Polanowo: Underwater Archaeology and Trails by Lake Powidzkie

In Polanowo, traces of prehistoric settlement lie underwater alongside designated cycling and hiking routes. This offers different points of focus when planning your trip: you can focus on the archaeological perspective, the length and course of the routes, or the natural environment around Lake Powidzkie. The archaeological site adds a cultural and historical dimension; the various routes offer specific distances and sequences of places to compare.

Traces of Prehistoric Settlement

Remains of a prehistoric settlement lying underwater have been located in Polanowo. The site is preserved as a dense cluster of pine and birch stakes at a depth of one to two metres, about 76 metres north of the shore. The material, depth and distance from the shore place this archaeological find in a specific context within the lake. For travellers interested in early settlement history, the find offers a distinct point of reference: its classification as a prehistoric settlement is linked here to precisely described wooden remains and their underwater location.

Cycling Routes with Different Courses

An older cycling atlas lists the 31.5-kilometre “Miłośników Przyrody” cycling route. It passes through Słupca, Słomczyce, Babin, Ciosna, Niezgoda, Powidz, Rzymachowo, Polanowo, Posada, Józefowo, Korwin and Piotrowice before returning to Słupca. The named places make the longer route clear: Polanowo is part of a route that eventually returns to Słupca.

The 35-kilometre “Dookoła Jeziora Powidzkiego” cycling route passes through Powidz, Przybrodzin, Ostrowo, Anastazewo, Kania, Skrzynka, Naprusewo, Kosewo, Giewartów, Kochowo and Polanowo before returning to Powidz. A blue cycling route around Lake Powidzkie is listed as 35.8 kilometres long and passes, among other places, through Powidz, Przybrodzin, Ostrowo, Anastazewo, Salamonowo, Kania, Skrzynka Wielka, Naprusewo, Tomiszewo, Kosewo, Giewartów, Kochowo, Polanowo and Rzymachowo. The two lakeside cycling routes are almost the same length; their different sequences of places and the blue marking of the second route help distinguish them.

Hiking and Landscape in the Surrounding Area

The green hiking trail also passes through Mieczownica, Kochowo, Polanowo, Rzymachowo and Powidz in the Lake Powidzkie area. One section runs along the southwestern part of the lake. Check the current route and trail markings before setting out on a hike.

The eight-kilometre “Wśród Polanowskich Pól” route, designated for both hiking and cycling, is also located near Polanowo. It follows the road to Polanowo and Rudunek. With its length and designation for both modes of travel, it offers a different route option from the longer cycling trails around the lake.

Around Polanowo, calcareous fens, meadows, reed beds and stands of trees have developed on deposits of lake marl by Lake Powidzkie. The lake marl deposits are therefore part of the ecological context, as are the various habitats. Together, these landscapes provide a distinct focus alongside the underwater archaeological site: here the natural environment takes centre stage, while there it is the traces of prehistoric settlement. This allows you to take different interests into account when planning your trip, without reducing the routes and landscapes to a single experience.

Discover more destinations: Przybrodzin, Żelazków, Wólka, Ostrowite, Szydlowiec, Orchowo, Siernicze Małe, Słupca.

Return to the main travel overview: Powiat Słupecki.