Green Velo

A little more than 30 km bicycle trail leading through the hilly, open areas of the northern part of the Suwałki Landscape Park. Numerous moraine hills make this trail quite difficult, but it is very scenic.

The general course of the trail is as follows: Wiżajny (0.0 km) - Smolniki (11.1 km) - Stara Hańcza (15.8 km) - Mauda Lake (21.8 km) - Bolcie (26.7 km) - Wiżajny (31.0 km).

The route is quite well marked, it was laid out in the form of a loop. It runs along asphalt and dirt roads, from Wiżajny, located near the Polish-Lithuanian border, through Smolniki to Stara Hańcza, and from there via Bolcie back to Lake Wiżajny. Two sections of the trail, near Stara Hańcza and Bolci, run along the Green Velo route. The trail due to the surface and terrain is quite tiring, recommended for cyclists with high physical fitness. The difficulty of the trail is similar in both directions.

The route starts in the centre of Wiżajny. This communal village, located on the large Lake Wiżajny, is located on the northern end of the Suwałki region. The Polish-Lithuanian border and the "Triangle of borders" of Poland, Lithuania and Russia are nearby. From the centre of Wiżajny, the trail runs several hundred meters towards the provincial road to Gołdap, from where it turns south to Smolniki. After a few kilometres, the asphalt surface turns into a dirt road, and the area becomes more and more picturesque.

The trail reaches the village of Smolniki, from which there are beautiful views of the central part of the Suwałki Landscape Park. The viewpoint, located in this town, is called "At Thaddaeus’ Place" and is an obligatory element of every trip to the Suwałki Region. From Smolniki, where you can relax and eat something and replenish your supplies, the trail turns west and runs through forests towards Lake Hańcza.

In Stara Hańcza, where once a manor house was located, you can see the northern shore of the deepest lake in Poland. The trail turns north and runs for a short time together with the Green Velo trail. In the village of Klaipeda, the green trail veers to the west, and continues through the open areas to the small Mauda Lake and the villages of the same name. It is not far from here to the Romincka Forest and the famous bridges in Stańczyki. The former Russian-German border runs nearby, guarded partly by border fortifications preserved to this day.

On the shore of Lake Mauda, ​​we again encounter the Green Velo trail and both routes run north to the road in the village of Bolcie. There the green trail turns towards Wiżajny. However, it is worth going to the west, keeping to the bike trail on the Green Velo trail. Less than a kilometre away is the "Triangle of the Borders" with a resting place and a famous monument, and Suwałki’s "Cold Pole". It is also an obligatory element of trips in the Suwałki region. Having visited the point of contact of three borders, located near the forest, near the rest area, you should return to the green trail to get back to Wiżajny.

Points of interest on the trail:

1. Suwałki Landscape Park
2. Lake Hańcza
3. Smolniki - "At Thaddaeus’ Place" vantage point
4. Wiżajny - Lake Wiżajny
5. Bolcie, contact place of three borders

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. Trail offering outstanding vistas.

Starting point:

The village of Wiżajny

Finishing point:

The village of Wiżajny