Nature
Obviously the best tourist and natural attraction here is the biggest lake of Wałcz Lakeland Bytyń Wielki Lake – surface of almost 900 ha, maximum depth 41 m and shoreline length approx. 40 km. There are two emplacements of a medieval castle probably from the beginning of 12th century. There are two islands on the lake and a few picturesque bays departing from its main part – long ones: Drzewoszewska, Nakielska and Lubieska and shorter ones: Piecnicka, Krępa and Marcinkowicka. Steep, high and wooded coast of narrow bays looks exactly like mountain gorges.
The area is so valuable that in 1989 landscape Nature Reserve “Wielki Bytyń” was founded and regarding the surface it’s the biggest in West Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is also protected within Natura 2000 network as Special Protection Area for Habitats “Jezioro Wielki Bytyń” (PLH320011), Special Protection Area for Birds “Puszcza nad Gwdą” (PLB300012) and it is also Protected Landscape Area “Pojezierze Wałeckie i Dolina Gwdy”.
Bytyń Wielki is a postglacial lake with diversified shoreline characterized by high and steep banks (even up to 30 m), picturesque board overgrown with old deciduous forests mainly acid and fertile beech forests as well as dry-ground forests and marshy meadows. Lack of human intervention on this area leads to regeneration of the ecosystems. This mesotrophic lake also treasures well preserved stonewort meadows of a great value. Stoneworts are rare protected algae looking like small rosette plants on the bottom. There are a few patches of them in our lake.
Fauna of our region is represented by the most interesting species of mammals inhabiting Polish lowlands – the most characteristic is European bison, which wild herds can be observed in complex of forests, meadows and fields on the west side of the lake. If you are lucky enough you can find tracks of shy wolf, spy on otter or beaver having its kingdom on lakeside slopes. In autumn, just 500 m from our grounds deer’s rutting can be heard. There are also smaller even-toed ungulates like fallow deer, roe deer, even mouflon and wild hog, of course.
Among protected zonal birds you can see white-tailed eagle, lesser spotted eagle, black and red kite, eagle owl, black stork and even osprey as a visitant. Additionally our site is located on the migratory path of geese – the most numerous skeins can be seen in spring when birds spend nights on the lake for a long time and cranes which constantly touch us with their clangor heard from the fields just beyond the fence. Single pairs nest in surrounding water-logged forests. Small flocks of whooper swan with characteristic loud voice winter on nearby fields. Various habitats are also a perfect nesting site for forest, brushwood, rural and aquatic species. Among the last mentioned common goldeneyes (these are ducks which nest in deep hollows of old trees) and kingfishers, rending the air above the lake, are the most interesting. The lake is inhabited by almost all the most popular freshwater fish, including powan and European white-fish in its deep.
The beauty of Bytyń Wielki Lake can be admired not only from the shore but also from the surface of the water – canoes, pedalos and yachts are ready to rent in AKŻ ’90 sailing base in Nakielno. Numerous bicycle paths, forests rich in boleti and other mushrooms and blueberries surround the region.
In the vicinity you can find:
– European bison enclosure in Jabłonowo
http://dzika-zagroda.pl
– the Magical Uphill http://www.urokipojezierza.pl/index.php?m=menu&t=id_news&id_news=57&g1=&pm=2,
– rope park in Rudnica www.rudnicapark.pl
– bunkers of Pomeranian Line
http://www.polskaniezwykla.pl/web/place/17652,walcz-bunkry-walu-pomorskiego-.html , http://www.bunkry.eu ,
http://czasatrakcji.pl/pl/atrakcja/bunkry-walu-pomorskiego.html
– suspension bridge above Raduń Lake
http://www.polskaniezwykla.pl/web/place/42057,walcz-most-wiszacy-nad-jeziorem.html
– Drawa National Park https://dpn.pl/en
– Drawsko Landscape Park http://www.zpkwz.pl/?locale=en_GB
– St. Mary’s Sanctuary in Skrzatusz
http://skrzatusz.intrux.pl
and many others described here: http://urokipojezierza.pl/