On horseback through Poland
The longest horse route in Europe, covering 1800 km, runs through the centre of Poland. Horse lovers will also enjoy rides along the sandy shore of the Baltic Sea at sunset or mountain rides in the Beskid Mountains.
Horse riders can travel across all parts of Poland. Almost every year, new horse routes are marked out, both in the mountains and in lowland. Some of them are presented below.
The longest mountain horse route is the Transbeskid Horse Route of PTTK (Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society) It is 600 km long. It takes tourists on horseback ca. 14 days to cover. It leads from Brenna in Beskid Śląski, through Podhale, Pieniny and Beskid Niski, and ends in the Bieszczady National Park in the Wołosate village, which is the southernmost inhabited settlement in Poland. It resembles Wild West because the Transbeskid Route winds through broad mountain pastures and passes.
Sudetes Horse Route runs from Lądek Zdrój to Karpacz. It is considered one of the most difficult horse paths in Europe because in many places hoofs beat against stone surface. Yet the efforts of a 12 day long trip are rewarded with the magnificent landscape of the Sudetes.
The 400 km long Świętokrzyski Horse Route, on the other hand, is much easier. It takes ca. 14 days to cover. It is a really fantastic trail running through marshes, valleys, rocks and mountains of various heights.
Many lowland national parks in Poland can also be visited on horseback. E.g. following the Trail of the Augustów Primeval Forest and Masuria, one can see the natural treasures of the Biebrza and Wigry National Parks and the Augustów Primeval Forest. It runs through the amazing land of the Masurian lakes. After an exhausting day, tourists can spend the night in one of numerous agri-torursim farms or forester's lodges situated near the trail.
The 120 km long horse route through the Knyszyn Primeval Forest makes it possible to admire not only nature but also architectural and cultural treasures. These include Orthodox churches, the Supraśl health resort and villages known for their clay and wood products located along the Folk Handicraft Trail.
The longest horse route in Poland and Europe – Łódź Route – runs through the centre of the country in two loops totalling 1800 km. It connects 200 horse riding centres. Numerous points of interest are located along the route, such as the palace in Nieborów or the collegiate church in Tum.
Baltic trails running through beaches and sand dunes include: ‘The Seaside Route’, ‘The Beach Route’ and ‘The Huckleberry Route’ in the vicinity of Dębki and Wejherowo. Numerous horse riding centres operating on the coast from Kołobrzeg to Krynica Morska offer beach rides at sunset.
Tough Hucul horses are best suited for long mountain rides. In spite of their unimpressive size, they can easily carry an adult man. The largest Hucul stud is located in Gładyszowo in the very heart of Beskid Niski.
Our flagship breed is the Polish konik, a long-lived short animal of strong and stocky built, a descendant of tarpan (Eurasian wild horse). Owing to its gentle nature, it is perfect for leisure trips. Polish koniks live in the Roztocze and Biebrza National Parks and in Masuria in Popielno, where a conservation stud of this breed is located. Apart from them, Poland also has Wielkopolska, Małopolska and Silesian breeds. Stallions and mares of the latter, mostly black, are bred in the stud in the Książ district of Wałbrzych, near the magnificent Książ Castle.
MM
16.09.2014
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