The most obvious tourist and natural attraction in our area is Lake Bytyń Wielki – the largest lake in the Wałcz Lake District with an area of almost 900 ha, a maximum depth of 41 m and a shoreline length of approx. 40 km. On the shores of the lake, there are two early medieval settlements, probably from the beginning of the 12th century. There are two islands on the lake; several picturesque bays branch off from the main body of water – the long ones are Drzewoszewska, Nakielska and Lubieska, and the shorter ones are Piecnicka, Krępa and Marcinkowicka. The steep, high and wooded banks of the narrow bays resemble mountain gorges.
It is such a valuable area that the “Wielki Bytyń” nature reserve, the largest in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, was established in 1989. Furthermore, it is protected within the framework of the Natura 2000 network as the Special Area of Conservation “Lake Wielki Bytyń” (PLH320011), the Special Protection Area for Birds “Puszcza nad Gwdą” (PLB300012) and is part of the Protected Landscape Area “Wałeckie Lakeland and Gwda Valley”.
Bytyń Wielki is a post-glacial lake with a varied, interesting shoreline with high, steep slopes (up to 30 m), picturesque shores overgrown with ancient deciduous forests, mainly acidic and fertile beech forests, as well as oak-hornbeam forests and riparian forests, where the lack of interference contributes to the naturalization of the respective forest ecosystems. Bytyń Wielki is a valuable, well-preserved mesotrophic lake with underwater charophyte meadows. Charophytes are rare protected algae that look like small rosette-shaped plants on the bottom. There are several patches of them in our lake.
The fauna of our area is represented by the most interesting species of mammals found in the Polish lowlands – the most characteristic for this region is the bison, whose wild herds can be seen in the complex of forests, meadows and fields on the west side of the lake. If you are lucky, you will find traces of the shy wolf somewhere in the forest, or catch a glimpse of an otter or beaver, which have their kingdom on the lake slopes. In autumn, you can hear the bellowing of deer quite close by, less than 500 meters from our plot. There are also smaller artiodactyls: fallow deer, roe deer, even mouflons and, of course, wild boars.
Among the protected birds, we can find white-tailed eagles, lesser spotted eagles, black kites, red kites, eagle owls, black storks, and even ospreys on their flights. Our site is also on the flyway of geese, the largest flocks of which delight us in spring, spending a long time on the lake at night, and cranes, whose calls are heard in the fields just beyond the fence. Individual pairs have their nests in the nearby wetlands. Small groups of whooper swans with their characteristic loud voices spend the winter in the surrounding fields. The diverse habitats also provide excellent breeding grounds for species associated with forests, fields, bushes, rural areas and aquatic environments. The most interesting of the latter are the goldeneyes – ducks that nest in the deep hollows of old trees – and the colorful kingfishers that pierce the air with their voices over the lake. The lake’s waters are inhabited by almost all common species of freshwater fish, while the depths are inhabited by whitefish and vendace.
The beauty of Lake Bytyń Wielki can be discovered both from the shore and from the water by renting canoes, pedalos and sailboats at the AKŻ ’90 marina in Nakielno. There are numerous bicycle paths in the surrounding area, forests abundant in porcini mushrooms and other mushrooms, as well as berries.
In close proximity are also:
– “Dzika Zagroda Żubrów Zachodniopomorskich” (Wild West Pomeranian European Bison Farm) in Jabłonowo
– “Czarodziejska Górka” (Magic Hill)
– a ropes course in Rudnica www.rudnicapark.pl (the Pomeranian Forest)
– Bunkers of the Pomeranian Wallhttp://www.bunkry.eu (the Pomeranian Forest)
http://czasatrakcji.pl/pl/atrakcja/bunkry-walu-pomorskiego.html
– suspension bridge over Lake Raduń http://www.polskaniezwykla.pl/web/place/42057,walcz-most-wiszacy-nad-jeziorem.html
– Marian Sanctuary in Skrzatusz
and many other tourist attractions described on the website
