LOCATION:
Bukowina is the right tributary of an extremely popular river Łupawa. The mouth of Bukowina is situated near Sierakowice, on the western border of Kashubian Landscape Park. In its upper section the river passes lakes Trzono, Kamienickie and Święte. The lower section, up till estuary to Łupawa runs through glacial valley covered by forests. On this section Bukowina is protected as a part of the area Nature 2000 "Łupawa Valley".
DIFFICULTY OF THE ROUTE AND CAMPING CONDITIONS:
It is not a secret that Bukowina route is a difficult one and requires the experience in maneuvering the kayak, also it may be troublesome because of countless obstacles in the current. You will have few situations requiring carrying the kayak but luckily not on long distances. While on Bukowina you should remember about keeping the distance between the kayaks to avoid getting blocked due to an obstacle. You will come across many stone rapids as well … It is better to use single maneuverable kayaks equipped with shirts – we guarantee you the memories will be unforgettable!
There is no tourist infrastructure on Bukowina, but there are many wild and charming places perfect for a climatic camping. You can find shops in Skrzeszewo, Siemirowice and Oskowo.
The area is wild which means most camping site are suitable for maximum 45 tents. But if we perceive our trip as a pioneer expedition, this is an advantage.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE:
We can start Bukowina route in Kamienica Królewska near Sierakowice and then paddle through Lake Kamienickie and Lake Święte. The convenient way is to start at the road bridge on road 214 (Sierakowice -Bukowina).
Bukowina runs through forests and meadows near the villages of Bukowina, Siemirowice, Oskowo and in village Kozin it falls into Łupawa. As it has been mentioned before it is a river with a mountain character: the current is at places strong and fast, there are plenty of stone rapids. While on this extraordinary route you will come across dozens of obstacles in a form of bent trees. However, these obstacles are possible to overcome without leaving the kayak if we swim on them or hide ourselves deeper in the cockpit. Of course it does require some skills and familiarity with the river and the paddle. The most interesting part of the river starts behind Oskowo. Just before Kozin itself the river slows down and becomes very wide. If the water level is low we can come across the shallows here. In Kozin there is a good place for camping, however you need to ask the owner of the area first. There is a small hydroelectric power station and inbreeding of trout where we can buy a fresh fish .
Canoeing down Bukowina is definitely a good idea for an attractive integration party. From Kozin, on the other hand, we recommend continue the route on extreme river Łupawa!
MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
- Countless rapids
- Landscape and experience of a mountain river!
- Bent trees
- Ruins of an old railway bridge
SUGGESTED ROUTE:
- Skrzeszewo - Kozin
- Kozin - Łupawa
- Łupawa - Łebień
- Łebień - Damno
- Damno - Żelkowo
- Żelkowo - Smołdzino/Gardna
