Western Lake Districts Route - Stage IV [Ińsko- Złocieniec]

Stage IV: Ińsko - Drawsko Pomorskie - Złocieniec [45 km]

From Ińsko we ride a bicycle path, then local roads turning into gravel between Brzeźniak and Kumki. It is an exceptionally nice landscape, slightly undulating, with frequent openings to fields and meadows between dense forest complexes. The region is sparsely populated, there are even some abandoned villages. Amateurs of exploring such places should stray from the route to Brzeźnica, a ghost village with an abandoned, but well-preserved church from the 17th / 18th century. Following such a detour, we will also see the impressive, hundred years old granary (also abandoned), designed by the world-famous architect Walter Gropius. It is the only preserved building of the entire complex of farm buildings in Janków.

Drawsko Pomorskie is famous primarily for the Land Forces Training Center, known as the largest military training ground in Europe. It is located southwest of the city and occupies ⅓ of the municipality area. The troops of all NATO countries are trained here, it can accommodate 3,000 soldiers at a time. But Drawsko is not at all about the army. PARK - Drawsko Festival of Street Theaters is one of the biggest theater events in the region. During one summer weekend, over a dozen open-air performances take place in Chopin Park.

The city and the training ground were obviously named after Drawa, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful rivers in Poland. Our next stop - Złocieniec - also lies on the river. If you go in the opposite direction and show some determination, you can load your bike on a kayak and swim this section, thus practicing bikerafting. However, it would be hard due to many fallen trees. It is much easier to simply give your bike to the company that transports the kayaks. We highly recommend such a diversion of the trip!

In Złocieniec, you can take a rest in the Żubr Park, where you can see the monumental Hornbeam Alley, which creates a tunnel with connected tree branches. Eighty-three hornbeams grow here; the age of each is estimated at 200 years. You can also see... the dragon. There's one famous, fire-breathing dragon in Cracow, but it turns out, they have it in Złocieniec, too! This one is even better because it can flap his wings! You can spot the giant lizard in front of the house at Śląska street 40. We recommend coming to Złocieniec in spring when the "16 Meridian" travel festival takes place, a chance to meet a lot of fellow bicycle travel fans.

The sections Ińsko - Wiewiecko and Drawsko - Zarańsko have been marked and put into service. The Wiewiecko - Drawsko section will be completed later, but only a part of it is difficult to pass (forest dirt road Brzeźniak - Kumki). We recommend a detour along local roads through the Drawsko Training Ground - after Storkowo follow the directions for Studnica, Ziemsko and Oleszno.