eKajaki.pl • Bytowa • a wild river of Kashubia • a tributary of the Słupia

Bytowa – a wild kayaking trip on a tributary of the Słupia

The Bytowa is a route of medium difficulty – for paddlers looking for challenges, and at the same time extraordinarily wild and picturesque. The undeveloped surroundings and sparse traffic mean you'll fully enjoy the untouched fauna and flora of the Kashubian land. Ahead of you lie a few hours spent with nature alone.

A curiosity are the remains of attempts to regulate the channel – weirs and bank reinforcements destroyed by the water. It's a river you can complete in a single day, and which connects beautifully with the Słupia route.

medium difficulty wild and rarely travelled one-day Słupia Valley Landscape Park rapids and weirs

Location

The Bytowa is a left tributary of the Słupia, just 29 km long. It flows through the Bytów Lake District, rises near the village of Ugoszcz near Bytów, and reaches its mouth close to Lake Głębokie. Administratively it lies in the Bytów district of the Pomeranian Voivodeship.

Route difficulty and camping conditions

The route can be strenuous – the obstacles are easy to bypass but require experience, and at fallen trees short portages await. You'll meet numerous rapids and weirs; in the lower section the water can be still. If you plan to continue down the Słupia, a car shuttle of the kayaks from Lake Głębokie to Gałąźnia Mała awaits you. We can recommend the Bytowa with a clear conscience to people of medium experience looking for challenges and valuing wild nature and peace and quiet.

The tourist base is poorly developed, but around the river's reservoir you'll easily find numerous wild spots to camp. When finishing the trip at Lake Głębokie, a convenient place is the kayak station on the right bank. The river makes up for the lack of infrastructure with its beauty and silence.

Route description – what awaits you on the water

From Bytów to the reservoir – a varied beginning

Combined with the Słupia route, the trail is 95 km – 5–6 days of calm paddling in the scenery of the Słupia Valley Landscape Park. The start in Bytów is very varied: numerous rapids and weirs, first green meadows, then beautiful forests. The brisk current doesn't let you get bored.

The Bytowa River Reservoir and the finish on the Słupia

When the river stage ends, the Bytowa River Reservoir opens up before you – it was created in the early 20th century as part of the Słupia's hydro-engineering infrastructure. Weirs and an amazing view await here. This is where the old channel of the Słupia ran, joining the Kamienica. After a few hours the Bytowa flows into the Słupia, ending its course in Lake Głębokie.

While here, it's definitely worth extending the trip with the Słupia route – with the option of ending the adventure on the Baltic beaches in Ustka.