Life moves slowly in Ruda Rzeczka. Next to the railway track, along the road, with the forest behind, with milk from the cow for breakfast and water from the well to quench your thirst. You will find us in Puszcza Knyszynska, where Catholics and Orthodox live side by side, potatoes, pork rinds and sauerkraut are an inseparable part of dinner, and herring-making becomes a habit after a week. Drive carefully and watch out for bison. We will see you in Rudy Rzeczka around the bend.
Our house is my husband's fatherland and has been in the hands of the Siniło family for centuries. In recent years, it has deteriorated, decayed and languished. Two years ago, during a trip to Estonia (I think we got a holiday vibe), we thought it didn't have to be like that and that the old man should get a decent pension. One with a renovated roof, rich interior and beautiful exterior with decorations made by a local carpenter. The renovation was a journey full of misunderstandings, but also smiles and joy, crazy ideas and being calmed down by the realistic husband.
What was and what wasn't is not written in the register, so we have long forgotten about the stress because here is our Stacja Ruda. Peace and quiet, relaxation, country living, relaxing in a larger group and walking along dirt roads.
We have a house with 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a large kitchen with a tiled oven, a living room with a fireplace, and access to the terrace. The terrace shutters are old barn doors, the wooden beds remember the previous century, and we restored the furniture ourselves. Everything is for you so that you can relax on the terrace or in a hammock, get to know the Knyszyńska Forest in a canoe, taste the famous potato soup in Supraśl, drink delicious bread cider and sweeten your life with an anthill pastry. And in the evenings, we will make your time pleasant with sessions in a sauna or a hot tub.
Come back to us for more delicacies. After all, Podlasie is not distant Egypt. We and our 100-year-old house are not going anywhere. We are waiting for you in the really slow Ruda Rzeczka.
In a 19th-century house, which we restored in the Podlasie style, but with contemporary comforts. It has an area of approximately 300 m², with ground and first floors, and space for up to 14 people.
When renovating the old house, we had idealized visions. However, it involved much more work than building a house from scratch. We spare no planed planks, because the result is beautiful. And that old soul—you can't fake it. We raised the house slightly to create an additional floor, the attic, and demolished the walls connecting it to the stables.
The antiques we brought back to life were numerous. For example, old chests, called sunduki, which we painted green and blue and now use for storage, we kept some old doors with gold handles, paintings, and photos of our ancestors. The highlight, however, is the wooden floor, over 100 years old, which, after sandblasting, was applied to the walls, bathrooms, and interior design elements.
We also inherited two beautiful wooden beds, where our ancestors slept and now serve you. These ancient beds are much shorter than they are today because people were shorter back then, so our antiques are not suitable for basketball players.
We have a table with a history from our mother, and we personally restored the chairs in the kitchen, as well as the tiled stove on which you can cook.
House Layout:
Upstairs, there are three rooms with bathrooms:
- Room 1 has two double beds and one single bed,
- Room 2 has one double bed and one single bed,
- Room 3 has one double bed and two single beds.
On the ground floor you'll find:
- Room No. 4, which has one double bed and a private bathroom,
- A shared kitchen (fully equipped with dishes, cutlery, an oven, an induction cooktop, a dishwasher, a coffee machine, and a refrigerator),
- A dining room with access to a charming porch,
- A living room with a fireplace, a large table, a seating area, and a TV,
- Access to the terrace.
- A bathroom with a toilet and a washing machine
Guests will also find a Russian bath, a sauna, and our new jacuzzi...so you can relax in the warmth on cool evenings.
A kitchen equipped with everything you need for cooking is at your disposal. It's best to shop locally, so I recommend going to a neighbor's for milk, and to a neighbor in the village next door for eggs. The vegetables are from her own garden. In Ruda Rzeczka, a neighbor makes homemade lard and dried vegetables. A neighbor from the next village bakes delicious bread and cinnamon rolls. You can also buy honey.
If you want to eat something delicious without having to cook, I recommend:
Białystok (20 km)
- Esperanto Cafe, where you can buy BUZA. It's the only fermented millet drink in Białystok. The ingredients also include yeast, lemons, and raisins.
- Social Pavilion - the cuisine is absolutely impeccable. Modern, artistic, and fresh. - 3 km from the house in Czarna Białostocka, there's Max's Bar with its famous pork knuckle, and the iconic Zajazd Leśny (Forest Inn) with its home-cooked meals.
- Also in Czarna is Karczma za Płotem, a homely place serving regional dishes and good "homemade" pizza and kartacze.
- 17 km from the house in Supraśl, start at the Jarzębinka bar, where you can eat babka, kartacze, or potato sausage, drink a beer and a compote worth sipping.
- In Sokółka, there's the unrivaled Karczma Pod Sokołem. Cold soup, steak tartare, pelmeni, and chanterelle soup—you'll be delighted. And after dinner, head to the Stara Szkoła café. Outstanding cakes and ice cream made by the owners. Sea buckthorn, whiskey, clementine, and blackcurrant yogurt. It'll be delicious.
Not as recognizable in the world as Białowieska, not as popular as Augustowska. The Knyszyńska Forest, close to us, is a place where phones lose reception and you find a common language with nature. You can stay in the Knyszyńska Forest for a few days (which we do not recommend), but you can return to it many times (which we definitely recommend). You can walk along the paths, explore it by bike or on horseback. The kayaking trail runs along the Supraśla River, starts in Gródek and ends opposite the village of Złotoria (right next to us) at the mouth of the Narew River. The hiking trail starts in Tykocin, the horse trail in Folwarki Tylwickie, and the bicycle trail in Krynki.
The "Folk handicraft trail" begins in the neighboring village. It includes the following towns: Czarna Białostocka – Czarna Wieś Kościelna – Łapczyn – Zamczysk – Janów – Sokółka. This is an extraordinary tour of old craft workshops, such as forges, pottery workshops, folk sculpture workshops and many others.
Two-warp weaving workshops:
- Teresa Pryzmont, Wasilówka 19, tel. 721 63 64
- Alicja Kochanowska, Janów, tel. 721 60 36
- Filomena Krupowicz, Janów, tel. 721 61 28
- Ludgarda Sieńko, Janów, tel. 721 61 74
- Helena Malewicka, Nowokolno, tel. 721 60 62
Sculpture studio:
- Piotr Szałkowski, Sokółka, tel. 711 53 32
Spoon making workshop:
- Mieczysław Baranowski, Zamczysk 10, tel. 710 93 21
Most of the studios are located in Czarna Wieś Kościelna - the "ceramics basin". Nature has generously provided this land with clay, the deposits of which are located just below the surface. The villagers also used to produce ceramic roof tiles here.
Pottery studios:
- Bolesław, Mirosław Piechowski, ul. Piękna 27 and 27a, tel. 7109074, 7109134
- Adam and Paweł Piechowski, ul. Piekna 29
- Jan Kudrewicz, ul. Sosnowa 19, tel. 710 90 85
- Stanisław Mosiej, ul. Piękna 69, tel. 71 09 080
There is also a blacksmith's forge here, owned by Mieczysław Hulewicz, which will delight everyone who visits it - ul. Sosnowa 4a, tel. 710 90 89.
If this is your first time in these parts, we will be happy to advise you where to go to see the crème de la crème of Podlasie.
- On your way out of Białystok, stop at the Podlaskie Museum of Folk Culture. Throughout the summer, events related to the region are held here, e.g. Tastes of Podlasie, Tatar Culture Festival, Podlasie Fragrant Herbs, etc.
- Tykocin (approx. 50 km), a fairy-tale town with the only castle in Podlasie.
- You cannot miss the tiny Supraśl (17 km) located in the clearing of the Knyszyńska Forest. Here you can sunbathe, start a kayaking trip, admire architectural gems or the iconic Museum of Icons. It is also worth buying a ticket for the performance of the Wierszalin Theater. The theater building and its avant-garde repertoire attract theater experts from all over Poland. The legendary Supraśl scene takes a break during the summer holidays (July-August).
- Bohoniki (31 km) and Kruszyniany (56 km) - the only Tatar villages in Poland where Polish Tatars still live and where Muslim traditions are cultivated.
At the moment we have a large fenced property for you, where children can run, draw with chalk on the pavement, ride a bike, dig in the garden, swing in a hammock. There is a swing, a slide, a house and a sandbox for the youngest. You can play football or badminton. You can go to the forest, you can take a few steps to admire the trains (there are railway tracks running behind the house about 2 km), you can go to the cows, you can see how the bees are doing in the hive. A few steps behind the gate, in the village there is a large fenced playground and a hill where you can go sledding in the winter.
* 5 km from the house there is a fantastic Amusement Park for children, including: Dinosaur Park, Mushroom and Insect Farm, and Adventure City and Rope Park. https://jurajskiparkdinozaurow.pl/park-dinozaurow/
After playing together, you can eat deliciously at Folwark Nadawki, which is located next to the Amusement Park.
*15 km from the Ruda Station, in Supraśl there are many attractions for children: an Indian village, a beach in the summer, kayaks, modern playgrounds and plenty of space for picnics, cycling on paths - a real paradise for children.
*In winter, you can take part in a sleigh ride with horses or carriages. It will be awesome.
When reading the description of our house, you may sometimes wonder if it was copied from some open-air museum, but nothing could be more wrong. Our internet is as fast as the 21st century, and the working conditions are equally delightful. The house has 5 rooms and a common living room with tables, coffee tables, sofas and armchairs. Outside you will also find deckchairs and hammocks. You decide whether you prefer to work from the common part at the table today or stay in the room and do your tasks at the table.
