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CBP
Bison & Borderland Trails
8 days Hotels/Farmhouse Pension On the Trail of Europes Last Bison
CYCLE GRADE A
Bison & Borderland Trails Ref CBP
KIERMUSY
Rural north-eastern Poland offers a charming mix of colourful wooden villages, orthodox churches, unspoilt marshlands disturbed only by birdsong and beaver, and great tracts of untouched wild beech and oak forest, still home to bison and wolf. Time seems to have stood still in this forgotten corner of Europe and we leave the cares of the 21st century behind during our easy-paced explorations along deserted backroads and tranquil forest trails.
Tykocin & Narew River Marshes Sleepy Tykocin was once an important staging post on the Warsaw-Vilnius trade route; the 17th century synagogue and impressive baroque church pay witness to
POLAND
Tykocin
From Warsaw
WANIEWO
Narew NP Marshlands boat trip Narew
Lake Seimianowskie
Itinerary Day 1 Fly London/Warsaw; drive Kiermusy. 2 Cycle Tykocin, visit synagogue; cycle Waniewo, late PM punting through Narew marshes. 3 Drive Grabarka, visit Holy Mountain; cycle Hajnowka. 4 Visit Orthodox church; cycle Bialowieza. 5 Early AM nature walk in forest; PM cycle Lesna Valley. 6 Cycle through forest to Narewka and Gruszki villages and along the Wolf Trail in NP. 7 AM cycle Bison Reserve drive Warsaw; PM in Warsaw Old Town. 8 Fly London. Accommodation & Meals: 6nts hotel, 1nt farmhouse pension; 7 breakfasts included. See p45. Bicycle: 21 gear Unibike touring bikes with rear pannier and water bottle holder. Daily distances day 01 day 02 day 03 day 04 day 05 day 06 day 07 day 08
Bialowieski NP Bison Reserve
HAJNOWKA
Church To
BIALOWIEZA
Forest cycling & wildlife walks BEL ARUS Grabarka Holy Mountain
0 km 40
WARSAW
Explore the Stare Miasto
30km 60km 25km 40km 50km 10km
its illustrious past. From here we cycle backroads through tiny villages to the remote Narew Marshlands, known as the Polish Amazon , now protected as a National Park. Traditional wooden punts are the best transport for exploring the intricate labyrinth of reed-lined channels. In the cool of the late afternoon, we glide in search of the elusive beaver, through tranquil waterways and meadows ablaze with marsh flowers. Holy Mountain & Hajnowkas Wooden Church In these Belarusian borderlands the Orthodox faith has a strong following; we pass several of its distinctive onion-domed churches along our route including the inspiring and beautiful church at Hajnowka. Grabarkas Holy Mountain is a major place of pilgrimage for the Orthodox community; the site of a miracle, an estimated 20,000 crosses, of different sizes, materials and designs have been planted on this small, forested hill over the centuries.
Grade & Terrain: Grade A 215km/6 days (average 36km/cycling day). Cycling is mostly on the flat. 30% asphalt, 70% farm tracks and wellmaintained forest tracks. Tour Staff & Support: Explore leader/guide cycles with the group on each day. Luggage is transferred from point to point by van. No vehicle back up provided as it is not necessary. On days 5 to 7 you can choose not to cycle. Group Size: Approx. 12 to 16. Europes last bison
Local life/Lukas Mazurek
Bialowieza Europes Great Primeval Forest The forest of Bialowieza, whilst immense by todays standards, is but a remnant of the vast primeval forests which once cloaked the whole of Europe. The towering canopy of ancient oaks, hornbeam, spruce and pine, provides a haven for birdlife including owls, woodpeckers and crane, whilst wild boar, deer, wolf, lynx and Europes last Bison roam the forest floor. Based for three nights in the pretty wooden village of Bialowieza, weve plenty of time to discover delightful shaded forest trails by bike, visit the Bison reserve and join a naturalist-led early morning stroll in the National Park, when the dawn chorus is at its most rousing.
Extend your Cycling Holiday
Our tour dates have been planned so that you can also book our Pedalling in Poland trip (Ref. CPP, see left) in southern Poland to commence immediately after this tour. There are frequent trains between Warsaw and Krakow (approx 3hrs travel) where the CPP tour starts. Your tour leader will be able to advise up to date timetable details.
DATES & PRICES in £s per adult 8 days from London (Sat-Sat) 2008 deps 07 Jun-14 Jun 19 Jul-26 Jul 16 Aug-23 Aug 30 Aug-06 Sep 2009 deps 06 Jun-13 Jun 25 Jul-01 Aug 15 Aug-22 Aug 05 Sep-12 Sep Flight Incl 585 585 585 585 Flight Incl 599 599 599 599 Land Only 430 430 430 430 Land Only 440 440 440 440
Land Only tour: 8 days - start Warsaw day 1 (Sat), end Warsaw day 8 (Sat) Plus Local Payment: £65 payable Kiermusy Single Room Option: £75* These are guide prices, see p46 for full details
Getting ready to explore the Narew marshlands
Essential information about our tours see pages 45-51
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