his time,as well as the history of “ Dąbrowski’s Mazurka”. An eastern tongue of Wdzydze lake – the charming Gołuń Lake, on the banks of which lies Wdzydze Kiszewskie – the holiday centre of this region and an important Kashub handicraft centre. One of the largest and most beautiful Kashubian lakes is the Wdzydze Lake,called “the Kashubian Sea”.It is shaped like an irregular cross.It is in fact an amalgamation of four lakes:the jeleń, the Gołuń, the Radolne and the Wdzydze – altogether a surface area of over 1455 ha. There are 9 island on the lake,the largest,called Wielki Ostrów is about 3 km long.Apart from ordinary varieties of fish the Wdzydze lakealso contains the rare Wdzydze Bulltrout. The Kashubian Ethnographic Park in Wdzydze Kiszewskie is a continuation of Theodor and Isadora Gulgowski’s idea.They purchased a Kashub cottage (a checz) in 1906 and estblished the first Polsh open air museum there.Nowdays it has historic cottages and outbuildings, ctofts, manor houses, a village scholl, windmills, (the “Kożlak” and “Dutch” types) a sawmill, a church, handicrafts, regional art and utensils from the Kashub and Kociewo regions. The Wdzydze open air museum contains a variety of examples of Kashub and Kociewo architecture, originating mostly in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.Of particular interest are the cottages of the “Gburs” – rich farmers,a beautiful cottage from Lipuska Huta dating from 1787 , and a Kiszewska cottage in the interior of which there is a stove made of flower pot tiles. In july every year, crowds of tourists and folk artists come to the “Jarmark Wdzydzki”(Wdzydze Fair) which is organized in the lokal ethnographic park. There are folk shows and exhibitions of folk art and excursions on the lake. Chapels of the Wielewska Calvary representation,situated to the south of the Wdzydze Scenic Park,built in the years 1917-1927.It consists of 22 stations of the cross in the form of chapels or statues.It was built to commemorate the victims of the I World War. The Calvary was built on a hill,near Wiele village in which the outstanding Kashub poet Jan Hieronim Derdowski (1852-1902) was born. Leśno lies between Wielkie Lubań and Małe Lubań lakes, where the Zbrzyca River has its source.The oldest wooden church in Gdańsk Pomerania can be found here.It dates from 1650, and was founded by Quinn Mary Ludwika. Chojnice – the southern gate to Kashubia.Close to the most beautiful parts of the “ Bory Tucholskie” National Park. In the centre of the old town the neo – gothic town hall and 19^th century buildings are particulary noticeable. The Karsińskie Lake is a northern extension of the Charzykowskie tunnel-valley lake and is connected with it. The holiday resort of Małe Swornegacie lies between them.The lake is surrounded by the Bory Tucholskie Forest, rich in undergrowth. Sunrise over the River Brda in the Zaborski Scenic Park.This river is considered one of the most beautiful canoe waterways in Europe. Swornegacie (2) – the biggest Village in Zabory, attractivelly situated on the Brda river. Asmus (1) – a roadside chapel like many others which form an integral part of Kashub scenery. Everything is transitory – a destroyed historical water sawmill at Chocimski Młyn (3) near the Charzykowskie Lake. Zbrzyca River – the largest and most interesting tributary of the Brda. It joins it after flowing through the Laska, Księże, Długie, Parszczenica and Śluza Lakes, and the lock on Witoczno Lake. In the wild surroundings of the Zaborski Scenic Park through which it meanders,one can meet inhabitants of the forest – the Tawny Owl and the hardworking Beaver. The large and shallow Somińskie Lake (433 ha).Sominy village lies on its shores, a fishing village of 14^th century origins surrounded by forest on all sides. Wandering trough the Bory Tucholskie forest, one often comes across places like Windorp village, where time seems to have stopped. On the shores of Parzyn Lake – typical scanery of the Zaborski Scenik Park. Gochy – The region to the north of Chojnice. Famus Kashub noble families such as the Borzyszkowscy who come from a village on the shores of the Borzyszkowskie Lake originate here.A typical village in this region of impoverished noblemen is Łąkie. The Ostrowite Lake with a surface area of 288 ha,the largest lake on the Struga Seven Lakes Waterway. Situated in the middle of the Bory Tucholskie National Park – the charming Struga Seven Lakes Waterway. The route leads through the Struga River gorge, flows through lakes concealed in the forest and finally ends in the Charzykowskie Lake. Typical vegetation in the Kashub Lake District: (1)loosestrifeLysimachia thyrsiflora growing in water logged undergrowth and meadows (2) Frogbit Hydrocharis morsusranae a smoll perenniel growing in still or slow flowing water (3) Lake Lobelia Lobelia dortmanna.