Green Velo

The red trail from Hajnówka to Piaski is an idea for a long bike expedition in the southern part of the Białowieża Forest (Puszcza Białowieska) and the extensive plains located to the west of the forest. The trail goes through old villages typical of Podlasie, seemingly forgotten by time, in which you can see numerous churches, roadside crosses, shrines and wooden cottages. The route is rather flat and not very difficult, but it’s exposed to wind.

The general course of the trail is as follows: Hajnówka (0.0 km) - Nowoberezowo (6.2 km) - Czyże (13.1 km) - Zbucz (16.1 km) - Krywiatycze (20.5 km) - Stary Kornin (23.9 km) - Dubicze Cerkiewne (31.0 km) - Kleszczele (47.1 km) - Dobrowoda (51.5 km) - Czeremcha (58.1 km) - Opaka Duża (67.3 km) - Wiluki (76.2 km) - Piaski (80.9 km).

The trail begins in Hajnówka, near the Town Hall. The town was originally founded in the 16^th century as settlement for guards who used to protect the Białowieża Forest. For this reason, one of the roundabouts in the town has the sculpture of a guard. The city flourished in the 20^th century, with the development of wood processing industry and forestry. It’s a point where hiking trails meet, there’s also a forest narrow-gauge railway here, and a modern water park. Other things to see include the Belarusian Culture Centre and Museum, the Museum of Ironwork and Blacksmithing, and the Miniature Park of Podlasie Monuments. The monument of a bison, considered the king of the Białowieża Forest, is Hajnówka’s most recognisable landmark.  The trail departs from the centre in a north-western direction, towards Nowoberezowo. That is where you will find the first of the Orthodox churches on the trail. The terrain consists of open fields. The otherwise virtually flat landscape is occasionally dotted with clumps of trees, old crosses and shrines as well as villages, in which little has changed over the last few decades. Picturesque, old wooden cottages, traditional fences with slats, and no automotive traffic are the typical features of this area. Most of the monuments are marked and provided with information boards.  The trail runs through Stary Kornin, where you will find another Orthodox church, to the village of Dubicze Cerkiewne. If you visit the parish cemetery, you will see majestic blue crosses on tombstones, while the pale-blue Orthodox Church of the Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village is truly awe-inspiring. Near the church, there are several wooden votive crosses, and the local fire department runs a small museum.  If you feel like resting, why not get off the trail to stop at the Bachmaty bathing beach? The route heads south to Kleszczele, coming across the blazes of a Green Velo trail. The terrain becomes more woody, because here begins the stretch of the trail that traverses the southern part of the Białowieża Forest. This area is characterised by the presence of production forests and is much more transformed by man than the woods surrounding Białowieża. Nevertheless, even here you will find old growth of trees. The area is sparsely populated and many forest animals dwell here. The trail then heads to Kleszczele. After Hajnówka, this is the second largest town in the region of the Białowieża Forest, with a little more than 1.3 thousand inhabitants. It was founded by King Sigismund the Old in 1529. A statue of the founder stands in the centre of the town. Two places of worship are particularly worthy of attention; the Orthodox church with six domes and the Catholic church. The trail continues through Dobrowoda and Repczyce to Czeremcha, together with a Green Velo trail. In 2001-2002, a reservoir was built in Repczyce on the Nurzec River, now used for recreational purposes. Czeremcha is an important historical railway hub, located on the edge of the Białowieża Forest. In the late 19^th century, this was part of the freight railroad from Odessa to Königsberg (today’s Kaliningrad). The village was founded in 1905 at a junction of strategic railway lines. Now, you can see museum exhibits related to the history of rail. There is an international rail border crossing with Belarus here, and in nearby Połowce, there’s a modern terminal for car traffic. From here, the trail turns to the north. Passing very close to the Belarusian border, it crosses villages hidden in the forests before it gets back to Hajnówka. The Orthodox church in Werstok, situated near the trail, is another beautiful sight to see.  From the village of Piaski, where the trail ends, you can go back to Hajnówka using the blue trail through Topiło or Orzeszkowo. The loop is almost 100 kilometres long, so it makes for a long, full-day trip, or preferably a two-day trip.

Points of interest along the trail:

1. Hajnówka - religious monuments
2. Nowoberezowo - Orthodox church
3. Stary Kornin - Orthodox church
4. Dubicze Cerkiewne - Orthodox church, old windmill, Bachmaty lake
5. Kleszczele - religious monuments
6. Czeremcha - religious monuments
7. Old crosses, shrines, old cottages - along the entire length of the trail
8. Landscapes of the southern part of the Białowieża Forest - section from Dubicze Cerkiewne to the south.

The entire trail is suitable for bicycles with panniers/bike trailers. The trail uses solely roads with no motor vehicle traffic allowed or local roads with a low and very low vehicle traffic; no dangerous intersections. Trail of outstanding cultural heritage value.

Starting point:

Hajnówka, Town Hall

Finishing point:

Piaski