Bioacoustics, strain your hearing, visual people focus, because this is the most interesting region to observe and listen to. Here, a beginner listener of all kinds of sounds can learn to recognize individual sounds. Flutter, cackle, spruce, spruce, goose, quack, clangor, clatter, chuckle, boar, hoot, howl, prince, bark. Welcome to nature. In the middle of the Biebrza National Park, surrounded by marshes, in the central Biebrza basin, we have built a house - an observatory, even created for discreet viewing of fauna and flora. Beavers, which have their lodges on the border of our plot, storks wading up to their knees in the water looking for food, wild geese, bats, of which we have as many as 10 species here, and of course elk - the main residents of the river bank.
The barn stands right by the river, sometimes, when the Biebrza backwaters are rife for good, the water approaches our plot, when the area is a bit dry, we have about 350 meters to the bed. Everything here revolves around pure peace, comfort, relaxation and admiration. Peace of mind, because the house is off the beaten track in Goniądz. Comfort, because we have a lot of space here and everything that is comfortable. Relax, because a panoramic bathtub, sauna, fireplace, library. Observations, because the glass facade, a telescope and a huge terrace overlooking the river. Bring binoculars, a camera with a lens for photographing birds, fishing rods, waders, an animal atlas, a sky map, swimwear, bicycles, or none of the above. A good mood, something for mosquitoes and a big appetite for relaxation are enough. All according to your needs.
In a house that is like an observatory. From here you can quietly admire the life on the Biebrza, look for elk, wait for the appearance of beavers, count swans, herons, eagles and orioles and observe the world reflected in Biebrza. And this one is beautiful.
A panoramic view, like a living nature program, is provided by the large glazed façade (18 m). You can arrange a screening in a bathtub, in a bed, on a sofa, and if you want to watch what's squeaking in the grass, peek at the stars or see animals up close, there is a telescope in the living room, for 1st degree meetings.
The house is situated on a plot of 6,000 m2, some 350 m from the Biebrza river bed. Water can, however, come to our plot, because in spring the backwaters are very extensive. The most beautiful and the largest are in mid-March to the end of April. You can observe them from the large 30-meter terrace.
The house by the backwaters can accommodate 8 adults and a baby (baby cot 120x60). There are 3 bedrooms on 2 levels (two on the ground floor, one on the first floor). The downstairs bedrooms have one double bed each, the upstairs bedroom has a double bed and a pull-out couch. The living room with a fireplace and a bookcase reaching the ceiling is connected with the dining room, a fully equipped kitchen. We also have two bathrooms, one of which is a bathing lounge with a bathtub, connected to the bedroom and a sauna with a seating area. There is an office corner on the mezzanine.
In this kitchen you can roll up your sleeves and cook a decent dinner. If you are one of those who like it in your own way, you can show it off here. The equipment allows you to prepare real works of culinary art, but you can also heat up a frozen pizza and no one will judge you.
We recommend that you familiarize yourself with local specialties and visit the neighbors who run the Smaki farm from Goniądz on the Biebrza River. You can buy rural products such as eggs, cold cuts, bread, such curiosities as Jerusalem artichoke or dandelion wine, preserves and fish closed in jars, ready-to-heat delicatessen products - cutlets, kartacze, cabbage rolls, bigos, soups, salads, pickles, medications, vinegars, flour dishes, pickles - all the richness of local flavors.
The barn is located on the outskirts of the town of Goniądz, 350 m away there is a restaurant, 700 m from us: grocery stores, a pharmacy, a post office and a city beach 1 km away.
Take some time to get bored, because the area is so interesting that your vacation plan may not leave many gaps for rest. We are located in the middle of the Biebrza marshes and the Biebrza National Park in the central Biebrza basin, 350 meters from the river bed, which in spring, during floods, approaches our plot. Beavers have their lodges here, so we left part of the plot in the wild, we entered their area and we do not want to push our elbows out. The house has a panoramic character and from large windows, depending on the season, you can follow the Biebrza backwaters, the flights of hundreds of geese and cranes, beaver feeding grounds, falcon hunting, fox hunting in the snow, moose walk, billy goat dinner and many other wonders of nature.
If you want to look at the world from above, in Goniądz, just behind the bridge, there is an observation tower with a beautiful landscape of meadows and pastures flooded by the Biebrza waters in spring. On the site of the former restaurant, there is also an observation deck with an equally beautiful view of the Biebrza Valley. Watch out for these areas in summer - there are lots of insects and mosquitoes here.
In Goniądz, on the beach, you can spread a towel and swim in the river. Those who prefer to swing an oar will definitely be tempted by a kayak trip. Biebrza is an exceptionally calm river, perfect for family trips, spontaneous jumps from a kayak into the water, walking pace and admiring nature. In summer, the river is quite shallow and its current is very gentle. You can start the trip in the village of Wroceń, from where the route towards Goniądz should take about 3 hours. You can also go further to the Osowiec Fortress, which is another 1-2 hours away.
If not by canoe, you can reach the Osowiec Fortress by bike, making a pit stop for lunch at Dwór Dobarz on the way. After all, you can get to know the area in various ways. Also take bikes, because the Biebrza National Park and Podlasie are flat as a pancake and green as spinach. Driving here is great. You can go to the Podlaski Stork Trail, Tsar's Trail or the Green Velo trail, i.e. well-adapted routes that from time to time have stops in the form of shelters, observation towers, monuments, local restaurants and old huts.
If you are planning a vacation on the Biebrza River, consider the beginning of July, because that is when the great Rock na Bagnie festival takes place in Goniądz. It has been organized since 2013. and attracts rock bands from Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, real stars and fans of this music genre from all over Poland. It is a festival whose atmosphere resembles good old rock festivals from the 80's, such as Jarocin or Róbrege.
This is a must see:
- 6 km from the Barn, the Tsar's Droga (Elk Road) begins, in other words, the elk road along which the Biebrza National Park runs, and in winter it is a perfect place to observe moose. It is a 35 km long road running through the Biebrza marshes. The main points on the elk road are Długa Luka, Bagno Ławki, Grobla Honczarowska, the Barwik trail and the village of Strękowa Góra.
- The Red Marsh Reserve is a natural refuge for elk and rare birds such as the crane, black grouse or white-backed woodpecker. Several well-marked hiking trails lead here, there is also an educational trail that ends with a viewing platform.
- Visit Tykocin full of history, its Castle, the Great Synagogue, which is now a branch of the Podlasie Museum in Białystok, the Small Synagogue - the Talmudic House, the Tykocin market square with beautiful buildings and a monument to Stefan Czarniecki.
- It is also worth wandering around the nearby towns and villages. You must visit Jagłowo, a village on the banks of the Biebrza river, where all the houses face the river and you can see windmills (in Kamienna Stara, Suchowola, Nowy Dwór and Zabiel) and water mills (in Goniadz and Karwów).
What’s there for children?
Let's start with our own backyard. We have a telescope for observing animals and stars, a bathtub with a view of the river, various books and the closest civilized descent to the river 400/750 m from us. Ours is wild, because beavers live here and we don't want to parade them. A little further away is the beach where you can spread your towel, inflate the wheel and jump into Biebrza. There is also a net playground and a playground by the beach. Canoeing on the Biebrza River is a brilliant idea for a family holiday. The river flows lazily, in summer it is quite shallow and you can row without much effort. Nature is beautiful, and you can take a canoe to the Osowiec Fortress, which is worth visiting with a guide (it is not possible to visit the Fortress by yourself). Go in search of elk on the Tsar's Road, by bike to count storks on the Podlasie Stork Trail or go on the educational path and the viewpoint "Rudzki Canal", from which you can see huge boulders that were once part of a fortification destroyed during World War II. The path leads through swamps, willows and rushes. It is 1.2 km long, so it's literally 30 minutes to go both ways, and there is even a chance to meet a moose on the way.
What’s there for employees?
Gather a team of 8 friends and inform your boss that you are working from the Biebrza River from tomorrow. In the living room, at a large table with a panoramic view, you can work together, and eat meals prepared together during a break from duties. Near the table there is a bookcase with sofas, a comfortable armchair and a fireplace, where on winter evenings you will feel like a character in a romantic comedy. On the mezzanine above you will find one workstation with a desk and a swivel chair. In addition, for full comfort of work, we have prepared for you a monitor and a printer, as well as the ability to connect to the Internet via LAN.
Now it's time for the better part of the day, i.e. relaxing in a bathtub with a stunning view, a relaxing session in the sauna or observing the stars through a telescope. The choice is yours.