SUP through the Brodnica Lake District

On Monday morning (September 27, 2021), taking advantage of the last sunny days of September and a day off from work, I threw my Starboard Touring ZEN 12'6" bag into the van and headed for Brodnica. The Brodnica Lake District is less than 200 km from Warsaw. Less than three hours later, I launched my board on Lake Dębno. I stopped at the Camper Park campground (http://www.jeziorodebno.pl/index.html). The location was crucial for me, as it's located halfway along the Skarlanka River, which flows through the Brodnica Lake District.


Description of the river from http://kajaki.zwinka.pl/rzeki/skarlanka-pojezierze-brodnickie

The Skarlanka is a typical lake district river, with a lazy, barely perceptible current and a series of charming lakes along its route. This is probably why it is sometimes called the Little Krutynia. It constitutes one of the two main hydrographic axes of the Brodnica Lake District (the other is the Struga Brodnicka, flowing slightly further west). In 1985, the Brodnica Landscape Park was established here.

It connects lakes such as Skarlińskie, Wielkie Partęczyny, Dębno, Robotno, Zbiczno, Strażym, and Bachotek. Along with several branches (including Lake Łąkorz or Lake Zbiczno, and then Lake Ciche), it forms a system suitable for a multi-day kayaking adventure. Tourist infrastructure is not overly extensive, but it is perfectly adequate (the trail features peaceful, forest-settled campsites, well-developed swimming areas with jetties and clean beaches, restaurants, fish and chip shops, and more). Fortunately, thanks to the rational distribution of tourist facilities, the trail has retained its intimate character – it runs mostly through areas remote from civilization, covered in dense forest, where you can enjoy the peace, quiet, and charm of the natural landscape.



Since the Skarlanka has practically no current and its route leads through many lakes, I did not use transfers, but covered subsequent sections using the "there and back" method.

On the first day, from the base on Lake Dębno, I paddled through Lakes Robotno and Kurzyny to the weir in Gaj Grzmięcy. The total distance was about 13 km. I consider this section of the Skarlanki trail the most picturesque. The lakes are intimate, the water is clear, the shores are wild, birds are plentiful, and there are plenty of fish in the water. Twice, a swimming grass snake crossed my path.

On the second day, I sailed around Lake Wielkie Partęczyny. The route around the lake, with its numerous bays, was over 15 km long. Furthermore, on the return trip, a strong easterly wind made its presence felt. At the northern end of the lake, I had some difficulty finding the connection to Lake Łąkorz, but it was so overgrown and covered in fallen trees that it would have taken too long to cover that distance.

On the last day of my stay, I drove to the northern end of Lake Zbiczno. From there, I paddled across beautiful Lake Zbiczno and a section of Lake Strażym to the outlet of the Skarlanka River. Theoretically, the route runs with the current, but the headwind was so strong that it felt like I was paddling against it, and a strong one at that. After reaching Lake Bachotek, the wind cleared so much that paddling was pointless. The conditions were good, but only for kitesurfing or the recently fashionable wingfoil. The return trip, however, took half the time, and I even managed to get some light surfing on a few of the lake's waves.

SUP-er stay in the Brodnica Lake District!

I recommend it to everyone and I will definitely come back.

Paweł Jędrzejewski

Practical information:

equipment

I definitely recommend a Touring board, it is much faster on long trips and there is more space for luggage on board

my choice is again Starboard Touring ZEN 12'6”

I used the Starboard Arma Core The Weed fin with a shallower draft, which was perfect for getting through the aquatic vegetation

https://sup.star-board.com/paddle-board-fins/armacore-fin/

accommodation

Camper Park

http://www.jeziorodebno.pl/index.html

Intimate, quiet, peaceful, right by the lake, new and very clean sanitary container (hot shower 24/7), certified playground for small children and quite fast internet; functional cottages (I didn't stay) and professional camper sites (I used them)

the perfect place to relax; for a family trip; or to combine relaxation with remote office work under the stars :-)

food

on your own; there is not much food available in the area, so you need to take pasta and a coffee machine with you :-)