Go Poland:On the Polish-Belarusian border is a primeval forest, the last remnant of a wood that once covered Europe. MAGDA JELONKIEWICZtakes a trip into an area untouched by human hands for almost 800 years
WHEN I LIVED in Dublin I often left Poland, my homeland, as a last resort for holidays. A Polish Renaissance poet, Mikolaj Rej, criticised my countrymen for praising the foreign while ignoring their own. Although centuries have passed, I felt he wouldn’t be happy with my holiday choices, either. I needed to check whether the grass was always greener on the other side, so I embarked on an ecoadventure in Poland’s primeval forest.
Bialowieza Forest, which straddles the border with Belarus in the Podlasie region of northeast Poland, covers more than 150,000 hectares.
Being the largest region of original lowland deciduous forest left in Europe, it is listed on Unesco’s World Biosphere and World Heritage registers.
The forest was protected under royal patronage for centuries, as a private hunting reserve first of Polish kings and later of Russian tsars. In 1932 the first national park in Poland was established on its grounds.
The park, however, covers only a sixth of the forest’s territory, including a 47sq km Strict Protection Area. The vast majority is still unprotected and exploited as an economic resource.
With its rich mosaic of mature and young woodland, swamps and meadows, the puszcza, or forest, is one of Europe’s most exciting wildlife habitats.
In the spring months, from April to June, it becomes a birdwatcher’s haven. Nature awakens after the cold, snowy winter and more than 200 bird species create a joyful commotion as they build nests and breed.
About 12,000 animal species live here, many of which are rare or extinct elsewhere. The most well-known resident is the European bison (or zubr), which was reintroduced to this wilderness in the 1950s.
The zubr is also the region’s proudest symbol, and is used in tourism and trade. There is Zubrowka, a fragrant vodka with an aromatic blade of bison grass in the bottle, the local lager Zubr, and countless souvenirs based on the bison theme.
The base for exploring the nature reserve is the village that gives the national park its name: Bialowieza. It has a population of 2,600 and is heavily geared towards tourism; when I arrived it was busy with travellers from Spain, Germany, Italy and the US.
Most of the local hotels are decorated in Podlasie’s rural hunting style, with wood panelling, animal skins and trophies nailed to the walls. Pride of place goes to bison heads.
The best mode of transport in Bialowieza is a bicycle. Bikes can be hired from a number of clearly signposted rental shops for about 25 zloty (€5.20) a day. A detailed map of the area is essential – they’re available in the tourist office on Parkowa Street (00-48-85-6812295).
Here, you can also book an English-speaking guide, a horse-drawn cart or a sleigh ride in winter.
The forest is wild. There is no mobile-network coverage in the reserve and a compass will come in handy. Some paths might be partially impassable, and you might have to walk or carry your bike through mud or puddles or over rocks.
Other trails can be overgrown and disappear under tall grass. A wild boar or a deer crossing your way is not an uncommon sight, but if the local wildlife proves too difficult to spot, you can see bison, lynx and other native species in the Bison Reserve.
The best way to fully appreciate the wild beauty of the puszcza is to take a guided trip to the Strict Protection Area. The area has a special, almost solemn atmosphere that is striking and impressive; it has not known human intervention for almost 800 years. As with most natural forests, the typical view in the reserve is of fallen trees in different stages of biodegradation, being gradually levelled by mushrooms and insects.
The primeval forest is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of the Podlasie region, but the nearby villages, with their wooden houses, lace curtains, beautifully carved shutters and stunning Orthodox churches, are well worth a visit. The Orthodox church is the most prominent religion in the region, beside Catholicism, Judaism and Islam, which was brought by Tatar settlers in the 17th century.
Village social life largely starts at dusk. The locals occupy benches by the road, chat with neighbours and are eager to talk to strangers. It is a mark of the region’s hospitality that I was invited in for tea or soup on several occasions. As an old Polish saying goes, a guest at home, God at home.
Even though Podlasie is picturesque, I was struck by its poverty. Time has seemed to stand still here; the only sign of the 21st century is a scattering of luxurious villas, built as holiday homes by investors or for eco-tourism purposes. The dramatic discrepancy between the urban and the rural is still a strong characteristic of today’s Poland.
Appetites grow stronger after a day spent in the fresh air. Polish food is hearty and filling, rich in meat and sauces, and typically served with potatoes and a raw vegetable salad. The adventurous can try dishes from the area, such as wild boar, roe deer or even bison.
As far as the grass goes, it is always greener in Ireland. Bialowieza grass is paler, longer, fragrant, and, once inserted into a bottle of vodka, makes a home version of Zubrowka. You certainly can’t do that with a few Irish sods.
Where to sleep, eat and go in the Bialowieza Forest area
Where to stay
Business and Recreation Complex. Soplicowo, ul Krzyze 2a, 00-48-85-6829940, www.dworsoplicowo.pl. A themed hotel and restaurant based on the noble traditions of the 18th century. Pets are welcome.
Best Western Hotel Zubrowka Spa. Ul Olgi Gabiec 5, 00-48-85-6812303, www.hotel-zubrowka.pl. The most centrally located place to stay, with one of the few ATMs in the area. Centrum Spa is also a good place to pamper yourself after an active day.
Hotel Bialowieski. Ul Waszkiewicza 218 B, 00-48-85-6812022, www.hotel.bialowieza.pl. A popular three-star hotel for private or corporate clients. The hotel also organises numerous events for groups.
CEM Guest Rooms. Ul Park Palacowy 11, 00-48-85-6829729, hotel@bpn.com.pl. Located within the a “silent zone” of the Palace Park. Recently refurbished, it has good facilities for disabled travellers.
Unikat. Ul Gen Waszkiewicza 39, 00-48-85-6812774, www.unikat.bialowieza.com. A good place for more adventurous travellers who want to get a flavour of Polish folklore, this rustic guest house is decorated as a hunting lodge.
Where to eat
Restauracja Cesarska (The Tsar’s Restaurant). Ul Stacja Towarowa 4, 00-48-85-6812119, www.restauracjacarska.pl.
In a meticulously restored railway station built for tsar Nicholas II, this traditional restaurant serves excellent Polish and Russian cuisine, with tables right on the railway tracks.
Siolobudy. Ul Budy 41, 00-48-85-6812978, www.siolobudy.pl. Enjoy first-class regional Polish, Belarusian and Russian cuisine in a rustic inn. This restaurant also has frequent folk concerts, exhibitions and a nearby heritage village.
Jankiel’s Inn (Karcma u Jankiela). Ul Krzyze 2a, 00-48-85-6812840, www.dworsoplicowo.pl. This restaurant features traditional Lithuanian delicacies, including lamb, deer, bison and mutton. Try the delicious desserts.
Unikat Guesthouse. Ul Gen Waszkiewicza 39, 00-48-85-6812774, www.unikat.bialowieza.com. Good local cuisine at affordable prices. This is a good place for a hearty breakfast.
Park Restaurant (Restauracja Parkowa). Ul Park Palacowy 11, 00-48-85-6812388, www.restauracjaparkowa.pl, open only during the summer season. You can dine outside on two terraces, right in the Palace Park. Umbrellas provide a welcome shade on a sunny hot day.
Where to go
Miklaszewski Museum of Natural History and Forestry. Ul Park Palacowy, 00-48-85-6812275.
Here guides will show visitors different aspects of life in the primeval forest. This is an educational and fun experience for all the family.
St Nicholas Orthodox Church. Ul Sportowa 9, 0048-85-6812500. A massive red-brick temple with two domes, its main treasure is an iconostasis made of china, which is the only relic of its type in Poland.
Palace Park (Park Palacowy). An English-landscape-style garden with a beautiful hunting lodge dating back to 1845. Check out the obelisk commemorating the hunting prowess of the Polish king August III the Saxon, who in 1752 bagged 42 bison, 13 elks and two roe deer.
Bison Reserve (Rezerwat Pokazowy Zubrow). 00-48-85-6829700, www.bpn.com.pl. If you don’t manage to see the elusive wildlife in the forest proper, here you can study the animals up close. The reserve’s population includes bison, elk, lynx, a zubron (a cross between a bison and a cow), and a tarpan, a Polish cousin to the wild horse of the Ukrainian steppes.
The Place of Power (Miejsce Mocy). A place of worship of the ancient Slavic tribes. This is at the end of a beautiful walk from the village, yet the site itself may be something of a disappointment if you were expecting a mini version of Stonehenge.
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) flies to Warsaw from Dublin. Bialowieza is 240km northeast of Warsaw. To get there by car, follow the E67 and E66 roads via Zambrow and Bielsk Podlaski.