Złota Góra Viewpoint in Brodnica Górna

From the terrace on Złota Góra ("Golden Hill") you can see two Kashubian lakes at once – Wielkie Brodno and Ostrzyckie – and on a clear day also the Szymbark Hills with Wieżyca, the highest point in Pomerania. Every year around the turn of June and July the foot of the viewpoint hosts Truskawkobranie, a strawberry festival that is the largest open-air event in Kashubia and has been held since the early 1970s.

Panorama from the Brodnica Upland

The viewpoint sits on the Brodnica Upland at about 190 m above sea level, right at the junction of the Kartuzy–Stężyca and Kartuzy–Ostrzyce roads. Złota Góra (Złòtô Góra in Kashubian) is part of the village of Brodnica Górna in the Kartuzy municipality, and the whole area lies within the Kashubian Landscape Park and a Natura 2000 site. The terrace looks out over a patchwork of lakes, forests and glacial hills, as well as the villages of Brodnica Górna and Dolna.

Strawberries, a stage and a marina

The strawberry festival began for a simple reason: in the early 1970s there were so many strawberries here that locals decided to celebrate them. Today the event draws tens of thousands of visitors. It takes place at the Centre for Water Sports and Regional Promotion, which includes an open-air amphitheatre whose stage roof is shaped like an upturned boat, and a marina on Lake Wielkie Brodno. In season the venue also hosts the Goldhill Festival concerts and other events from the Kartuzy municipality calendar.

Below the viewpoint runs the Radunia Loop (Kółko Raduńskie) canoe route, and a water-sports rental operates from May to October. You can hire deckchairs and try regional food made by the local women's association, Gospodynie Brodnickie.

Tripto tip

Złota Góra makes a good stop on a car or cycling tour of Kashubia – 20–30 minutes is enough for the terrace and a short stroll. Come when the air is clear, as visibility decides whether you will see the more distant hills. The terrace is right by a busy junction, so park in a designated spot and take care crossing the road. If you prefer peace and quiet, avoid the strawberry-festival weekend, when the area is packed with people and cars.