Stara Rzeka in the Wda Valley: Landscape and Trails

Stara Rzeka lies in a broad valley of the Wda River. Steep slopes covered with deciduous forest and numerous old trees designated as natural monuments shape the area. The village is built on both sides of the Wda. When planning your trip, the focus is therefore on a river landscape where hiking trails and a cycling route offer different ways to find your bearings.

Valley, Village and River Landscape

The village is thought to have been founded in the mid-18th century. At the forest edge near Stara Rzeka, a viewpoint offers views of the village and a broad bend in the Wda. Flowering meadows in the Wda Valley also add to the area’s scenic appeal for visitors. The history of the village is thus interwoven with a landscape shaped by the river, wooded slopes and meadows.

Hiking Trails with Different Routes

The Ścieżka Ciszy begins in Stara Rzeka, at a kayak launch and near the old school. The hiking trail follows forest roads and firebreaks, and partly uses marked trails, including the red “Stu z nieba” trail. For navigation, both the starting point in the village and the types of paths described are useful.

Another hiking trail suitable for recreation is the black “Ścieżynka Zagłoby.” It leads from a section by Lake Piaseczno through the Wda Valley to Stara Rzeka. Unlike the Ścieżka Ciszy, whose description highlights its starting point and path surfaces, the Ścieżynka Zagłoby is described by its route from the lakeside section through the valley to the village.

At the bridge in Stara Rzeka, the Ścieżynka Zagłoby meets the blue “Harcerzy Światowida” trail. Both follow the meandering Wda Valley to this trail junction. The section of the blue trail is listed as 10.2 kilometres long, while the section to the trail junction is 11.5 kilometres. These figures refer to different sections and are therefore not two distances for the same stretch of trail.

A Cycling Route through Several Places

The black “Śladami II Rzeczypospolitej” trail by bike passes through Osie, Tleń, Wierzchy, Łążek and Stara Rzeka before returning to Osie. The loop is 53.7 kilometres long. Stara Rzeka is therefore one of the places on the route; Osie is both its starting point and its return point. Unlike the hiking trail sections mentioned above, the focus here is on the overall length of the cycling route.

The different hiking trails thus offer different clues for choosing a route: the starting point, path types, valley route and junction at the bridge can all help with navigation.

More Destinations

For further planning, you can also visit the pages for Kozielec, Bukowiec, Nowe, Mały Dólsk, Lniano, Osie, Świecie and Zbrachlin.

For the broader travel overview: Świecki.