Among the waves of moraine hills, interspersed with blue lakes, surrounded by old orchards, in the vicinity of Europe's largest herd of wild horses, away from everything... I found the old pre-war school. I knew where to look for my dream place, because I used to come to the completely undiscovered and irresistibly charming Switzerland of Połczyńska when I was a child. It was love at second sight, but to death. I was not put off by the dilapidated interior of the building or the garden, which after the rain flowed with an avalanche of mud. I knew there would be paradise here one day.
Today, instead of a classroom, there is a living room with a fireplace and a piano. The interiors with high ceilings are full of light, paintings, sophisticated furniture and accessories that create an artistic atmosphere. Instead of a bell, you will hear croaking frogs, cranes clangor or characteristic roars of a whole swarm of deer. Here you reset your head while taking a bath in an enamel tub, which is over 100 years old, drinking coffee on the terrace by the pond and staring at the 24-hour nature program. Looking at the world through half-closed eyelids with pleasure, it will seem to you that you are in Provence or Tuscany. From now on, however, you do not have to go to the south of Europe to feel this atmosphere. You will experience it in Śmidziecin.
This isn't your average country house. It's a rare opportunity to stay in a place where civilization ends and pure, undisturbed nature begins. Someone once said, "There aren't places like this anymore." And yet...
When you choose to stay at dALL, you're renting not only a building but, above all, views, tranquility, and complete control over your surroundings. The property is immersed in a picturesque landscape of hills, forests, and water. The surrounding land remains uncultivated and undeveloped—exactly as nature intended. For these few days, it will be your own world—with a private pond, ancient trees, and a unique view of the continent's largest herd of wild horses. Herons, swans, cranes, deer, and rare bird species are not attractions here, but a natural part of everyday life.
The place will enchant you with its artistic interior and lush, wild garden, dotted with chestnut and fruit trees, blooming with lavender, catnip, and lilies of the valley. A picturesque pond, overlooking a bridge and terrace, takes up half the hectare of the property. Stone steps leading to the garden, a herb garden, and ample space for spending time together in a quiet, green setting, far from it all, complete the charm. Thanks to the evening migrations of friendly bats, there are almost no mosquitoes here. Our school has:
– 166 m² and high ceilings
– 3 bedrooms
– 1 bathroom, or rather a wet room with a bathtub and shower
– a large living room connected to the kitchen and dining area, with two tables, a fireplace, and comfortable armchairs
– underfloor heating
– a basement for storing food
– a garden with several tables, a terrace overlooking the pond, and a pier
– 3 parking spaces
The largest bedroom, which has a large double bed, a stove, a large wardrobe, two armchairs, and a table, is connected to the second room, which has two single beds. The third bedroom is separate and has another large double bed, a wardrobe, and an old school desk.
NOTE! In two bedrooms, we only heat with the stove and an additional radiator. If you light a fire, it will be warm.
The house is perfect for a large family, group of friends, or acquaintances. In the living room, which is connected to the kitchen, you can cook, feast at the communal table, which is also perfect for playing board games, or spend time by the fireplace. You can also indulge in artistic pleasures, as this interior truly sparks creativity.
The key word is: harmony. The bright interiors are atmospheric, filled with old furniture, exquisite trinkets, travel souvenirs, and works of art. They are reminiscent of houses from southern Europe – you'll feel as if you were in Provence or Tuscany. The owner has developed her own unique style – the eclectic interior is a mix of pre-war, boho, and vintage styles, with some items from the 1960s and even contemporary. Paintings by various artists and a few mementos from her many travels are also included. The result will appeal to lovers of good interiors, art enthusiasts, and those who appreciate unique items like a restored, century-old bathtub or old school supplies.
We are located in a remote area. At the back of our house, behind a fence, is our neighbor's house, sparsely populated and facing away from us. The nearest village is 4 kilometers away. The road leading to dALL is typically rural and rocky. It can be challenging for low-riding cars, but with caution, you'll definitely manage.
We invite you to a full-fledged kitchen in a rustic atmosphere, with hand-made tiles and brick furniture. I hope you will enjoy cooking in it, because it is spacious and well equipped. You will find here most of the necessary equipment, probably all possible spices and two coffee makers. However, you will not find a microwave or dishwasher. There is also no hood, keep this in mind if you want to cook fish that are available in the area. Just like local breads, cheeses, meats, vegetables, eggs and honey. I share the addresses below.
You can serve a ready meal inside, using one of the two tables, or choose your favorite place outside: the table is waiting on the pier and next to the house. I recommend feasts outside in the moonlight, in the glow of candles or solar lanterns, they have a unique character. On site you will also find a place for a bonfire equipped with a grate. You can also taste fruit straight from the bushes (there are delicious blackcurrants in the garden) and trees, and pick herbs from the herbarium. Boletes and butter mushrooms grow on the plot during the mushroom season.
I invite you to therapy for the soul and body, away from everything. You will be soothed by the sounds of nature and animals living next to you, the captivating beauty of wild nature and the yet undiscovered areas of the Drawskie Lake District, which delight with the shape of the land, the blue of the lakes and the rapid stream of rivers.
They are waiting for you here:
– wildness and beauty of the garden,
– views that can be contemplated from many places outside and every room inside,
– a terrace by the pond and a pier where you can drink your morning coffee and eat meals,
– rechotherapy, because the contemplation of frog sounds is a higher level of relaxation,
– lounging in a hammock,
– mornings, when you sit on the stairs in front of the entrance with a cup of your favorite drink to watch the nature channel live, it starts early in the morning with a pond shrouded in picturesque fog,
– wonderful culinary experience if you follow my tips and stock up on smoked fish and other products in Rzepów,
– walks to the nearby meadow, where mustangs run, a swarm of deer comes in, roe deer, wild boars, herons and cranes come in, sometimes we also manage to spot a wolf, we also have bats in the attic, thanks to which there are no mosquitoes and sometimes a barn owl flits by,
– night watching the stars from the pier,
– herbal baths in the summer in a tin tub, which is located right next to the herbarium,
– sunsets from a bench on a hill,
– two houses, the big one on the tree is not despised even by adults,
– cast iron bathtub in the bathing room overlooking the garden,
– a piano in the living room, speakers and an amplifier - you can connect via a cable and listen to your favorite music.
And when you feel like getting to know the area, still undiscovered, I recommend:
– Many hours of observing the life of wild horses that graze right next to us in numerous meadows. This is the largest herd of wild horses in Poland, and probably also in Europe, there are about 400 of them and new foals are born all the time.
– Discovering the Połczyńska Switzerland, two of its five lakes (it is also called the Valley of Five Lakes) you pass on your way to us (all of them are: Krzywe, Krąg, Długie, Głębokie and Małe), and this is only a small part of the 30-kilometer section of the road 163, which meanders in serpentines between Czaplinek and Połczyn-Zdrój, offering views of vast forests full of oaks and beeches, transparent lakes, meadows and wetlands - these are lakes with steep banks, difficult to access, around them there are bicycle paths and a network hiking trails.
– Walking around the area and discovering the secrets of the former village, where you can see the ruins of houses and palaces.
– Canoeing trip on the Drawa River, preferably from Rzepów.
– A visit to Stare Drawsko, which is located on the isthmus of two lakes: Drawska and Żerdna. .
– Laying on the beach at Lake Drawskie (the second deepest lake in Poland, after Hańcza, with 12 islands with charming names, including Lelum and Polelum islands) or swimming in Siecin (the lake has a 1st class of cleanliness, there is a zone of silence, you can see cormorants, goldeneyes and sawflies).
– A bicycle tour. One of the most interesting and simpler bicycle trails in the area is the trail of rolled tracks, leading along the former railway embankment, accessible only to cyclists. If you are more advanced cyclists, then know that the area offers a dense network of bicycle trails.
– Visiting the Toporzyk Station. It is a certified organic farm connected with a family breeding of Shetland and Welsh ponies, right next to which there is the Horse Trail of the Drawsko Lake District.
– A trip to Szczecinek for a portion of urban life, and there you can use the longest water ski lift in Europe (it is as much as 1080 meters), walk along the two-level bridge near the castle (necessarily in the evening, when it is beautifully lit), visit the balloon festival in July , take a boat to the island and eat well.
A guide with a description of nearby places worth visiting will be waiting for you at home.
Forest paths, hills and nooks are a dream come true for children. You can also use a fishing rod and try your first steps in fishing from the jetty. The surrounding area also has a lot to offer the youngest. On Lake Siecino there is the Cieszyno water park, a beach and a water equipment rental. Children will also enjoy rafting down the Drawa (from Rzepów) and looking for animals, of which there are many in the area.
Please note, however, that there is a pond on half of our plot, and the jetty above it is not fenced. The youngest children will need to be kept an eye on.
If you have to do some work, do it in style. Our favorite place to work is on a pier on the shore of a pond.
