POLAND
“Poland is a mythical destination, full of history and legends. This eastern European country has many lovely surprises in store. The southern region is characterised by the mountain chains of the Sudettes, the Tatras, the Beskides and the Carpates. The source of the Vistule, the largest river in Poland, is in the south of the country in these mountains. The Lubelskie and Suwalki agricultural regions are truly unique and them alone are worth the trip. Not far from Krakow is the Bledow Desert, a geological curiosity which is relatively unknown. These days, it’s very popular all year long with 4WD, motocross, quad bike and mountain bike enthusiasts. The Białowieża primeval forest is a Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage listed. The last remaining European bison live there in complete liberty in a preserved environment. Small hardy horses called Koniks live peacefully in herds in this immense forest, which is situated partly in Poland and partly in Belarus. The woods are full of mushrooms, wild raspberries and blueberries, not to mention the magnificent butterflies and countless insects. The country has been marked by its history. The numerous castles attest to this tumultuous past. The Polish nation was born in 1410 on the great battlefield of Grunwald. The Nazis occupied the country during WWII. About 100 kilometres north of Warsaw, Adolph Hitler, Hermann Göring and other officials of the Third Reich, lived in the Wolf’s Lair for more than 800 days during the Second World War, hidden in the Mazurie Forest. A few kilometres away, Heinrich Himmler established the headquarters of the sorrowfully infamous SS in bunkers hidden in a dense forest. The Elblag Canal at Ostroda is unique in the world and definitely deserves a detour. The sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea beautiful but the water is not very warm. Riding along these enormous beaches at sunset is a thrilling experience… unforgettable.” Guillaume Ravau
See the POLAND episode in VOD
In this episode:
The Sudètes • Bohême Massif • Mount Sniejka • Błędów Desert • Fortresses • The Beskides (flora and fauna) • Tatras Massif • Carpates mountain chain • Lubelskie region • Tourbières, marshland and lakes • Białowieża Forest • European Bison • Konik horses • Suwałki region • Hancza Lake • Calvaries, shrines, et decorated crucifixes • SS Bunkers • The Wolf’s Lair ruines • Mazurie Forest • Grunwald Battlefield • Ostroda-Elbląg Canal • The Vistule River • Pomeranian Forest (flora and fauna) • Mushrooms • Wind turbines • Lakes, rivers and estuaries • Baltic Sea beaches …