Green Velo

The trail is signposted in blue, running from Górowo Iławeckie to Pieszkowo, mainly through open areas and fields, specific to this area. The route is quite long - it is almost 45 kilometres. It is perfectly signposted, rather easy, although a significant part of the trail runs on quite damaged asphalt roads full of holes, which slightly hinders the ride. The most beautiful is the forest section of the route between the localities of Janikowo and Pieszkowo.

The general course of the trail is as follows: Górowo Iławeckie (0.0 km) - Janikowo (7.7 km) – rest area in the forest near the village of Workiejmy (13.1 km) - Nowa Wieś Wielka (16.2 km) - Pudlikajmy (18.7 km) - Nerwiki (19.8 km) - Pieszkowo (23.0 km) - Piaseczno (26.3 km) - Wiewiórki (33.2 km) - Woryny (38.5 km) - Górowo Iławeckie (44.8 km).

The trail starts and ends in the town of Górowo Iławeckie. This little town, having a long history and numerous monuments, was founded in the 14^th century by the Teutonic Knights after the extermination of the Nattangians, the original inhabitants of these lands. After World War II, as a result of "Operation Vistula", the Ukrainian population was moved to Górowo Iławieckie and the surrounding area. This had an impact on today's character of the town. The former Protestant church, built in the 14th century, now plays the role of a Greek Catholic church. The richly decorated interior of this Gothic temple is noteworthy. Another valuable monument is the town hall, standing in the middle of the market. The urban layout of Górowo, typical of small, Medieval towns, has survived perfectly. There are two interesting museums here; the City Museum and the unique Gas Engineering Museum, housed in the surviving complex of the historic municipal gasworks.

The most interesting is the first part of the trail, running from the town of Górowo Iławeckie to the locality of Pieszkowo. The trail runs for a few kilometres along an asphalt road, of unfortunately poor quality by a dirt road to the village of Janikowo, in parallel to the Green Velo trail. The terrain slightly elevates, thanks to which the next section of the route, running through a large forest complex, runs slightly downhill, on dirt roads. This is definitely the most interesting and the most varied section of the entire trip in terms of nature and views.

From the rest area in the forest, the trail turns north towards the town of Górowo Iławeckie. Further down the trail runs through fields and forests to the village of Nerwiki, in which there is a classical palace from the mid-19th century, unfortunately in pretty bad condition. The next village on the trail is Pieszkowo, to which the trail runs together with the Green Velo trail. The most valuable monument in Pieszkowo is the St. Mary Magdalene church which has been renovated and rebuilt many times. Its decoration is the 16th-century main altar, made in Königsberg. From Pieszkowo, which is located exactly in the middle of the route, you can return directly along route no. 512 or using the Green Velo trail to the town of Górowo Iławeckie, because the second part of the route is much less varied.

If you continue your journey along the blue route, you have to cover several kilometres in vast fields and meadows between which there are small villages. A lot of old residential and farm buildings from the Prussian period have survived in them. Unfortunately, most of them are in poor condition. The route goes to the forests overgrowing the Górowo Hills, but does not cross their borders and skirts around from the north-east to the starting point of the trip in the town of Górowo Iławeckie.

Points of interest along the trail:

1. Górowo Iławeckie - Gas Engineering Museum, monuments
2. Pieszkowo - a Gothic church
3. Nerwiki - a palace dating back to the 19^th century

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. A recreational trail.

Starting point:

Górowo Iławeckie, a former railway station

Finishing point:

Górowo Iławeckie, the intersection of Armii Krajowej street and provincial road no. 512