Tasarki Reservoir in Mstów

Tasarki is a small artificial reservoir fed by springs, tucked into the Warta valley on the edge of Mstów, a village a dozen or so kilometres from Częstochowa. With a sandy beach, a wooden jetty and pine woods around it, it is where locals come to unwind in summer, and a natural stop at the end of the route for kayakers paddling through the Warta gorge.

A reservoir at the end of the riverside park

Tasarki is the last point of a strip of recreational land that, according to the municipality, covers almost 5 hectares: from the municipal office building, past the Warta gorge below the Rock of Love, to the reservoir itself. The area opened in 2011. The reservoir was deepened and cleaned, and it is now surrounded by sandy beaches, a jetty, stone barbecue shelters and a stage used for outdoor events. The shelters, decks and paths are built from natural materials.

In 2025 a footbridge over the Warta and a pedestrian and cycle path of about 0.5 km were opened. It links the Tasarki area with the Mstów meadows (Mstowskie Błonia) near the Stoki spring and Góra Wał hill, so the walk is easy to extend.

What to see along the way

• Viewing platforms above the Warta gorge, with a panorama of Mstów and neighbouring Wancerzów.
• The Rock of Love (Skała Miłości), a limestone outcrop above the river. Legend says it is a pair of lovers turned to stone by the girl's mother, and that the spring at its foot had healing powers.
• The monastery of the Canons Regular of the Lateran on the hill in Wancerzów, enclosed by a 17th-century wall with 9 towers.
• The market square in Mstów, which keeps its medieval layout. Mstów was a town from the 13th century until 1870, when the Russian authorities stripped it of its town rights after the January Uprising.

Tripto tip

The municipality allows about two hours for an unhurried walk through the whole riverside area, from the municipal office to Tasarki. Parking is available by the recreation grounds in the centre of Mstów. Kayakers often end their trip here after starting at the Mirów Gate (Brama Mirowska) in Częstochowa, while more experienced paddlers continue on a route of about 30 km to Skrzydlów. We could not confirm lifeguards or official bathing rules, so check the municipality's announcements for the current season before swimming.