Old Railway Trail - Stage III [Złocieniec - Wałcz]

Stage III: Złocieniec – Wałcz [53 km]

Located on the Drawa River, Złocieniec is a pleasant town where you can relax, for example, in Żubra Park, which, although it has nothing to do with the king of Polish forests, offers a monumental Hornbeam Avenue, which forms a tunnel of intertwined tree branches. There are 83 hornbeams growing here, estimated to be around 200 years old. In April, the town hosts the "16th Meridian" travel festival, where you can meet famous bicycle travelers and more. Half a century ago, the town was adorned with an impressive castle. The stronghold survived the war, and the Poles are to blame for its downfall. Reminiscent of its German past, the building fell into ruin until, in 1976, the authorities decided to blow it up. Today, only its foundations remain.

Below the town, on Lake Krosino, there is a military unit 1696, which would not be interesting if it were not for the fact that it occupies the site of a former Nazi training center. Ordensburg Krössinsee was one of three NSDAP "training centers" established in the Third Reich and is very interesting to see. Particularly impressive are the two monumental towers, which are part of the never-completed gigantic "house of knowledge" that was to be the heart of the complex. Unfortunately, it is not easy to enter the military unit. You can go there during open days at the barracks, or try to obtain the commander's permission for an individual tour. It is worth talking about the history of the barracks and Złocieniec itself at the local tourist information office, where interesting regional publications are available.

In Złocieniec, the route intersects with the Western Lake District Trail (marked with the number 20) and both trails overlap for a little over 3 km. The section is mainly gravel, but part of the access road to Bobrowo (approx. 1 km) is a difficult-to-pass dirt road. The search for a contractor for this section of the route is ongoing.

After passing Bobrowo with its interesting, though inaccessible, Stary Kolejowy Palace, the trail turns onto a forest asphalt road, which then turns into a gravel road to Wierzchowo.

Between Wierzchowo and Wałcz, over 30 km of bicycle path has been built along the route of the old railway line.

For those who are willing, we suggest a trip all the way to Sweden. We will make up 17 kilometers, but so what? Along the way, we will pass the beautiful Lake Zdbiczno, the remains of bunkers, and even the Combat Open-Air Museum in Zdbice, commemorating the battles to break through the Pomeranian Wall in 1945. The most persistent explorers will find a monument lost among lakes and swamps, marking the exact place where the Wall was broken. Those who are not going to Sweden will see the picturesque ruins of the Goltz Palace in Kłębowiec along the way.

Transport: PKP railway stations are located in Wałcz (on the Szczecin-Wałcz line) and Złocieniec (on the Szczecin-Szczecinek line). Connections are operated by POLREGIO and Intercity. The timetable can be found at https://portalpasazera.pl

Surface: asphalt 86%, aggregate 5%, cobblestones 3%, dirt roads 6%.

Type of traffic: bicycle paths 64%, general traffic 27%, forest/field roads 9%.