Kamień Lagoon

From the waterfront in Kamień Pomorski you look out over flat water, reed beds and a green island – and in the shallows off that island lies a granite giant carried here from Sweden by an ice sheet. Kamień Lagoon (Zalew Kamieński) is a widening of the Dziwna, the eastern arm of the Oder estuary, and the quieter side of this coast: instead of crowded beaches you get birds, sails and trails along the shore.

What is Kamień Lagoon?

The lagoon is part of the Dziwna, the strait that separates Wolin Island from the mainland and links the Szczecin Lagoon with the Baltic. To the south it is closed off by Chrząszczewska Island with the villages of Chrząszczewo, Chrząszczewko and Buniewice. In the north-east it connects via a narrow channel with Wrzosowska Bay, beyond which the Dziwna flows into the sea at Dziwnów. Near Kamień it forms the bays of Karpinka, fed by the Świniec river, and Promna, which links the lagoon with Cicha Bay. Kamień Pomorski, Dziwnów, Dziwnówek, Wrzosowo and Międzywodzie lie on its shores.

Officially the lagoon and the Dziwna are Polish internal waters. Until 1945 the lagoon was known by its German name, Camminer Bodden. In 1949 the Polish name "Kamieński Zalew" was fixed, and in 1991 the word order was reversed to today's form.

Birds and nature protection

The lagoon is part of the Natura 2000 special protection area for birds "Zalew Kamieński i Dziwna", designated in 2011. It covers about 125 km², including the Dziwna and Lake Koprowo as well as the lagoon. In spring and autumn flocks of waterbirds rest on the water, so bring binoculars. The area also belongs to the "Oder Estuary and Szczecin Lagoon" habitat site.

The King's Stone

The lagoon's best-known landmark is the Głaz Królewski or King's Stone – a granite glacial boulder about 4 m high and about 20 m around, sitting in the water off the northern shore of Chrząszczewska Island. It is said to have once been three times larger, but in the 19th century it was broken up for building stone. Legend has it that in 1121 Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth stood on it after conquering Pomerania and reviewed a parade of boats. The nearby settlement of Kamień ("stone") is said to have taken its name from the boulder. A black-marked footpath, "Do Królewskiego Głazu", leads to it from Kamień Pomorski station.

Things to do

• Kamień Pomorski waterfront – a promenade with views over the open lagoon, a pier and the harbour.
• On the water – the lagoon and the Dziwna are used for sailing, kayaking, windsurfing and fishing.
• Blue trail "Along the Baltic and the Szczecin Lagoon" – runs from Świnoujście to Dziwnówek, over 98 km in total, about 31 km of it in the Kamień Pomorski municipality. The Kamień – Wrzosowo – Dziwnówek section has views of the lagoon and the Dziwna. Much of the route follows the Pomeranian Way of St James.

Tripto tip

An hour is enough for the promenade, but a round trip to the King's Stone takes half a day. The municipality warns that the blue trail between Skarchowo and Kamień can be muddy and flooded, so it is better to bypass it via Jarszewo and Miłachowo. For swimming, head to the Baltic beaches at Dziwnów or Międzywodzie. Combine your walk with a visit to the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral in Kamień, which hosts the International Festival of Organ and Chamber Music in summer.