Across
beautiful hills, valleys, forests and lakes of Suwałki Region
landscape run its rivers, the biggest like the  Czarna
Hańcza, Rospuda, Marycha, Netta, Blizna, smaller but equally
beautiful ones like the Szeszupa, Szelmentka, Bludzia, Wigra,
Wiatrołuża, as well as dozens of little rivers, springs and
streams. The hydrographic network of this region is well-developed,
indeed. On the south, the Biebrza River famous for its vast
peat bogs and swamps separates Suwałki Region from Podlasie.
The hydrographic network of Suwałki Region, created by the last
Baltic glaciation from 10 000-12 000 years ago, falls into three
sections. For example, the Rospuda, Biebrza and Netta belong
to the Vistula River basin; the Czarna Hańcza, Marycha, Szeszupa
-to the Neman basin, while the Bludzia and Błędzianka - to the
Pregoła basin. Natural beauty of the rivers in this part of
Poland is the result of diversified relief of the land. Flowing
across morainic hills and plateaus, in deep troughs, the rivers
resemble piedmont streams. When they reach outwash valleys and
plains they become similar to lowland rivers.  Such
advantages make Suwałki-Augustów rivers extremely attractive
for canoeists. What emotions are evoked while canoeing on the
Rospuda River which crosses nine picturesque lakes! How interesting
it is to canoe on the Czarna Hańcza River, which leaving Lake
Wigry reaches the wilderness of Augustów Primeval Forest to
next join the Augustów Canal! One can get similar emotions by
the Marycha River or grumbling along the wild Blizna and the
swampy Biebrza. Along the banks of most of the rivers, there
run well-marked hiking and biking trails. They make it easier
to get to know nature and history of villages and towns lying
by these rivers.
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Rivers
of Suwałki Region
- info
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Two
rivers of Suwałki Region, the Czarna Hańcza and the Rospuda belong
to the most famous and attractive kayak routes in the northeast
Poland. The Augustów Canal prolongs the Czarna Hańcza route. Less
known, although very interesting is the Marycha River route. A real
challenge is a canoe trip on the Blizna River. The beautiful landscape
of the Biebrza River has many admirers.
Canoe trips on all waterways are organized by numerous tourist agencies
not only from Augustów, Sejny or Suwałki but also by the ones from
Warsaw, Białystok or Łomża.
By the Czarna Hańcza River and the Augustów Canal, lovers of water
sports have at their disposal good campsites and riverside hostels
with catering and camping facilities. Individual tourists will find
it easy to hire water sports equipment.
Kayak
routes of Suwałki Region
THE
CZARNA HAŃCZA
The beginning in riverside hostel PTTK in Gawrychruda or in PTTK
Center in Stary Folwark, from where, from the Czarna Hańcza outlet
from Wigry, the route leads across Augustów Primeval Forest to Rygola,
where the river joins the Augustów Canal, which the canoeists take
to Augustów. Its length from Gawrychruda to The Sailing Center in
Augustów - 125 km.
THE ROSPUDA
The beginning of the route near the village of Czarne, from the
isthmus between Lake Czarne and Lake Rospuda. The river crosses
nine lakes and reaches the tenth, namely Lake Rospuda Augustowska.
The route's length from Lake Czarne to the PTTK Sailing Center in
Augustów - 76 km.
THE MARYCHA
The beginning of the canoe trip in Sejny from where the river, flowing
among meadows and hills, reaches the picturesque Lake Pomorze, and
next runs across Augustów Primeval Forest. The end of the 23-km
route is in Zelwa, near the border crossing between Lithuania and
Poland.
THE BLIZNA
A forest route. Its beginning in Ateny village. From here, after
crossing the western end of Lake Blizno, canoeists get to the outlet
of the Blizna. Next, across Augustów Primeval Forest to the junction
with the Rospuda. The length of the route - 35 km.
THE BIEBRZA
A fragment of a longer water route along the southern part of Suwałki
Region, from Lipsk to the junction between the Biebrza and the Augustów
Canal in Dębowo (53 km). From Dębowo sluice, the route runs along
the Augustów Canal to Augustów (34 km). One can also take the Biebrza
further, across Biebrza National Park to its outlet to the Narew.
Riverside
hostels
Frącki
(by the Czarna Hańcza) Gawrychruda (on Wigry) 565 02 60 Gorczyca
(by the Augustów Canal) Jałowy Róg (by the Czarna Hańcza) Kukle
(riverside hostel "Pomorze") 516 52 93 Serwy (on Lake Serwy) 641
88 35 Swoboda (the route of the Augustów Canal) Wysoki Most (by
the Czarna Hańcza)
Attention:
on the routes of the Czarna Hańcza, Lake Wigry and the Augustów
Canal there are a lot of campsites. In Stary Folwark - a campsite
and water equipment rental (tel. 567 07 17).
Canoe
trips on waters of Suwałki Region
Tourist
Agency "Ecotour", Warszawa, Marszałkowska 84/92, tel. (022) 632
52 71
Tourist Office "Sirocco", Augustów, Zarzecze 5, tel./fax (087) 643
31 18
Active Tourism Office "Kajak", Białystok, Piastowska 17/71, tel.
(085) 732 67 88
Branch of PTTK in Augustów, Nadrzeczna 70a, tel. (087) 643 38 50
Branch of PTTK in Suwałki, T. Kościuszki 37, tel./fax (087) 566
79 47
Kayak Rental "Potok", Suwałki, I. Daszyńskiego 9b/13, tel./fax (087)567
24 01
Tourist
information
Suwałki
Region Promotion Center, Suwałki, Kościuszki 120, tel./fax (087)
565 11 22
Suwałki Chamber of Agriculture and Tourism, Suwałki, T. Kościuszki
45, tel./fax (087)566 54 94
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