Łężczok Nature Reserve near Racibórz

Eight ponds, dykes lined with century-old oaks and limes, and more than half of all bird species found in Poland. The Łężczok reserve on the edge of Racibórz and the Nędza district is a former Cistercian fish farm that since 1957 has belonged to birds, amphibians and rare water plants.

History: Cistercian ponds and an emperor's hunts

Fish ponds were already being managed here in the 13th century. In the 14th century the land passed to the Cistercians of Rudy, who built dykes and sluices on an old arm of the Oder, creating a system of artificial reservoirs. According to tradition, King John III Sobieski rode through here in 1683 on his way to relieve Vienna and planted a few oaks – the red Polish Hussars Trail through the reserve commemorates the event. After the order was dissolved in 1810, the estate passed to the princes of Hohenlohe, and Emperor Wilhelm II hunted here in 1906 and 1910. The reserve was established on 23 January 1957 and, since its enlargement in 2015, covers 477.38 ha.

What to see

• Eight ponds: Ligotniak, Brzeziniak, Babiczak, Grabowiec, Tatusiak, Markowiak, Salm Duży and Salm Mały.
• Birds – 118 species breed here, including ferruginous ducks and red-crested pochards, both rare in Poland; tufted ducks and black-necked grebes are common, great egrets stop over on migration, and outside the breeding season white-tailed eagles and ospreys visit.
• Birdwatching towers – one has a ramp for wheelchairs.
• Sobieski Oak – an impressive pedunculate oak protected as a natural monument; the oldest oaks in the reserve are estimated at 330–400 years.
• Water chestnut and floating fern (Salvinia) – rare water plants, visible in summer on the Babiczok ponds.

Good to know

From 2009 to 2012 the reserve was closed: the ponds were drained, the dykes repaired and artificial islands built for birds at a cost of about PLN 5 million. The name comes from the Old Polish word "łęg", meaning a wet forest or marshy meadow.

Tripto tip

Entry is free and the reserve is open all year, but only along the marked trails and nature paths. There is a car park with benches and tables at the entrance. Bring binoculars and come early in the morning in spring or during the autumn migration. Allow 2–3 hours for a walk along the ponds including the towers. Nearby are the palace ruins in Łubowice and the Moravian Gate Arboretum in Racibórz.