eKajaki.pl • Skotawa • a fast tributary of the Słupia • the Słupia Valley

Skotawa – a fast kayaking trip on a tributary of the Słupia

The Skotawa is no water motorway – at times it demands quick reflexes and experience. More than one person has gazed at the beautiful, pristine landscape and suddenly realised their kayak was racing three times faster – straight at a fallen tree. It's worth coming here!

It's a river with a strong current and stony rapids, flowing through forests in the buffer zone of the „Słupia Valley" Landscape Park – great as a two-day adventure or a prelude to a longer Słupia trip.

fast current requires experience 2-day trip Słupia Valley buffer zone pristine landscape

Location

The Skotawa is a right tributary of the Słupia. It flows out of Lake Lipieniec in the „Słupia Valley" Landscape Park near Soszyca (Pomeranian Voivodeship), then passes through the Skotawskie Duże and Skotawskie Małe lakes. As a tiny stream it passes the villages of Nożyno and Nożynko; past the village of Jawory it's already big enough to get into a kayak. It then flows through Jamrzyno, Dębnica Kaszubska and Skarszów Dolny, before finally feeding the waters of the Słupia.

Route difficulty and camping conditions

The route is one of the not-too-difficult ones, but requires some experience because of the obstacles in the current. In places the river has a really strong current and plenty of stony rapids, and on some sections you can see a considerable drop in the terrain with the naked eye. Single-seat kayaks with spraydecks are best.

There's no tourist infrastructure, but you'll easily find numerous nice wild spots to camp (usually for 5–6 tents). You can also ask about pitching tents at the trout farms and pick up fresh fish at the same time. There are shops in Budowo and Dębnica Kaszubska.

Route description – what awaits you on the water

From Jawory – meadows, then forests

It's best to paddle the Skotawa in single kayaks; in tandems it will be very tight on some bends and obstacles. At the start, from Jawory to around the village of Kotowo, you'll meet meadows – here two tributaries feed the Skotawa from the right: the Maleniec and the Graniczna. Further on the river flows mainly through forests.

Past Jamrzyno – the river speeds up

Past the village of Jamrzyno (fish farm) the river speeds up sharply and is varied with trees lying in the current – in a single kayak you usually clear them without getting out. On the two-day section there are essentially two short (about 10–15 m) portages: at the farm in Jamrzyno and at the farm in Starnice.

Finish in Dębnica – or on down the Słupia

The trip ends at the road bridge in Dębnica Kaszubska. Those who wish can continue down the Słupia – then the kayaks have to be transported from Dębnica to the Leśny Dwór station (2 km). From there you're nearly 60 km from the finish in Ustka.