Pałuki is best explored on the move. We have gathered in one place the PTTK hiking trails, cycling routes, kayak routes and the narrow-gauge railway - everything you can walk, ride or paddle from one attraction to the next. Each trail has its own page with a description, an elevation profile, a map of how to get to the start, a weekend forecast and a GPX file.
Not sure where to start? See eight ready-made ideas for a day out - by narrow-gauge train and on foot to Biskupin, by bike round three museums, by kayak across the lakes or a weekend on the Pałucki Szlak Rowerowy cycling route.
Click a line on the map or a card below to see route details. A solid line is a waymarked trail, a dashed line is a suggested route.
Pałuki Cycle Trail (Pałucki Szlak Rowerowy)
A loop through four municipalities, laid out in 2000 by our branch's trail markers (volunteers who paint the waymarks). Along the way you pass Świątkowo, Janowiec Wielkopolski, Rogowo, Gąsawa, Biskupin and Wenecja. It works well as a two-day ride with an overnight stop near Rogowo.
Start: Żnin, narrow-gauge railway station (ul. Dworcowa/Potockiego)
Finish: as above (loop)
Pałuki Landscapes, cycle trail (Pałuckie Krajobrazy)
A loop through the north and east of the county, laid out in 2002 by our branch's trail markers (volunteers who paint the waymarks) Jerzy and Piotr Szociński. It is the only route linking Żnin with Barcin, the palace in Lubostroń and Łabiszyn.
Start: Żnin, narrow-gauge railway station
Finish: as above (loop)
Pałuki Lakes Trail (Szlak Pałuckich Jezior)
A route from Barcin to Gołąbki past ten lakes, laid out by our branch's trail markers (volunteers who paint the waymarks) on the initiative of environmentalists from Barcin. A nature and education trail through the woods of the Gołąbki Forest District.
Start: Barcin, former PKP railway station
Finish: Gołąbki (Forest District office)
Piast Trail, hiking route (Pieszy Szlak Piastowski)
The best trail for a first visit. In a single day it links Żnin, Wenecja, Biskupin and Rogowo. It starts at the narrow-gauge railway station, so you can cover part of the route by train.
Start: Żnin, narrow-gauge railway station (ul. Dworcowa/Potockiego)
Finish: Recz, palace (PKS bus stop)
Pałuki Trail (Szlak Pałucki)
The longest hiking trail in the region: from the wooden church in Gąsawa, along the lakes and past the palace in Lubostroń to Łabiszyn and Brzoza. The route was updated in January 2026.
Start: Gąsawa, Rynek (PKS bus stop)
Finish: Brzoza, PKP railway station
Leszek the White Trail (Szlak im. Leszka Białego)
From the gate of the museum in Biskupin through Marcinkowo Górne, where Duke Leszek the White (Leszek Biały) was killed in 1227, then along the Gąsawka valley to the wooden church in Niestronno.
Start: Biskupin, gate of the Archaeological Museum
Finish: Niestronno (PKP railway station)
Wełna Valley Trail (Szlak nad Wełną)
The only waymarked hiking trail on the Janowiec Wielkopolski side. It follows the Wełna valley through Żerniki and Skórki, with its wooden church, to the trail junction in Rzym.
Start: Janowiec Wielkopolski (PKS bus stop/PKP railway station, ul. Gnieźnieńska)
Finish: Rzym (PKS bus stop, crossroads) - trail junction
Wenecja Trail (Szlak Wenecki)
A short link trail in Wenecja: from the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum and the ruins of the castle of the Devil of Wenecja (Diabeł Wenecki) to Wenecja Górna.
Start: Wenecja Dolna, Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum / narrow-gauge railway station
Finish: Wenecja Górna (PKS bus stop), early 20th-century smithy
Hipolit Cegielski Trail (Szlak im. Hipolita Cegielskiego)
A trail named after Hipolit Cegielski, running from Zrazim through Recz to Trzemeszno. Within Żnin county it passes through the municipalities of Janowiec Wielkopolski and Rogowo.
Start: Zrazim (PKS bus stop, school)
Finish: Trzemeszno (PKS bus stop)
General Dąbrowski Trail (Szlak im. gen. Dąbrowskiego)
Following the line of march of General Dąbrowski's troops in 1794: from Bydgoszcz across the Noteć meadows to Łabiszyn. Some stretches are sandy.
Start: Bydgoszcz-Błonie (MPK bus terminus)
Finish: Łabiszyn (PKS bus stop / marketplace)
From Żnin to Wenecja
A stroll or Nordic walk from Żnin along the shore of Lake Żnińskie Małe to the Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja. Return by the narrow-gauge railway or on foot.
Start: Żnin, ul. Szkolna
Finish: Wenecja Dolna, Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum
To Biskupin
A short route from Marcinkowo Górne past the Leszek the White obelisk to Biskupin.
Start: Marcinkowo Górne (volunteer fire station)
Finish: Biskupin (first buildings of the village)
“Gąsawka River Valley” Nature Trail (Ścieżka „Dolina rzeki Gąsawki”)
A nature and woodland trail run by the Gołąbki Forest District, with 11 stops around the sources of the Gąsawka: riverside alder woodland, orchids and flooded backwaters.
Start: peat bog reserve at the sources of the Gąsawka, south of the village of Drewno
Finish: as above
Janowiec Cycle Trail (Janowiecki Szlak Rowerowy)
From the market square in Janowiec Wielkopolski through Brudzyń, over the footbridge across the Wełna and the Pagórki Janowieckie hills to Kołdrąb, where it joins the Pałuki Cycle Trail.
Start: Janowiec Wielkopolski, market square (Plac Wolności)
Finish: Kołdrąb - junction of the roads to Sarbinowo, Rogowo and Janowiec
Museum Route
A family-friendly loop from Żnin through Wenecja and Biskupin - three museums in one day.
Start: Żnin, Museum of the Pałuki Region (Muzeum Ziemi Pałuckiej)
Finish: Żnin, market square
Town Route around Lake Żnińskie Duże
A short loop around Lake Żnińskie Duże, much of it on cycle paths. Ideal for an afternoon out with children.
Start: Żnin, Cukrownia Żnin
Finish: as above (loop)
Close to Nature
A loop from Żnin through Wenecja, Chomiąża Szlachecka and Folusz - the woods and lakes east of the town.
Start: Żnin, Town Park (Water Sports Centre)
Finish: Żnin, market square
An Adventure among the Manor Houses
A loop from Gąsawa through Gołąbki, Ryszewko with its wooden church, and the manor houses in Grochowiska Szlacheckie and Marcinkowo Górne.
Start: Gąsawa, market square
Finish: as above (loop)
Historic Sights of Pałuki
A road-cycling loop from Janowiec Wielkopolski through Rogowo, Gąsawa, Biskupin, Wenecja and Żnin.
Start: Janowiec Wielkopolski, market square
Finish: as above (loop)
Łabiszyn's History
A road-cycling loop from Łabiszyn to Żnin and back past the palaces in Młodocin and Lubostroń.
Start: Łabiszyn, market square
Finish: as above (loop)
Around the Quarry
An off-road loop around the limestone quarry in Piechcin and Lake Piechcińskie.
Start: Piechcin, Diving Centre
Finish: as above (loop)
Wooden Churches of Pałuki Loop
Our suggestion for earning the sightseeing badge: the shortest loop from Żnin taking in all 15 wooden churches of Pałuki, in four stages.
Start: Żnin, PTTK (Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society) branch office
Finish: as above (loop)
Pałuki Churches Trail, part 1 (Szlak Pałuckich Kościołów)
A cycling loop from Żnin to the oldest wooden church in Poland, in Tarnowo Pałuckie. Along the way you pass both brick and wooden churches, including Brzyskorzystew.
Start: Żnin, St Florian's Church
Finish: Żnin (loop)
Pałuki Churches Trail, part 2 (Szlak Pałuckich Kościołów)
A cycling loop south of Żnin. It ticks off five churches from our badge: Skórki, Ryszewko, Niestronno, Parlin and Gąsawa.
Start: Żnin, St Florian's Church
Finish: Żnin (loop)
A Walk through Medieval Żnin
Seven stops in the town centre: from St Florian's Church, past the sites of the old town gates, to the Tower (Baszta) - the medieval town hall.
Start: Żnin, St Florian's Church (formerly the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Finish: Żnin, the Tower (Baszta) - the medieval town hall
Żnin Narrow-Gauge Railway (Żnińska Kolej Wąskotorowa)
A train running on 600 mm gauge track carries visitors between the sights: Żnin, Wenecja, Biskupin, Gąsawa. It is the easiest way to combine sightseeing with a one-way walk.
Start: Żnin, station at ul. Potockiego 4
Finish: Gąsawa
Gąsawka Water Trail (Szlak Gąsawki)
By kayak through the lakes of the Żnin glacial trough: past Biskupin and Wenecja, through Żnin to Szubin and the confluence with the Noteć.
Start: Lake Oćwieckie
Finish: Rynarzewo (confluence with the Noteć)
Struga Foluska Water Trail (Szlak Strugi Foluskiej)
A short trail across lakes Kierzkowskie, Ostrowieckie, Foluskie and Chomiąskie. Together with the Gąsawka and the Noteć it forms the Pałuki Kayak Loop (Pałucka Pętla Kajakowa, 115 km).
Start: Lake Kierzkowskie (from the Lake Wolickie side)
Finish: Lake Chomiąskie
Noteć and Noteć Canal Water Trail (Szlak Noteci i Kanału Noteckiego)
The Noteć and the Upper Noteć Canal (Kanał Górnonotecki) from Rynarzewo through Łabiszyn and Lubostroń to Lake Wolickie. There are locks along the way.
Start: Rynarzewo
Finish: Lake Wolickie
An Ancient Tale Water Trail (Szlak Starej Baśni)
A multi-day paddle from Kruszwica through Pakość and Barcin to Żnin - you can see the Biskupin gate from the water.
Start: Kruszwica
Finish: Żnin, Lake Żnińskie Małe
River Wełna Water Trail (Szlak rzeki Wełny)
The Wełna from Lake Wierzbiczańskie through Rogowo and Janowiec Wielkopolski to Wągrowiec and on to the Warta. The lower reaches are difficult.
Start: Lake Wierzbiczańskie
Finish: confluence of the Wełna and the Warta (Oborniki)
No routes match the selected filters.
Before you set off
- The GPX file can be opened on your phone in any outdoor map app or loaded onto a bike computer. Download it before you leave - the signal can be weak in the forests.
- Printable trail card. Each trail page has a “Print trail card” button - you get a single sheet with a map, the route and a QR code.
- Waymarks on the ground. PTTK hiking trails have waymarks in the colour given next to the trail. On cycling routes the waymarks are missing in places, so it is always worth having the GPX track.
- Suggested routes (dashed line) have no waymarks of their own. They follow public roads, forest tracks and field tracks.
- The narrow-gauge railway runs in season from May. It lets you walk a trail one way and come back by train.
- Spotted a damaged waymark or an impassable section? Report a problem on the trail - you mark the spot on the map and the report goes to the trail markers.
Sources: courses of waymarked trails - © OpenStreetMap contributors. Courses and descriptions of suggested routes - Lokalna Organizacja Turystyczna Pałuki (Pałuki Local Tourism Organisation). Numbers and lengths of hiking trails - PTTK register of lowland trails. Elevations - EU-DEM terrain model. Wooden churches loop - the branch's own work. GPX files are an aid only and do not replace a map or the waymarks on the ground.