eKajaki.pl • Słupia • Słupia Valley • finish at the Baltic Sea
Słupia – a kayaking trip through the Sulęczyno Gorge, the Słupia Valley and a trail of historic power stations
The Słupia can be two different rivers in the course of a single trip. In its upper course, in the Sulęczyno Gorge, it turns fast and stony like a mountain stream. Further down it slows, enters a wild valley, passes dam reservoirs and still-working, century-old hydroelectric plants. And it ends where few Pomeranian rivers do: on the Baltic beach in Ustka.
It's one of our favourite routes for a longer trip — it can be demanding, but that's exactly why you remember it. Thanks to its tributaries (Bytowa, Skotawa, Kamienica) and the old riverbed, it can be arranged in many ways, from calm to sporty.
From where to where
The river rises in the Kashubian hills, south of Sierakowice and Gowidlino, and is over 120 km long. Along the way it crosses the Kashubian and Bytów Lake Districts and the Polanów Upland, and in its lower course the Słupsk Plain, before giving its water to the Baltic at Ustka. Most of the route runs through the „Słupia Valley" Landscape Park — almost foothill-like terrain, more than 70% forested, with lobelia lakes and white-tailed eagle nests.
Who it's for and what to expect
The upper section can be surprising: fast current, a stony bottom, drops and fallen trees. Single kayaks with a spraydeck cope best here, and having someone experienced in the group helps. The middle and lower sections are easier and safe also for families with children. Along the whole route expect log jams, and in two places a car portage that bypasses the power-station canals.
Facilities here are modest, and that's the point — instead of crowds you get numerous, often free landings and campsites. Within the Park you may camp only at designated landings: Soszyca, Gołębia Góra by Lake Głębokie, Gałąźnia Mała, Krzynia, Leśny Dwór.
What awaits you on the water
Start at Lake Gowidlińskie
The first kilometres are a crossing of a ribbon lake — keep to the eastern shore. Then the Słupia becomes narrow and intimate, flowing among meadows and trees, with low footbridges and one portage before Lake Węgorzyno.
Sulęczyno Gorge
Past the landing in Sulęczyno begins a short, very fast stretch of mountain category. The river squeezes into a deep, forested valley, and stones churn in the foaming water. This is a section for whitewater kayaks with a spraydeck, without luggage; the less experienced can carry the kayak along a convenient path beside the ravine. Just past the gorge there is a concrete weir — a mandatory portage, never run it.
Słupia Valley — the wild middle
From Kajlandia the river plunges into the forest and shows its best side: fast current, sandy shallows, meanders and plenty of log jams. In summer the water runs low in places and the kayak has to be dragged. Past Soszyca we enter the Park, the banks grow denser, and a white-tailed eagle circles overhead.
The power-station trail and dam reservoirs
The Słupia's great curiosity is a complex of still-working hydroelectric plants from 1896–1926, with tunnels, canals and weirs. Seeing them up close is paid for with a portage or a car shuttle. Along the way we pass the Konradowo (Strzegomino) and Krzynia dam reservoirs.
The finish on the beach in Ustka
Below Krzynia the Słupia flows in a wide, swift current through Słupsk and on to Ustka. The trip can end by paddling almost all the way to the sea. This finale needs no advertising — you only have to paddle out onto a Baltic wave once.
Did you know: the papal trail
Along the river, from Gowidlino to Słupsk, stand 10 boulders commemorating the 1964 Słupia trip in which Karol Wojtyła — the future Pope John Paul II — paddled; you'll find them in Sulęczyno, Parchowo, Soszyca, on Gołębia Góra, in Gałąźnia Mała and Leśny Dwór, among others.
Suggested route (approx. 7 days)
- Gowidlino – Sulęczyno: 14 km
- Sulęczyno – Bylina/Młynki: 14 km (car shuttle to Soszyca ~2 km)
- Soszyca – Gołębia Góra – Lake Głębokie: 20 km (car shuttle to Gałąźnia Mała ~8 km)
- Gałąźnia Mała – Leśny Dwór: 17 km
- Leśny Dwór – Słupsk: 23 km
- Słupsk – Bydlino: 18 km
- Bydlino – Ustka: 17 km
Worth seeing
- Sulęczyno Gorge — the mountain ravine of the Słupia
- The „Słupia Valley" Landscape Park and the „Gołębia Góra" reserve
- The Struga power station in Soszyca (1896) — one of the oldest still operating in Europe
- The Gałąźnia Mała power station with its distinctive green pipelines
- The Konradowo and Krzynia dam reservoirs
- The Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes, the Castle Mill and Richter's Granary in Słupsk
- The papal boulders (the 1964 trip)
- The beach and lighthouse in Ustka to finish
Photo gallery – Słupia
See what the Słupia really looks like: the Sulęczyno Gorge, the wild Słupia Valley, historic power stations and the finish by the Baltic.
Kayaking the Słupia — frequently asked questions
Is the Słupia suitable for beginners?
Yes. The calm upper sections — like "My first time in a kayak" (6 km, no obstacles) or "Calm Słupia" — are easy and safe, ideal for a first paddle. The middle, log-strewn stretches call for some experience.
Can I paddle the Słupia with children?
Yes, on the easy sections (My first time, Calm Słupia, Słupia and Łupawa in one day). Children ride safely with a parent in a double kayak or a canoe.
Which section of the Słupia is for experienced paddlers?
"Meandering Słupia" and "The White-tailed Eagle Trail" (intermediate), and the most demanding is "Extreme Słupia" through the Sulęczyno Gorge.
What is included and what equipment do I get?
Polyethylene kayaks and life jackets, a waterproof bag for your gear and a route map (PDF), transport to the start and from the finish, and accident (NNW) insurance. Our team helps you on site.
How much does it cost and how do I book?
One-day trips from PLN 70 per person; full rates are in the price list. Booking is online, and the minimum is 2 kayaks.
