A mountain river in Mazovia, or SUP on the Rawka River

The Rawka River, almost 100 km long from its source to its mouth, is entirely protected as a reserve.

In terms of difficulty, it's classified as a mountain river. Its fast-flowing current and numerous meanders sometimes resemble the Czarna Hańcza, but the number of trees lying in the current is much greater. Since all of this is located an hour's drive from the center of Warsaw, the Rawka can be explored on a one-day trip.

I inquired about the route at www.sosenka-kajaki.pl. First by phone, then in person at the company's headquarters in Ruda near Skierniewice. They were friendly, thorough, and professional. They know the river like the back of their hand. On the advice of the "Sosenka" manager, I chose the section from Ruda to the A2 motorway. From there, the company's bus picked me up. It's about 16 km of beautiful route through the Bolimów Landscape Park.

The route was quite technically challenging due to numerous fallen trees and portages near bridges. Even though I was there on a Sunday, in the middle of summer vacation, I encountered few kayakers. SUP, as usual, generated a lot of interest.

I used an Allen Allround 10'2"x32"x5" 230 liter board with three short river fins on our Fun Wind rental. It was a very good choice, and the board performed perfectly on tight turns and for pulling or gliding over tree trunks. Longer touring boards would also work, but definitely with shorter fins.

The trip took about three hours and required considerable concentration and effort. The river is so beautiful and varied that the distance and time flew by without anyone noticing. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for some exercise and adrenaline on a SUP in beautiful natural surroundings, without an audience :-). However, for beginners, the Rawka will be challenging.

Practical information:

access via Google Maps to the database www.sosenka-kajaki.pl, on-site selection of the route and arrangement of transfer details

equipment: Allround or Touring board with a short river fin, preferably soft

• Allen Allrounda
• indicated leash
• It's worth taking Aquapac and taking photos or videos of the action on the river
• There are no restaurants or shops on the route, so you need to take food and drinking water with you
• mosquito repellent is a must, as everywhere this summer (2021)

I recommend

Paweł Jędrzejewski