Who knows what a bison smells like? Here you can find out. It's like this: first you feel a specific bison stench, close to musk, then you hear the bison when it walks heavily between the trees, and only at the end you see it. Alone or in a herd. If he wags his tail, there is no hope for interspecies friendship - it's better to move away. But don't worry: bison have their business in the forest, and rather curious deer and a team of seven forest cats come to our watering hole. Colorful butterflies also come in flocks and I can assure you that we have many more species here than in the Butterfly Valley in Rhodes.
We are also different from Rhodes: the proximity of Białowieża, unregulated peace and the concentration of human individuals of the tourist species per square kilometer. Our nearest neighbor is just 2.5 km away. In a former forest habitat, where ordinary farm life used to take place, I create agritourism, where the magic of Podlasie is everyday. Instead of the azure waters of the sea, you can soak your feet in a forest pond or the nearby Siemianówka Reservoir, where the photos for "The Chronicles of Narnia" were shot. And instead of the door to Narnia, we have a "witch's crown" on the plot - a hazel tree, which the locals say is a Place of Power. With the help of hazel or not, I can assure you that this is where you will gain power. In the vicinity of wild nature, under the undisturbed light of the starry sky and with subtle or less subtle concerts of birds, crickets and deer, you will experience life after which the city may never be the same again.
Kuźnia Spokoju is a former Podlasie habitat surrounded by a forest, consistently brought back to life by me. The agritourism I created here is for people who dream of being away from civilization, being close to nature and discovering the magical corners of Podlasie.
There are several buildings on a large plot among trees, and for now I invite you to one of them: the renovated Owl House and the Stork's Nest apartment.
A house in the Podlasie style will accommodate four of you on 40 m². Has:
– a bedroom with a double bed,
– a room with a sofa bed and a kitchenette,
– a bathroom with a shower.
The apartment in turn:
- located on the first floor of the main house,
-has a separate entrance,
-has 2 bedrooms (1 with 2 single beds, 1 with a double),
- has a bathroom with a shower.
There is no kitchen in the apartment. At your disposal will be an outdoor kitchen in the shed, equipped with a sink, gas cooker, grill, smokehouse, dishes.
You won't find luxuries here, but that's not what you come here for: it's homey, cozy and the interiors are decorated in a regional style. Right next to the house there is a convivial shed, where you can have a barbecue and chat many evenings (I will gladly join you and tell you a bit about the area).
Feel free to use the green area of the entire habitat. We have a natural bathing pond here, where you can lie down with deckchairs in the summer, and even swim in it in the winter.
Our plot is fenced, but not on all sides - we have a watering hole and a feeder for local animals that like to visit us. We also have 7 forest cats that sometimes sleep with us. For this reason, I am asking you: if you are coming to us with your own animals or children, provide them with proper care so that the local animals feel safe.
And - maybe you don't expect it - but you can work safely from here. The internet works very well here.
You will be responsible for the content of your own plates here. The cottage has a simple kitchenette with a stovetop and beware! tiled stove, which not only adds to its atmosphere, but also expands your culinary possibilities.
There is no kitchen in the apartment. At your disposal will be an outdoor kitchen in the shed, equipped with a sink, gas cooker, grill, smokehouse, dishes.
We will be happy to advise you where to get a roller here. Anyone who knows Podlasie knows that local grocery stores are no Żabki - in a village shop, for example, you can buy grapeshot by weight, and then just heat them up and eat them with taste.
If the definition of boredom for you is: long walks in the woods, afternoons spent with a book in a hammock, lounging by the pond and trips around Podlasie, then you will definitely be. We serve this kind of boredom here in any quantities. There will probably be days when you just want to stay there and have some fun - then feel free to use the area around: lie down in the garden, play badminton, have a barbecue. All this time you will be accompanied by Holy Peace (and maybe also curious forest cats, birds and butterflies).
Our habitat is a paradise for amateur ornithologists. Lesser spotted eagles, gray herons come to us, and in winter titmouse or jays - we feed them, so in the cold months you can experience a real onslaught of winged gluttons.
In fact, our guests, when they leave in the morning, rarely return before evening. The area has a lot to offer: nature lovers, active people and people interested in the culture and art of Podlasie.
- First of all: being here, it is impossible not to visit the Białowieża Forest, and we cooperate with guides around it. If you feel like going on a forest expedition with people who will show you how to look carefully at the forest, how to look for traces of animals, and show you the most interesting corners, let us know - we will organize it. Such a trip takes about 4 hours. Apart from that, it is worth visiting the Bison Show Reserve, the Palace Park with a viewing tower or the Kosy Most wilderness.
– We are located very close to the Siemianówka Reservoir (the 4th largest artificial water reservoir in Poland!) – you will probably visit it more than once. Some of the photos for "The Chronicles of Narnia" were shot over the frozen Siemianówka! You, instead of crossing to Narnia, can go there to the Stary Dwór beach or take advantage of numerous sports attractions: a climbing wall, volleyball and basketball courts or tennis courts. It is also a great place to observe the migration of water birds in spring and autumn.
– Take a look at the village of Narewka, a few kilometers away. You can rent kayaks there and go rafting down the picturesque and wild river valley. And in the village itself you will see traditional Podlasie houses, an Orthodox church, an old church and a Jewish cemetery.
– If you love antiques, be sure to go to the Kiermusy Fair, which takes place every 1st weekend of the month. This is a legendary flea market where you can find real treasures. In addition, it takes place in a pleasant environment of trees, near the picturesque Tykocin on the Narew River, which you can visit on the occasion. And if that wasn't enough for you, there is also an flea market in Wasilków every weekend.
– Whoever follows MLH probably remembers the Dunin Oak, the European Tree of the Year 2022. It just so happens that this 400-year-old natural monument guards the Ladzka Forest just a dozen or so kilometers away. There is a risk that one day it will break in half, so be sure to go see it before it happens.
– The Land of Open Shutters, formally including three villages: Soce, Puchły and Trześcianka, is within reach of a car trip. In fact, it also extends to many smaller villages around, e.g. Ciełuszki, Pawłów, Kaniuk or Ryboł. It is a trail leading in the footsteps of traditional Podlasie architecture. Such decorated huts, wooden churches and churches you will not see in any other part of the country.
– Also go to the skit in Odrynki, an Orthodox hermitage founded by Archimandrite Gabriel, a hermit monk. Skit is very picturesquely situated, in isolation, in swamps, among the backwaters of the Narew river basin. You have to reach it by a wooden footbridge, which is 800 m long.
What’s there for children?
As for arrivals with kids, it's like this with us - you can, but you have to consciously and remember that it may not be an ideal holiday destination for them. We do not have a playground, slides or inflatable pool. Around the wild nature, you can see a bison or a lynx and you have to be careful. We also have a pond where you must keep an eye on your children. You need to provide them with proper care, ensure entertainment for them and also make sure that they handle their surroundings carefully, because, for example, friendly forest cats come to us. If you feel that this is something for your family, we invite you. Our experience shows that coming with babies can be successful, but older children start to get bored here quickly.
