Shortly after I bought this land, 12 hectares of forest land in the Tuchola Forest, I began looking through old maps. One of them said that a "Betlejemka" stood here – a poor cottage 700 meters from the village. Those who remember its inhabitants still live in the village. Tales of their hospitality and kindness spread by word of mouth. Soon after, I learned that "betlejemka" refers to houses made of natural materials: wood, reeds, and clay. And on Christmas Eve, before the first star appeared, I received permission to build a settlement in Borowia. There was no more appropriate name for it than "Betlejemka."

I knew the houses would be ancient and natural, blending into the local landscape. I bought 100-year-old cottages in eastern Poland. Some could be moved entirely, others were amalgamations of several cottages slated for demolition. All had thatched roofs. Did you know they had to raise their roofs? The houses of Borowiackie are characterized by right-angled roofs, while the cottages of the eastern regions are lower and have more open roofs. The clay used to finish the houses provides a pleasant coolness in summer and warmth in winter. I can't compare to anything else than the smell of burning wood mingling with the aroma of heated clay. Nights spent in any other setting than at the edge of the forest also compare modestly, it must be admitted, later in comparison. In complete silence and darkness, you'll fall asleep as if you hadn't slept in ages, and when you open your eyes, you'll be greeted by mists rising from the meadows. The clanging of cranes will be just the prelude to a day spent among the peat bogs, forests, and lakes of the Tuchola Forest. The plot adjoins the Mikołajskie Peat Bogs Reserve.

The Betlejemka Settlement is a place for people who want to escape into the forest for a few days, fall asleep in absolute silence, and wake up to the mist hanging over the meadows. There are five houses in the Betlejemka Settlement. Two are detached houses and three are semi-detached houses. The semi-detached houses have entrances on opposite sides to ensure maximum privacy.

We wanted the cozy interiors of our apartments to be consistent with the folk character of the old houses, yet comfortable and modern. All have been finished with great care. Natural materials dominate, and the scent of wood blends with the aroma of clay from Rzeszów that coats the walls.

The houses are approximately 40-50 meters apart, so unless you're the only guests, you'll have the opportunity to meet other guests outside. However, because the grounds are so vast (12 hectares!), everyone will find their own space without running into a neighbor.

We welcome dogs to Betlejemka (no more than two per house), for whom, according to their owners, it's a true paradise :)

We serve breakfast from April to the end of October in baskets (one basket for two people for two days) filled with produce from a certified organic farm we support. Depending on the season, the basket will include sourdough bread made with organic flour, eggs from happy hens, real butter, homemade jams, and delicious artisan cheeses and cold cuts from a local family butcher's shop, along with other seasonal items.

In the summer, our area is awash with berries, so you'll need jars to collect them. Maybe you'll want to make pancakes with cottage cheese and berry sauce?

The boundaries of the Betlejemki Settlement are marked on two sides by a wall of forest, which will be your companion here. We are also directly adjacent to the Mikołajskie Torfowiska Nature Reserve. Its inhabitants: cranes, beavers, roe deer and salamanders - are regular guests here. If you come for silence, absolute peace, blissful nights of sleep and long days filled with reading, conversations, walks and bike trips, this is the address. There is no better way to spend time in Betlejemka than taking advantage of the benefits of its surroundings: vast forests, clean lakes and rivers of the Tuchola Forest.

- One of the greatest pleasures in the area is cycling along the forest trails. There are 4 mountain bikes and 2 electric bikes waiting for you on site (so if there are more willing guests, the rule is: first come, first served). Electric bikes are great for riding through the forest, because they allow you to reach places that are difficult for regular bikes to pass.

– We have 2 SUPs for you (PLN 40/day), on which you can paddle around the nearby lakes. A great experience is also a SUP rafting along the Brda canal, whose waters flow slowly: so it is safe and perfect for a first adventure of this type.

– Not along the canal itself, but along the Brda, runs one of the most beautiful and longest (240 km) kayaking routes in Poland. The trail begins near the Karsiński Landscape Park and ends in Bydgoszcz. The nearest towns where you can start the rafting are Rudzki Most and Woziwoda. You will certainly find a level of difficulty appropriate for your abilities – on the Brda there are both sections with a gentle current and those with rapids, with many bends and obstacles.

– You can also traverse the Tuchola Forest on foot. The trails lead through forests, peat bogs, heathlands, along lakes and rivers. Here you will find routes for short family walks with children and for more experienced hikers. Check out the Brda Trail, the Wdza Trail, the "Z Dukty do Dukty" Trail and the Czarny Kierz Trail.

- The Tuchola Forests are a haven for many species of birds, such as rare capercaillies, black grouses, eagle owls, kingfishers, white-tailed eagles, cranes, woodpeckers and black storks. Are you interested in ornithology, or maybe you just want to start? Take binoculars with you to be able to observe them.

- On warm summer nights, I invite you to film screenings under the stars. I am a film buff, and I appreciate classics the most, so I will be happy to invite you to a screening under the stars. You can also suggest a film that you would like to see.

- In the summer, numerous festivals are held in villages in the Tuchola district. These include, for example, the Poetry Festival of the Forest Bee and St. John's Poetry or the Mushroom Festival in Krzywogoniec, the Night Mysteries of the Lakeside or the Flower Power Festival in Cekcyna. This is a great opportunity to get to know the folklore of these lands or taste the local cuisine prepared by the housewives of a given village. These events have a special charm, which is why I highly recommend them.

- Or maybe yoga? 20 km from here is Halina Resler's yoga studio, Trzcionek 10. Halina is one of the first yoga teachers in Poland, and the place where you can practice with her is located in beautiful natural surroundings. Let me know that you would be interested in classes.

Some of the many places worth visiting in the Tuchola Forest:
- the beautiful reserve of the Stążka River Sources with the famous Krasnoludków Waterfalls - it covers the upper section of the river valley along with its sources (the whole is a natural monument), there are also rare plants here (including orchids!); gnomes supposedly live here,
– Dendrological Park nad Stążką in Gołąbek – on an area of 2.5 ha there are 150 species of trees,
– a very picturesque nature trail Jelenia Wyspa in Gołąbek,
– Jeziorka Kozie reserve with floating islands – the tiny islands are impressive, but there is also interesting vegetation of peat bogs and sundews to see,
– Jezioro Zręczczno reserve – a refuge for lilies and water birds,

If, in addition to beautiful nature, you also want to get to know the culture and history of our region, visit:
– Tuchola – an atmospheric town with nice cafes and restaurants (especially drop by the Łuczniczka cafe with delicious chocolates produced in Tuchola),
– Krąg – a small Borowia village in the middle of the forest, between 2 lakes; is a living open-air museum from the 19th century,
- over 200-year-old wooden cottages in Lińsk, Zielonka, Rosochata, Brzoza and Sucha.

If your children do not need an inflatable castle to play, and instead they will be happy to go with you on a trip to the forest, we invite you. What is certain is that there is no shortage of safe space here. Maybe you will learn to recognize wild birds together, and mushrooms in autumn? From the windows of the houses you can watch deer, and in the spring you can watch the arrival of storks. In addition, we are sure that the kids will be lost when they see the big chestnuts standing near the houses. Horses and sheep made of wood are a gift from friendly artists from the artistic group BoneKozubal.

Several nature trails run through Bory Tucholskie and you can plan a walk along their route. These paths are:
– blue: “Piła Młyn”, where you can learn something about lichens and see the Kacze Oko dystorphic lake,
– red: “Łąki Józefowskie”, where you can get to know the plants of the forest floor and see the vast mid-forest meadows,
– green: “Around Lake Wielkie Gacno”, where you can see dunes and swamps covered with cotton grass.

The Internet works perfectly, so we can invite you to work straight from the forest. With your laptop, you can sit on the sofa, on one of the armchairs in the living room or at the table in the dining room. During a break from work, we recommend a walk around the settlement to stretch your bones, and when you have checked off all the tasks, you can go for a bike ride to the forest. If you would like to work outside, you can share the Internet from the hot spot and sit on one of the garden armchairs.