Green Velo

The main attraction of this excursion is reaching Wolisko, where a European Bison Display Enclosure can be found. You can tour it twice a day with a guide, at the animals’ feeding time. The excursion is full of charming landscapes stretching out from the many hills on the route. Supplementary attractions include a rest at Gołdopiwo Lake, the demolished rail bridge in Kruklanki and the remnants of the command headquarters of the SS in Pozezdrze.

The excursion begins at the PTTK resort centre in Węgorzewo, passing by the Teutonic Knights’ castle after a few hundred metres. Next it runs along the main street of the city and after about a kilometre it heads towards the town of Stręgiel. On the way, it passes into the former rail tracks of the Giżycko–Węgorzewo rail line (currently used as a bike path) and then, closer to Stręgiel, it runs by a World War I military cemetery. A picturesque point is the bridge of the Gołdopiwo Lake isthmus. In the town of Jeziorowskie, there are several resort centres as well as food markets. This is a good spot for a night stay for tourists who want to divide the trip into two days. Next the route changes direction to the east and enters Borecka Forest. Halfway through the forest, the Trail of Masurian Legends branches off to the right, leading to Devil’s Stone after several hundred metres. In Wolisko, there is the European Bison Display Enclosure. The route leads to Kruklanki along a local road. Before the town, a marked gravel road leads to a demolished rail viaduct over the Sapina River – the river itself is an interesting kayaking trail. In Kruklanki, there are several restaurants, shops and resort centres. Farther on, the route leads to the beach at Gołdopiwo Lake. Another attraction is the water lock in the town of Przerwanki. A local road with picturesque views leads to Pozezdrze. The route to Ogonki runs along an old rail embankment, and from there to Węgorzewo, down a bike path.

Route:

• Węgorzewo (PTTK resort centr) -  0 km
• Stręgiel -7.4 km
• Kuty -15.8 km
• Jakunówko - 19.3 km
• Jeziorowskie -24.7 km
• Wolisko -36 km
• Możdżany - 41.6 km
• Kruklanki -50 km
• Przerwanki - 55 km
• Pozezdrze - 62 km
• Ogonki -67.3 km
• Węgorzewo -71 km
• Węgorzewo (PTTK resort centre) -74.3 km

Route options: 
Approximately 4 km past Stręgiel, at the intersection, turn towards Gębałka. This is the Trail of Masurian Legends, which leads back to the basic route through Piłaki Wielkie, Grodzisko and Diabla Góra. The distance of this variant is similar to the excursion route.

Surface: most of the route: asphalt low-traffic roads

Partially marked route:

• Kuty–Jakunów: green bike Trail of Masurian Legends
• Gołdopiwo Lake–Jaziorowskie Lake isthmus: blue hiking trail
• Podleśne colony – Woliska: green bike Trail of Masurian Legends
• Pozezdrze – Ogonki area: blue bike trail Blue Ribbon of Lakes

Tourist attractions on the route:

• Węgorzewo – the 14th century Teutonic castle. In 1945, along with much of the town, it was burned, and later reconstructed in its present form.
• Borecka Forest – inhabited by a herd of free-ranging European bisons. Crossing the forest, you can admire old tree growths and several marsh groves.
• European Bison Display Enclosure in Wolisko – it can be toured at the animals’ feeding time.
• Przerwanki – a water lock and a bunker.
• Pozezdrze – the forest covers the former command headquarters of the SS. Most of the bunkers were demolished, but one remains well-preserved – it belonged to Heinrich Himmler.