Suwalszczyzna - Suwalki Region

Suwałki landscape park

SUWAŁKI LANDSCAPE PARK was created in 1976. It protects one of the most beautiful corners of the northeast Poland, not without reason called by tourists "local Switzerland". Indeed, its natural value and spectacular landscape make this region exceptionally idyllic and romantic. Topographically diversified lie of the land was formed - as well as the rest of Suwałki Lakeland - by the last Baltic glaciation from more than 10 000-12 000 years ago. Its action and the recession of the melting continental glacier shaped the Park's exceptionally varied configuration. Its denivelations, reaching more than 100 meters, form high hills, picturesque lake basins, flowery valleys cut by numerous streams and deep river troughs especially of the Czarna Hańcza River. It crosses the deepest lake in Poland and in European Lowland, that is Lake Hańcza which is 108,5 m deep. It is the biggest water body in the Park. Another geological phenomenon of this area is the so called Szeszupa Hollow. The Szeszupa River cuts the Park from the west to east. It creates an enormous, melt-out basin with a lot of moraine and kame hills surrounding charming lakes such as Jaczno, Kojle, Perty and Szurpiły. Cisowa Mountain near Gulbieniszki is a wonderful landscape point. One can admire the superb scenery of almost all the Park from here. Also Zamkowa Mountain, the Jatzvingian old rampart, offers spectacular views. It is also the biggest object of archeological research in Suwałki Region. In Suwałki Landscape Park there are lots of unique landforms. These are the famous "turtulski esker", "the hanging valley", "the hanging peat bogs", and three protected reserves of boulders. Other places worth seeing are the Orthodox church in Wodziłki, the mill in Turtul (the seat of the Park's administration), the ruins of the manor in Stara Hańcza, and the decaying mansion with farm buildings in Kleszczówek. As all tourist trails, both hiking and biking, are well marked it is easy and pleasant to visit the Park.

Suwałki Landscape Park is as far from Suwałki as 10 km. Along its borders (or near them) there run asphalt roads, while only from the northern part, from Smolniki to Stara Hańcza runs a gravel road. Thus, you can travel all over the park in a car, but remember that vehicular traffic is not allowed in the Park, except for its inhabitants. In the area of the Park there are holiday villages, namely Smolniki, Kleszczewek, Szurpiły, Błaskowizna joined with Suwałki through coach and bus network. The address of Suwałki Landscape Park administration is: Suwałki Landscape Park Administration , 16-426 Pawłówka, Malesowizna-Turtul, tel./fax 569 18 02; tel. 569 81 01.

Bank, Jeleniewo, Słoneczna 1, tel 568 30 79
Health Care Center, Jeleniewo, Słoneczna 5, tel 568 30 56
Post Office, Jeleniewo, Słoneczna 5, tel 568 30 20
Commune Office, Jeleniewo, Słoneczna 5, tel 568 30 22

Accommodation and education center with Suwałki Landscape Park (ski- and bicycle-hire service), Turtul, el 569 18 02
Agrotourist houses in Błaskowizna, Gulbieniszki, Sidory, Smolniki, Szurpiły - reservation: SIRT tel./fax 566 54 94
Recreation Center "Szelment" (on Lake Szelment Wielki), Leszczewo, tel 568 32 71, 568 34 00
"Polgeol" Center, Szeszupka, tel 568 30 40
School Youth Hostels:
- Primary School, Jeleniewo, Suwalska 51, tel 568 30 29
- Primary School, Smolniki, tel 568 83 06
Campsites:
- Kazimierówka near Jeleniewo
- Smolniki, on Lake Czarne and near the school

"Pod Jelonkiem" Inn, Jeleniewo, Sportowa 7, tel 568 30 21
Bar in Smolniki Café "Toya", Jeleniewo, Słoneczna, tel 568 31 76

Cisowa Mountain near Gulbieniszki (256,4 m above sea level)
Vantage point in Turtul (a view of the Czarna Hańcza valley)
Zamkowa Mountain on Lake Szurpiły (228 m above sea level)
Smolniki: vantage platform at the entrance to the village together with a hummock over Wilczy Jar (on Lake Jaczno)

Jeleniewo: layout of an old town and a monumental church from 1878. Jatzvingian rampart on Zamkowa Mountain on Lake Szurpiły. Stara Hańcza - ruins of a brick manor on Lake Hańcza. Wodziłki - an old Orthodox church, called molenna, from 1921 and an Orthodox cemetery.

Suwałki Chamber of Agriculture and Tourism (SITR), Suwałki, Kościuszki 45, tel./fax 566 54 94 (agrotourist rooms reservation). Suwałki Landscape Park Administration, Turtul, tel. 569 18 02.
Northeast Communes Association "Szelment", Suwałki, Kościuszki 71, tel./fax 566 54 88.

Blue marks: Prudziszki - Lake Szelment Wielki - across Suwałki Landscape Park - Smolniki (38 km).
Red marks: Prudziszki - the Czarna Hańcza valley - across Suwałki Landscape Park - Dziadówek (24,2 km).
Red marks: part of a longer trail from Jastrzębna to Gołdap across the northern Suwałki Region including the protection zone of the Park.
Black marks: Gulbieniszki - Smolniki - Wiżajny (20,2 km).
Black marks: Dziadówek - Sześciwłóki (2 km).
Yellow marks: Malesowizna - Zamkowa Mountain - Sidory (10 km).
Green marks: Suwałki - Jeleniewo - Smolniki - Rutka-Tartak (44 km).

Most lakes within the area of Suwałki Landscape Park are hired by the Polish Angling Association. They are the following lakes: Boczniel, Gulbin, Hańcza, Jeglówek, Kojle, Kopane, Krajwelek, Linówek, Okrągłe, Perty, Postawelek, Przechodnie, Purwin, Szurpiły, the bay in Turtul, Wiżajny.
Fishing licenses for these lakes are sold by The Polish Angling Association, Suwałki, Konopnickiej 7 and the angling shop at the bazaar, Suwałki, Sejneńska street.

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