Attention! This is the land of the bison. Sometimes you meet him in the forest, sometimes in a clearing, sometimes you can watch him grunting while eating winter crops from the snow-covered fields that start behind the fence. Winter is enchanted here, covering everything with white fluff, charming spring awakening the world in the Narew valley to life, sleepy and peaceful autumn with forests full of brown hats, and summer vibrant with colors and spent by the water. It's a dozen or so minutes' walk to the Siemianówka Reservoir, the Ladzka Forest is nearby, and the Eastern Bicycle Trail runs right outside the door. The gentleness of Podlasie spreads to villages and meadows with grazing cows. You can also experience it here, near the forest, on the edge of the village of Nowa Łuka. At the end of Leśna Street there are two wooden houses. Each with its own plot, terrace, two bedrooms, a fireplace where the fire can crackle cheerfully in the evenings and a hammock among the trees. Come here for the endless plains of Podlasie, the peace of the lagoon, unique flavors and peace that can only be experienced in Podlasie.
On the edge of the village of Nowa Łuka, near the forest, there are two wooden, semi-detached houses, separated by a green belt and a fence. Everyone has their own plot of over 1,000 square meters. The windows of the northern house look at the farmland, and the southern one faces the tiny Orthodox church of St. the prophet Elijah.
On the ground floor there are: an atmospheric living room with a fireplace, a fully equipped kitchenette, a large table and a bathroom with a shower. There are two cozy bedrooms on the first floor. One has a double bed, the other - two single beds. The larger bedroom also has a work desk and a bookcase. Each house has a terrace and outside: a trampoline, a wooden swing, a bench, deckchairs and a hammock.
You will rest in the vicinity of the Białowieża Forest, the Narew River and the Siemianówka Reservoir. The area is fenced and pets are welcome here.
At the edge of the village, near the forest, in the land of gentleness, where storks build their nests, bisons live in the forest, in picturesque villages there are wooden Orthodox churches with domes shining in the sun, and houses have colorful shutters, you will find two cozy houses.
Entertainment activities include:
– breakfasts, dinners and board games on the terrace,
– reading books from the bookcase by the fireplace, on a deckchair or on a wooden swing,
– lighting bonfires in the evenings and staring at the stars (light pollution in the sky is extremely low here),
– staring at the sky or taking naps in a hammock,
– watching out for birds that visit the boxes built here, especially the frequent visiting woodpecker,
– walks in the forest, and in the season – mushroom picking,
– setting off by bike on the Green Velo trail (Eastern Bicycle Trail), which runs just behind the fence of the southern house, or exploring forest paths on two wheels.
You can explore the area on foot, by car or by bike (there is a rental shop on the beach). And closer or further away are:
– Siemianówka Reservoir, the fourth largest artificial water reservoir in Poland – you can go to the Stary Dwór beach (with free tennis courts) or the beach in Bondary (with a large pier, reed umbrellas and an observation tower) and take advantage of numerous sports attractions there ( climbing wall, volleyball and basketball courts, tennis courts),
– railway bridge to the border crossing in Świsłocza,
– Białowieża Forest – the only natural object in Poland included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including: the Bison Demonstration Reserve, the Palace Park with an observation tower and the Kosy Most nature reserve,
– the village of Narewka, where you can see traditional Podlasie houses, an Orthodox church, an old church and a Jewish cemetery, as well as rent kayaks and go rafting down the picturesque and wild valley of the river of the same name as the village,
– Narew, which you can sail down,
– beautiful wooden Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Rogacze,
– the church in Jałówka – it differs from many other rural churches, which are usually made of wood, in that it is made of brick – it has a white façade and a foundation,
– ruins of the church, also in Jałówka – the temple was blown up by the Germans during the war, today it is slowly taken over by the forest,
– Dunin Oak, European Tree of the Year 2022 – a 400-year-old natural monument that is a remnant of the Lada Forest – it is worth visiting because there is a risk that it will fall in half,
– Land of Open Shutters, officially covering three towns: Trześcianka, Puchły and Soce, but to admire the decorations of wooden cottages it is also worth visiting: Ciełuszek, Pawłów, Kaniuk, Ryboł, Plosek, because this magical land leading with the traces of traditional Podlasie architecture extends to many tiny villages in Podlasie,
– blueberry plantation in the village of Juszkowy Gród (if there are no very nice owners, there is a self-service stall), look for the "Borówkowy Juszkowy" sign by the road, you can look at the horses nearby,
– skit in Odrynki, i.e. an Orthodox hermitage founded by Archimandrite Gabriel in the swamps, among the floodplains of the Narew basin – an 800-meter footbridge leads to it,
– Krynki, the eastern border of the European Union, once a Jewish town full of life – it is worth dropping by for a leisurely tour, a sip of the local water (supposedly healing) and a look at the largest roundabout in Poland and the second in the world (only in Paris it is larger),
– Tykocin on the Narew River with the royal castle,
– Tatar villages: Kruszyniany and Bohoniki (to look at mosques and miziary (cemeteries) and taste traditional dishes – kolduns and pierekaczewnik),
– Knyszyńska Forest to explore on foot, by bike, with poles and running,
– ethnographic museum in Sanniki,
– Zbigniew Falkowski sculpture gallery in Ozierany Małe,
– Białystok (45 minutes away),
– Supraśl, where you can go to a performance of the Wierszalin theater, visit the monastery, visit the museums: Printing and Papermaking and Icons (located in the Archimandrite Palace from the mid-17th century), see the Buchholtz Palace (you can visit it during the holidays), People's House or Wooden Weavers' Houses.
Nearby bicycle routes:
– Podlasie Stork Trail, 412 km long, starting in the center of Białowieża and reaching Stańczyki (marked in red),
– Orthodox Temples Trail, 176 km long (marked in yellow),
– Podlasie Cultural Trail "Tree and Sacrum" covering just over 182 km.
I leave you maps, guides and descriptions of the coolest places in the Siemianówka Reservoir and the surrounding area, as well as bicycle routes.
