Western Lake Districts Route - Szczecin Link - Stage II [Stargard - Ińsko]

Stage IIA: Stargard – Ińsko [51 km]

The departure from Stargard has not yet been completed, but it is possible to take a detour along a dirt road to Ulikowo. A bicycle path will be built between Marianowo and Ińsko on the embankment of a narrow-gauge railway. A detour is possible along a little-used county road through Wiechowo and Kępno.

From Stargard, we ride through slightly undulating agricultural land towards Ińsko. Almost every village boasts a historic church: Ulikowo, Pęzino, Czarnkowo, Marianowo, Wiechowo, Kępno.

Particularly noteworthy is the monastery complex in Marianowo, a former Cistercian convent, later converted into a residence for noblewomen. Sydonia von Borck, a Pomeranian beauty, stayed in this shelter for about 15 years. Her contemporaries believed her to be a witch and the cause of the downfall of the Gryfit family. After Prince Ernest Louis broke off their engagement, she predicted that within half a century, the entire family would die out without issue. In Marianowo, Sydonia made many enemies and was eventually accused of witchcraft and casting a curse on the Gryfit family. In 1620, the would-be princess was beheaded and burned at the stake. The alleged curse came true – less than 50 years later, in 1637, Bogusław XIV, the last member of the Gryfit family, died without issue.

The small village of Pęzino, located 10 km from Stargard, has another asset. It is home to one of the most beautiful, yet little-known, monastic-knightly castles in all of Pomerania. Built by the Knights Hospitaller at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, after the war the castle became the property of a state-owned farm and could have suffered the same fate as dozens of other palaces and castles in Pomerania, but fortunately it was saved and for a quarter of a century it has been used as a hotel and a venue for events and conferences. Interestingly, each side of the castle represents a different architectural style - Gothic, Neo-Gothic, and Renaissance. The castle is open to visitors during open days. 

In Kozy, following the old narrow-gauge railway line, we join the main Western Lake District Route. More adventurous cyclists can choose the "Ińska Ribbon" instead of the main trail, a road that winds like a snake through the Iński Landscape Park. There are as many as 55 bends in a section of less than 10 kilometers! The narrow, mostly concrete path leads between hills and lakes surrounded by ancient beech trees. Halfway along the ribbon, in a vast clearing, there is a forest settlement called Okole with a fallow deer farm.

The landscape park is home to white-tailed eagles, lesser spotted eagles, marsh harriers, and kites, among others. The clean lakes are inhabited by whitefish and vendace. You can even encounter very rare mud turtles, so it's better to watch your step!

Transport: PKP railway stations are located in Stargard (on the route) and near the route in Gogolewo and Trąbki (on the Szczecin/Stargard - Koszalin line). Connections are operated by POLREGIO and Intercity. The timetable can be found at https://portalpasazera.pl

Surface: asphalt 88%, aggregate 4%, cobblestones 4%, dirt roads 1%, cobblestones 3%.

Type of traffic: bicycle paths 72%, general traffic 28%.