Słupia Valley Landscape Park

In the early 20th century engineers shortened the Słupia: a 13-kilometre canal through Lake Głębokie cuts off a 26-kilometre bend of the river and gives the power station at Gałąźnia Mała a head of 38.5 metres. The Słupia Valley Landscape Park, established in 1981, protects a river valley that is almost mountain-like in places, moraine hills and forests — and with them one of Poland's most interesting groups of historic hydroelectric plants.

River, forests and lakes

The park covers 370 km² in the Słupsk and Bytów districts, between Soszyca and the outskirts of Słupsk. It is the only valley-type landscape park in the Pomeranian region. Forests cover about 72% of its area, and the Słupia alternates between wide, flat stretches and narrow gorges with rapids. Botanists have recorded 476 species of vascular plants here.

The park contains several nature reserves, including Gniazda Orła Bielika (White-tailed Eagle Nests), Grodzisko Borzytuchom (an early medieval hillfort), Jeziora Sitna and Dolina Huczka, and the whole area is a Natura 2000 bird site. White-tailed eagles nest here, and in 2003 at least one wolf family lived in the park. The only geological natural monument is a glacial boulder known as the "Dragon's Egg".

The Hydroelectric Plants Trail

The power stations in the Słupia basin were built between the late 19th century and the 1920s and now form the Hydroelectric Plants Trail. The key sites are:

• "Struga" at Soszyca — a building of 1896 with a Francis turbine of the same year and a 1920s control panel with carbon-filament bulbs.
• "Gąskowo" at Gałąźnia Mała — the largest power station on the Słupia, a 1914 building with 5 turbines fed by two pipes 190 cm in diameter. It has an exhibition room on the history of hydropower.
• "Strzegomino" at Konradowo (1922–1924) with a 460-metre earth dam and a 40-hectare reservoir.
• Krzynia (1925–1926) with a dam 250 metres long.

Kayaking the Słupia

According to the park authority, the Słupia is a demanding kayak route: the current is fast, with rapids, many meanders and fallen trees. Dams and power canals mean kayaks have to be carried or transported, sometimes over considerable distances. There are 6 campsites by the river for paddlers, best suited to groups of 10–15 people.

Tripto tips

From June to mid-July, the nesting season of rare birds, the park asks paddlers to limit trips. If you are not kayaking, plan a day touring the power stations: start at Gałąźnia Mała with its exhibition, then visit Konradowo and Krzynia. The park office is in Słupsk at ul. Poniatowskiego 4a, where you can ask about nature trails and river conditions.