Around Stręgiel Lake

Voivodeship

Warmińsko-Mazurskie

Kingdom

Northen Mazury

Start:

Leisure Centre PTTK in Węgorzewo

End:

Leisure Centre PTTK in Węgorzewo

Download GPX file

The trail of the trip starts on the premises of the resort of the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Company (PTTK) in Węgorzewo and runs on the promenade towards a castle of the Teutonic Order. Built at the end of the 14^th century, the castle was the seat of the prosecutor of the Order. Next to it there is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul erected at the beginning of the 17^th century. It is worth looking at the furnishing of the temple, particularly the oldest organ in Masuria. Then the trail runs beside a military unit and, on the outskirts of the town, passes by a small viaduct over the railroad tracks of the Giżycko – Węgorzewo line, currently transformed into a cycling path, and a military cemetery from the period of World War I, where soldiers killed during the battle at the Masurian lakes in 1914 are buried. The next section of the trail leads towards the Stręgiel village and lake. As in the case of the nearby Stręgielek village, the area includes a beach and convenient access to the lake. In Stręgielek, it is worth noting the pre-war style of farm buildings. The trail runs farther through Pozezdrze. During World War II, the field headquarters of the SS command was located in local forests; in 1945, it was blown up by German minesweepers. The remains of the headquarters, including Heinrich Himmler’s bunker, have survived till today. Beside them information boards are placed, and a natural educational path runs nearby. Then the trail leads to Ogonki along the path formed on the former railroad tracks, passing by marsh wilderness on the way. In the interwar period, Ogonki and Lake Święcajty served as one of the major iceboat centres in Europe. Near the bridge in Ogonki, in the narrow pass between lakes, there is a bunker. A cycling path leads farther to Węgorzewo. At the end of the trip, we recommend riding to the city centre and the Helwing park, through which the Węgorapa river flows. The river is an attractive kayaking trail.

Trail option (32 km):

You can prolong the trail by turning aside to the Kal village situated on the peninsula in front of Węgorzewo – with a cemetery and a monument from the times of World War I on the way – and then riding towards the municipal beach on Lake Mamry. From there, the promenade leads to the PTTK resort in Węgorzewo.

Surface and marking of the trail:

PARTLY MARKED TRAIL

Most of the trail (around 80%) runs along asphalt roads of low intensity traffic and a concrete cube cycling path. The remaining 20% consists of gravel road sections.

On the section from Pozezdrze to Ogonki, the trail overlaps with the blue cycling trail “Blue Ribbon of Lakes.”

Attractions on the trail: