Old Railway Trail - Stage II [Białogard - Złocieniec]

Stage II: Białogard – Złocieniec [66 km] 

Białogard deserves attention not only because Aleksander Kwaśniewski was born here. The former president has not yet received a monument, but Czesław Niemen has—he lived here briefly after being resettled from what is now Belarus in 1958. The Wydrzycki family decided to repatriate only when there was a risk that Czesław would be drafted into the Soviet Army. His sister and parents lived here for many years. The monument stands in front of the former town hall building, dating from 1827. Interestingly, the old seat of the municipal authorities does not stand in the center of the market square, but modestly on a corner, distinguished from the neighboring houses by a wooden clock tower. No wonder—for the first 20 years, the building was just an ordinary merchant’s house. The ruins of the earlier town hall are also on display in the market square. 

The main remnant of the city walls is the 14th-century High Gate, also known as the Połczyn Gate. A metal stirrup can be found in the wall of the structure. It is connected to the legendary “War Over a Cow.” What’s the story? Let’s leave it to every cyclist to discover this fascinating history for themselves.

When traveling from Białogard, it’s worth going a dozen or so kilometers out of your way to visit the Cold War Museum in Podborsko, hidden in the woods. Along the way, we’ll pass two once-beautiful palaces—a neglected one in Żyletkowo and a ruined one in Dobrowo. The destination of our detour is a facility identical to the famous bunkers near Borne Sulinowo, which housed nuclear warheads during the Cold War. There were a total of three such facilities in Poland, designated as 3001, 3002, and 3003. Only the bunker in Podborsko has survived in good condition. It is currently open to visitors (from May to October) and is truly impressive. In addition to imagining what the arsenal of death stored here looked like, we can learn about NATO’s plans for nuclear attacks on Poland or the story of an unknown hero who saved the world from nuclear annihilation. The perfect complement to the trip is a visit to Kłomin near Borne Sulinowo, located not far from the Western Lake District Cycling Route. However, the bunkers there are in poor condition, and you should not enter them on your own!

The route consists of two stages of similar length but varying quality: from Białogard, we ride along a low-traffic county road through pleasant, rolling terrain, passing old churches and palaces. In Rąbin, you can stop by an early 20th-century palace, and in Lipie, a medieval church from 1462. The second part of the route begins after crossing Provincial Road No. 152, before Połczyn-Zdrój. Here, we enter a brand-new bike path following the former railway route from Świdwin. Before entering the town, the route turns right, leading us straight to Złocieniec along the old tracks. It’s worth stopping in town, however, to stroll down Magical Umbrella Street, where umbrellas hang over the pedestrian walkway, or to enjoy the charms of the spa and relax in the spa park. If we weren’t “behind the wheel,” we could sample the products of the local brewery, which owes its unique flavor to the local mineral waters. The brewery was connected to the local water supply system, which may have contributed to the emergence of a charming urban legend. Apparently, thanks to the owner’s generosity, beer flowed from the taps instead of water on special occasions. We have no proof of this, but it doesn’t hurt to check.

From Połczyn, the trail leads along a railway embankment through the Drawsko Landscape Park. It is one of the first trails of its kind in Poland—no wonder, as it is truly enchanting. The old stations are a sight to behold, even if they haven’t been renovated. There are often designated rest areas near them. We also encounter ghosts of the past beyond Cieszyn—right along the route, you can see the remains of the never-completed “Berlinka”—the Nazi highway that was supposed to connect Berlin with Königsberg.

Those who can spend more time in the Połczyn area should definitely visit Połczyn Switzerland, which offers some of the most picturesque landscapes in the entire West Pomeranian Province. Here lies one of the highest peaks in Western Pomerania—Wola Góra (219.2 m above sea level)—on whose summit a fire observation tower has been erected. The Drawa River also has its source here. The “Połczyńska Garda” MTB trail runs around the Valley of Five Lakes, offering an interesting—though challenging—alternative to cycling with panniers. You can also walk the trail and feel as if you’re on a mountain hike.

Transport: train stations are located inBiałogard (on the Szczecin–Koszalin and Kolobrzeg–Szczecinek–Poznań lines), Rąbin (on the Szczecin–Koszalin line), and Złocieniec (on the Szczecin–Szczecinek line).  Services are operated by POLREGIO and Intercity (Białogard only). You can also take a connecting train toward Świdwin, where POLREGIO and Intercity trains stop; the route is described here:Złocieniec-Świdwin

The timetable is available athttps://portalpasazera.pl

Surface: asphalt 98%, cobblestone 2%.

Traffic type: bike lanes 54%, general traffic 46%.