Chałupy (Hel) - Kołobrzeg, Polska 200407

Bicycle touring along Polish coast line, starting from Hel penisula and riding until Kołobrzeg. It's a continuation of the same tour, that originated from my home city Łódź, done in summer 2004. This trail is manually drawn in wikiloc.

DAY1
Stage1: Chałupy - Jastrzębia Góra, 16km
We started quite late in the afternoon as we were not planning to do much of a distance the first day. From camping site in Chałupy, going back to mainland west with road 216 until Władysławowo, quite famous summer destination at Polish seaside. A bit of a ride around the town and through the port. Later, still west, with local road 215 through Rozewie to Jastrzębia Góra, another famous summer destination full of tourists.

Stage2: Jastrzębia Góra - Dębki (beach), 21km
Exiting Jastrzębia Góra with same local road 215, until Karwia, along the coast. In Karwia, route goes straight west, leaving road 215, and goes closer to the coast with minor concrete roads, offering some nice views to the Baltic sea. After passing Dębki, road becomes dirt and enters forest. About 3km later, we decided to look for a suitable place to stay the night at the beach. Dębki area is famous for it's purte white sand!


DAY2
Stage1: Dębki - Łeba, 40km
Great night at the beach! It was warm enough to sleep just with a sleeping bag outside the tent (we secured the bikes inside :-P). Back to the dirt road in the forest and still moving west (always west!) to Białogóra - first village on our way. Quick breakfast there and we continued with asphalt road from now on. With minor local roads through tiny villages of Osieki Lęborskie, Kierzkowo, Jackowo, Słajszewo, Sasino, Ulina, Sarbsk, next to Sarbsko lake, Nowęcin, to finally enter Łeba. All this section goes far from the coast through very nice forest, offering very useful shadow and weakening the factor of opposite wind!

Stage2: Łeba - Kluki, 25km
Łeba is one of most wealthy towns at Polish seaside, with some tries to become separate kingdom in the past. Full of tourism and tourists! After short ride along the coast and around the town, we took road 214 south and very soon turned west again into the forest, to ride around Łebsko lake from south side, through some swamps areas. Probably the most offroad section of the whole trip! In some parts we were really worried how to pass with our very heavy bikes! But anyway, we managed and we didnt regret! It was real fun! The bikes needed some cleaning after (photo 1) but survived the test.

Stage3: Kluki - Rowy, 33km
Kluki is a historical fishermen village, that in prehiostorical ages was located in the bay at the seaside. After Łebsko lake was created by closing part of the Baltic sea, the lake started to drawn and right now, Kluki is a village about 1km away from the shore of the lake! It has been preserved as archeological site and all the buildings (including old port) were renovated and transformed into open air museum - great place to visit (photo 2)!
From Kluki we rode of course west with minor local roads to Smołdzino and to south bank of Gardno lake (another example of lake created from closing the sea bay). Riding around the lake, we reached Rowy, village and tourist destination by the sea, and after about 1km behind the town, we decided to spend another night on the beach. Again we were lucky to have nice and warm night to be able to sleep under the sky :-D


DAY3
Stage1: Rowy - Ustka, 22km
Breakfast in local supermarket (usualy consisted of 2-3 snickers candy bars and half a litre milk for me) and we continued west to Ustka, first coming back a bit the same way as we reached Rowy, and later taking right turn in Dębina in direction to Machowinko. Through local villages and with minor roads, we reached Ustka quite fast.

Stage2: Ustka - Darłowo/Darłówko, 40km
Ustka is another (after Łeba) bigger towns on our way. We decided to spend a bit more time here as we did not have many kilometers planned for this day. After visiting and having proper rest, we decided to ride to Darłowo with bigger local road 203, not being sure if we will able to pass through some of the roads closer to the coast line. We made a rest stop to Darłówko by the sea, as the wind really made us tired and exhausted, blowing all the distance into our faces quite strong :-/

Stage3: Darłówko - Bukowo lake, 20km
Leaving Darłówko and back to Darłowo to continue south-west with road 203 until Dąbki. From there we took a risk of riding along Bukowo lake from the seaside (very narrow piece of land, from where both the lake and the sea are easily vissible - photo 3), not knowing if we will actually be able to pass through all the way to the other side. After 6km, road ends in Dąbkowice, a camping side, and we were forced to enter and continue by the beach. Since it was completely deserted and we already knew we will not be able to reach next village, we decided to spend 3rd night under the sky on the beach!


DAY4
Stage1: Bukowo lake - Mielno, 15km
We slept like babies :-D and woke up late :-P Start of the day was dfficult as we had to continue our march with heavy bikes through the beach until village of Łazy, where we could finally eat breakfast (we were starving) and ride again on bikes! From Łazy, with local road between Baltic sea and Jamno lake to Mielno - famous summer destination among younger people known for loud clubs and beach bars.

Stage2: Mielno - Ustronie Morskie, 24km
From Mielno, with minor local roads close to the coast (to avoid busy national road 11 to the south), we rode to Gąski, where we made a stop and visited the lighthouse (photo 4). From Gąski to Ustronie Morskie again with local roads close to the coast.

Stage3: Ustronie Morskie - Kołobrzeg, 16km
From Ustronie, a very nice bicycle path starts, first through old military base and airport, and later with dedicated path by the beach! Great ride with great views - a real reward at the end of the trip. If only one day, all the coastline could be done with a route like this... We entered Kołobrzeg from the park of Żeromski and reached the canal with lighthouse with Aleja Nadmorska - pedestrian boardwalk for tourists. Souvenir photos from lighthouse at the end of the pier: photo 5 and 6.


I mark it level moderate, mainly for the west wind bothering us all the way for all 4 days! In any other conditions, probably the ride would be easy or very easy. A bit difficult, yet exciting, section from Łeba to Kluki could also be considered as moderate itself.
In general a great ride by polish coast line! great views, great beaches and great villages and towns by the sea. One to remember and maybe one day to repeat.