Green Velo

A short bike trail, less than 10 kilometres long, signposted in green. It runs along the Czarna Hańcza Valley, between the localities of Potasznia and Turtul. A nice landscape route, easy to ride and not too difficult, it works perfectly as a link between Suwałki and Turtul, from where you can continue the tour of the most interesting part of the Suwałki Landscape Park. Access from the centre of Suwałki to Turtul is approximately 18 km.

The general course of the trail is as follows: Potasznia (0.0 km) - Round (5.4 km) - Turtul (9.9 km).

The trail runs in the upper reaches of the Czarna Hańcza, near its outflow from Lake Hańcza. The river is 142 km long and is a tributary of the Nemunas river. Its name is supposedly derived from the Yotvingian word "antis", meaning duck. The Czarna Hańcza has its sources in the northern part of the Suwałki Landscape Park, and in its upper reaches is the deepest lake in Poland - Hańcza, whose depths are over 100 meters. The river flows to the southeast, passes through Suwałki and then through the large and beautiful Lake Wigry, protected as a national park. Below Wigry, it affects the area of ​​the Augustów Primeval Forest and is a very popular kayak trail. Near the current border with Belarus, the river connects with the Augustów Canal, constituting a water connection between the Vistula and the Nemunas rivers.

The route runs mainly along asphalt roads in the river valley, only in the upper part does it enter field dirt roads. This section is very nice and scenic. Near the route you can see some of the most interesting post-glacial forms in Poland, such as post-glacial rocks and boulders. They occur on the hills surrounding the Czarna Hańcza valley, and are protected in the vicinity of the village of Rutka and on Lake Hańcza.

In Turtul, where the route ends at the old mill, at the junction of bike trails, the Suwałki Landscape Park is located. It is the oldest landscape park in Poland, founded in 1986. From here you can go on one of the bike trails - to the Castle Hill, to the molenna in Wodzki, along the trail around Lake Hańcza or back along the Green Velo trail to Suwałki.

Points of interest on the trail:

1. The Czarna Hańcza Valley
2. Suwałki Landscape Park
3. Boulders

The entire trail is suitable for bicycles with panniers/bike trailers. The trail runs only on roads without road traffic or on local roads with a low and very low traffic; no dangerous intersections. A recreational trail. Trail offering outstanding vistas.

Starting point:

Potasznia, intersection

Finishing point:

Turtul, parking and a node of trails