The Gardno spit, from Rowy
A long, flat loop from Rowy along the strip of dunes and pine woods that separates Lake Gardno from the Baltic, inside Słowiński National Park, with the wild beach on one side and the lake's reed beds on the other.
- Difficulty
- T Tourist
- Length
- 16.9 km
- Elevation gain
- +10 m / −10 m
- Time
- 4.5–5 hours
- Route
- Point to point
- Altitude
- 0–14 m
- Season
- Summer Autumn
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The story
Lake Gardno was once a bay of the sea: currents and wind built the sand spit that closed it off. Słowiński National Park, created in 1967, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for its moving dunes and coastal lagoons.
Why go
Because it is one of the wildest stretches of coast in Poland, far from the crowds of the resort beaches.
Practical information
- Start
- Rowy, entrance to Słowiński National Park
- Finish
- Rowy (loop)
- Best time
- May–October
- Parking
- Paid car parks in Rowy, near the small harbour on the Łupawa.
- By public transport
- Summer buses from Słupsk and Ustka to Rowy.
- Water
- No water sources on the route: set off with at least a litre and a half.
- Shade
- Pine woods on the dunes for much of the route; open stretches on the beach.
- Huts and refreshments
- None: cafés and shops only in Rowy.
- With children
- Flat but long: with children, walk just one section and turn back.
Weather at the start
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
What to see on the route and nearby
More hikes in Pomerania
Routes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via Waymarked Trails and BRouter; elevations from a digital terrain model. Times and elevation gains are indicative: waymarks on the ground and closure orders always take precedence.