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Wierzyca – a kayaking trip through Kociewie (castles, gorges, wild meanders)

A trip down the Wierzyca is a real expedition into the unknown. This route, forgotten for years, flows through Kociewie – no less attractive than Kashubia, and richer in castles, churches and palaces standing right by the river. Wild gorges, numerous meanders and secluded backwater pools will make you feel like pioneers of old.

If you dream of a river with character – fast, capricious, in places almost mountain-like, and strewn with monuments to boot – the Wierzyca will fulfil your kayaking dreams.

Kociewie a river with a mountain regime for experienced paddlers castles and the cathedral in Pelplin wild camping

Location and parameters

The Wierzyca is a left tributary of the Vistula. It rises in the Kashubian Lake District, in the area of the Szymbark Hills at the foot of Zamkowa Góra (223 m a.s.l.), and reaches the Vistula at Gniew. As much as 70% of its course runs through Kociewie. The river meanders strongly and changes course many times – it's one of the swift rivers and its regime sometimes resembles mountain rivers. Among the most beautiful sections are: the gorge south of Pogódki, the forested stretch from the mouth of the Wietcisa (near Czarnocin) to Starogard Gdański, and some parts below that town.

Route difficulty and camping conditions

Up to the mouth of the Wietcisa the banks are high, overgrown with reeds and inaccessible, the river deep in places – but the section to Starogard is not strenuous. From Starogard the Wierzyca speeds up sharply: a fast current, a large drop, fallen trees, underwater boulders, numerous portages at power stations and low footbridges. There are no signs here, nor traces of previous crews. We recommend this river with a clear conscience to experienced paddlers, who will actually be pleased with these difficulties.

Because the Wierzyca was struck off the list of routes for years, the tourist base here is modest – few landings and convenient wild camps. Plan your overnight stop in advance and look for a spot long before dusk. It's a river for summer, when warm nights and the water temperature favour spartan conditions. Pristine nature and silence will reward all inconveniences.

Route description – what awaits you on the water

Start: Lake Wierzysko near Kościerzyna

The route to the mouth of the Wietcisa is fast and meandering; along the way you pass the interesting village of Pogódka. If you have time, it's worth devoting a day to paddling the Wietcisa – the longest (47 km) tributary of the Wierzyca (requires additional transport).

To Starogard Gdański – meanders and boulders

A strongly meandering stage, with plenty of large boulders in the channel. Portages await, as well as obstacles in the form of low footbridges and protruding branches.

To Pelplin – the most picturesque section

Note the Devil's Stone lying in the water – its circumference is 8 m! It's worth devoting a whole day to visiting Pelplin with its Gothic cathedral and a copy of the Gutenberg Bible.

Finish: Gniew on the Vistula

Paddle all the way to the end to admire, from the Vistula side, the amazing panorama of the castle in Gniew. The town itself is called the „Kazimierz of the North" – a medieval street layout, a Gothic Teutonic castle and a thriving knightly brotherhood (international knightly tournaments in July). A curiosity: the combined drop of the four power stations on the Wierzyca is almost 19 metres!

The expedition has a trapper-like flavour – the mountain regime raises the adrenaline, while the silence, calm and wealth of monuments let you spend a truly pleasant holiday here. We recommend the route to paddlers seeking silence and wild camps far from civilisation.