Necklace of the North Greenway

Poland

Trail presentation

The Necklace of the North is an 870-km-long bicycle trail running through the post-glacial landscapes of Central and Eastern Pomerania in northern Poland, providing opportunities to explore hundreds of lakes and morraine features created 12,000 years ago. The Drawskie, Bytowskie and Krajenskie Lake Districts located along the greenway provide numerous recreational opportunities. The most important protected areas along the greenway are: The Bory Tucholskie National Park and three Landscape Parks – Drawski, Zaborski and Wdzydzki. A number of local heritage products are characteristic to the region and are available to greenway visitors. These include organic flour from a traditional mill in Debrzno, Barwice bread made in local agrotourism farms, handicraft products made of birch twigs from Skowarnki, dry flower bouquets and compositions, pottery from Czluchow and traditional Kashubian embroidery.

Main tourist attractions and towns along this trail (nature and cultural heritage)

Colorful cultural mosaic of Kaszuby, Krajna and Middle Pomerania regions;
Numerous architecture monuments, including manors and palaces surrounded by historic gardens;
Old churches built of red brick and hewn stone characteristic of the region;
Post-glacial landscapes with hundreds of lakes and rivers;
The Bory Tucholskie National Park and three Landscape Parks – Drawski, Zaborski and Wdzydzki;
Educational nature trails constituting local loops along the greenway;
Mysterious stone circles in Odry and Lesno;
The Calvary in Wiel;
Local network of agrotourism farms.

Towns and villages on the main backbone of the greenway (870 km, sign-posted): Debrzno – Zlotow – Jastrowie – Okonek – Borne Sulinowo – Czaplinek – Kalisz Pomorski – Drawsko Pomorskie – Polczyn Zdroj – Barwice – Szczecinek – Bobolice – Polanow – Bialy Bor – Czluchow – Chojnice – Brusy – Karsin, Czersk – Tuchola – Kamien Krajenski – Debrzno.

General characteristic of the Greenway

Geographical reference mark (major access points/start/end of a greenway)

–The greenway runs through 4 voivodeships (zachodniopomorskie, kujawsko – pomorskie, wielkopolskie and pomorskie) and as many as 30 municipalities. The trail begins in the town of Debrzno (5,000 inhabitants) and runs through the following:

Debrzno – Zlotow – Jastrowie – Okonek – Borne Sulinowo – Czaplinek – Kalisz Pomorski – Drawsko Pomorskie – Polczyn Zdroj – Barwice – Szczecinek – Bobolice – Polanow – Bialy Bor – Czluchow – Chojnice – Brusy – Karsin, Czersk – Tuchola – Kamien Krajenski.

- Length – main backbone - 870 km+ 3,500 km of local trails/loops.

- Surface

65 % quiet asphalt roads with low traffic

30 % forestry roads

5% - countryside roads

Main users – mainly cyclists and cycle long-distance tourists (individual), organized groups visiting the region by bike, foot, on horse-back or kayak, kayakers;

Inter-modality possibilities (connections to closest cities/towns and options for using public transport train/bus with relevant web sites or links);

Each town on the main backbone (listed above) is a good starting point –accessible by public transport (bus and train).

Available maps and guidebooks

Necklace of the North Greenway – map
Guidebook under preparation
Description of the greenway available in English and German

Contact to Trail Organisation

Association for the Development of Debrzno Municipality (Stowarzyszenie na rzecz Rozwoju Miasta i Gminy Debrzno), www.stowdeb.pl, www.naszyjnikpolnocy.pl