In July 2020, before a week in the Tatra Mountains, we spent a few days in Kashubia. As a warm-up we walked a forest trail in the Radunia River Gorge nature reserve, and then we visited the two best-known attractions of the region: the Centre for Regional Education and Promotion in Szymbark – the place with the upside-down house – and the observation tower on Wieżyca, the highest hill in Kashubia. Below you will find our account, prices from 2020 and an honest opinion on whether it is worth it.
Table of contents
- Radunia River Gorge reserve – a forest trail with obstacles
- Szymbark – the upside-down house and the longest board in the world
- The observation tower on Wieżyca
- Practical information and our opinion
Radunia River Gorge reserve – a forest trail with obstacles
On 21 July we set off on a forest hike along the Radunia River, through the Radunia River Gorge nature reserve (also a Natura 2000 site). The river winds through a deep, wooded gorge here – and we could feel it in our legs. The blue trail led over many hills of different heights, up and down, and fallen branches lying across the path were completely normal.
The trail turned out to be quite demanding – for us it was some light training before the mountains we were heading to a few days later. If you are looking for a quiet, wild forest in Kashubia away from the crowds, this is a good place – just be ready for mud, steep climbs and clambering over tree trunks.
Szymbark – the upside-down house and the longest board in the world
23 July was a fairly busy day. First we drove to the Centre for Regional Education and Promotion in Szymbark, best known for its upside-down house. From the outside it is impressive and looks great in photos. Inside, however, it is not very interesting – there is little furniture, and upstairs there is a gallery of paintings that has nothing to do with the place. Still, your head really spins, because your sense of balance has no idea what is going on.
The centre also has a historical section: an original house of Polish deportees brought back from Siberia, a Gulag barrack and a Soviet train recalling the deportations to Siberia. Next to them stands a replica of the “Ptasia Wola” bunker, where partisans from the Kashubian resistance organisation Gryf Pomorski hid during the Second World War.
Another curiosity is the longest board in the world – it is 46.53 m long and made it into the Guinness Book of Records. The earlier record-breaking board (from 2002) was turned into a “Nobel laureate’s table”, named in honour of Lech Wałęsa. You can also have your photo taken in Kashubian folk costumes.
Is it worth it? Considering the €6.50 admission and about €2 for parking (2020 prices), there is not that much to see. For an hour or two and a few photos – yes, but don’t plan a whole day here.
The observation tower on Wieżyca
From Szymbark we drove up to Wieżyca (about 329 m above sea level) – the highest hill in Kashubia, topped by an observation tower. Parking cost about €1.70 and entry to the tower about €2. The view from the top? Forests and a bit of water – a few minutes of fun. The most interesting part were the signs showing directions and straight-line distances: Gdańsk 40 km, Olsztyn 195 km and Berlin as much as 470 km.
We also planned to see the unfinished castle in Łapalice, but through no fault of our own we did not manage to get there. The next day we set off for the Tatra Mountains – you can read about our week in the mountains in the post The Tatra Mountains in a week, and about climbing Poland’s highest peak in Rysy from the Polish side.
Practical information and our opinion
- Radunia River Gorge – a nature reserve with a blue forest trail along the river; free entry. The trail has plenty of ups and downs, and fallen trees lie across the path – comfortable shoes will come in handy.
- Szymbark (CEPR) – admission about €6.50, parking about €2 (2020). The upside-down house looks best from the outside; 1–2 hours are enough for the whole place.
- Wieżyca – parking about €1.70, tower entry about €2 (2020). A short walk from the car park and a few minutes at the top.
- Getting there – Kashubia is easiest to explore by car; Szymbark and Wieżyca are close to each other, so they are easy to combine in one day.
Our opinion: what we liked best was the wild, forested Radunia Gorge. Szymbark and Wieżyca are pleasant but short attractions – good for a day if you are in the area anyway.
Photo gallery
