Hills and trails

Hills and trails in West Pomerania: over thirty routes and viewpoints, from Gosań above the Baltic to the trails of the Bukowa Forest.

This is a set for people who like to walk alone or as a pair and look for a view, a forest or a long cycle route. Every place carries the "Bezpłatne" (free), "Piękne widoki" (scenic views) and "Solo" tags, and most are marked walking and cycling trails around Szczecin, on Wolin island and along the Oder.

Where in West Pomerania are the best views from hills?

The best views come from the hills above the Baltic on Wolin and from the moraine hills in Koszalin and by the Oder. Add the Szczecin hills in Zdroje Forest Park and in the Bukowa Forest.

Gosań is a hill 93.4 m above sea level on Wolin island, right by the sea, with an abrasion cliff and a viewpoint in Wolin National Park. Kawcza Góra is 61 m high with a viewpoint above the cliff; you reach it by the black trail from Międzyzdroje. In Koszalin the standout is Góra Chełmska, a moraine ridge with its highest hill, Krzyżanka (136.2 m), a sanctuary and a viewing tower from 1888 open to visitors.

By the Oder stands Góra Czcibora in the Cedynia Carpathians, with a fifteen-metre eagle monument and 270 steps; the place commemorates the Battle of Cedynia in 972. In Szczecin, on the spoil heap of a former chalk mine, lies Wzgórze Akademickie (Academic Hill) (51 m) with a view of the city and the Oder valley. More about the region's hills and towers is in the article Views from towers and hills, and further viewpoints are in the category Viewpoints.

A place of its own is Wzgórze Wisielców (Gallows Hill) near Wolin: a fenced barrow cemetery from the 9th and 10th centuries above the Dziwna, now an archaeological reserve. It is a place to visit quietly and with care.

Which walking trails lead through the Bukowa Forest?

The Bukowa Forest has the densest network of trails because it lies right next to Szczecin. There are short routes for an afternoon and long ones for a full day, all in the Szczecin Landscape Park.

Szlak Górski na Bukowiec is a 3.8 km black trail leading from the Bukowe estate to Bukowiec, the highest hill of the Bukowe Hills. The short, 6 km red trail past Słupi Głaz passes the Chojna hillfort. The Bolesław Krzywousty Trail is 13.6 km and links the Bolesław Krzywousty Oaks with Płonia and Struga. Longer are the Stanisław Groński Trail (38.2 km, from Zdroje to Zdunowo, with a hillfort and nature reserves) and the Bolesław Czwójdziński Trail (34.8 km, from Klęskowo to Lake Miedwie).

For a calmer walk, try Szlak przez Wielecki Staw, a 6 km black loop in the Płonia valley. The park is described in the article Bukowa Forest, and routes around the city are gathered in the text Walking trails around Szczecin.

Which trail should you choose in and around Szczecin?

Within Szczecin, trails run through Zdroje Forest Park, the Arkonka Forest and the Wkrzańska Forest. Choose by time: from a short loop to a full-day route.

The Family Trail in Zdroje is a yellow 2.5 km walk around Lake Szmaragdowe with two viewpoints over the city. On the north side runs the green trail through the Arkonka Forest and the Warszewo Hills (13.8 km), and in the Wkrzańska Forest the red Ścieżkami Dzików (Boar Paths) (14.5 km) from Niemierzyn to Mścięcino. These areas are covered by the article Arkonka Forest and Warszewo Hills.

Short routes in the Wkrzańska Forest are the Pilchowo Trail (4.2 km), the Peace Trail past Bogusław's Oak to Pilchowo, the Komorze Hills Trail (5.6 km) and the yellow Police Trail (about 11 km) from Police to Lake Bartoszewo. The longest is the red Wkrzańska Forest Trail named after Stefan "Tata" Kaczmarek, about 44 km to Trzebież. East of the city runs the red Rekowo Trail (16.7 km along the Płonia valley).

Which way to Stargard and deeper into the region?

Outside Szczecin, trails lead towards Stargard, Drawno and Kostrzyn. They are full-day routes, often reached by train or bus.

The Anna Jagiellon Trail is a blue PTTK trail of 35.2 km from Szczecin-Załom through the Goleniów Forest to Stargard. The short black Grzędzice Trail (1.3 km) links it with the church in Grzędzice. The Hetman Stefan Czarniecki Trail runs in red from Stargard through Drawno and the Drawsko Forest to Kostrzyn nad Odrą. Along the Oder runs the red Oder Trail, about 144 km from Mieszkowice through Cedynia, Chojna and Gryfino to Szczecin.

Where on the coast and by the Szczecin Lagoon can you walk and cycle?

On the coast and around the Szczecin Lagoon, long-distance routes dominate: the E9 walking trail and cycle routes on both sides of the border. You can walk or ride just one section, because the routes are divided into stages.

The European E9 walking trail in the voivodeship is the Coastal Trail from Świnoujście to Jarosławiec, and the red Coastal Trail named after Dr Czesław Piskorski follows the shore through Kołobrzeg. The blue Trail along the Baltic and the Szczecin Lagoon is about 98 km from Świnoujście to Dziwnówek through Wolin, the Wolin Hills and Kamień Pomorski.

Cyclists have Around the Szczecin Lagoon, a Polish-German loop of 296 km in seven stages. Along the Oder run Zielona Odra from Kostrzyn nad Odrą through Cedynia and Gryfino to the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, and Blue Velo, planned at about 275 km in the region, with the Gryfino - Trzcińsko-Zdrój section ready. Pilgrims can choose the Pomeranian Way of St James, restored in 2011-2013, from Koszalin through Kołobrzeg and Szczecin to Świnoujście. Other seaside routes are in the category Beaches and coast.

How to plan a walking trip around the region?

It is best to start with a short route in Szczecin and only then reach for long trails. Always check the route and waymarking, because cycle sections are still being extended.

Walking combines well with sightseeing. On Wolin, after a walk over the hills, read the article about Wolin as a place to visit, and along the coast the one about ruined churches in the region. Trails go well with parks and nature, lakes and lighthouses and ports. Families with children will do better with places from the list For children. Monuments and cemeteries nearby are described in the category Cemeteries and monuments. Szczecin trails and hills are also on the page Hills and trails: Szczecin, and the whole voivodeship on Hills and trails: West Pomerania.

Frequently asked questions

Are the trails and hills free?

Yes, every place here carries the "Bezpłatne" tag. Entering the trails and hills needs no ticket.

Which trail suits a short walk near Szczecin?

The Family Trail in Zdroje is 2.5 km, the Pilchowo Trail 4.2 km and the Komorze Hills Trail 5.6 km. All are easy to reach from the city.

Where are the longest walking trails in the region?

The Oder Trail is about 144 km, the trail along the Baltic and the Szczecin Lagoon about 98 km, and the Wkrzańska Forest Trail about 44 km. The E9 covers the longest stretch of the coast.

Where are the viewpoints on the coast?

On Wolin island: Gosań and Kawcza Góra in Wolin National Park. You reach Kawcza Góra by the black trail from Międzyzdroje.

Are there cycle routes in the region?

Yes: Around the Szczecin Lagoon, Zielona Odra and Blue Velo. All run close to water and connect towns on the Oder.