The Warta Estuary National Park was established in 2001 by merging the Slonsk Nature Reserve and the Warta Estuary Landscape Park. The area of the park includes the floodplains on both sides of the Warta River at its confluence with the Odra River and covers an area of more than 80 km².
The areas of the Warta Estuary National Park, such as the meadows, pastures and wetlands flooded by the Postomia River, provide habitats for many bird species (245 species). Many of them breed here (147 species). No less than 26 of the bird species found in the park belong to the threatened species. During several months of the year, much of the park is flooded, making many areas inaccessible.
There are nature trails, cycling and hiking paths, and parking for cars for visitors. It is worth checking which roads and paths are flooded and inaccessible before visiting the park.
One of the most frequently visited places in the Warta Mouth National Park is the “Bird Trail”, which can be reached by following the so-called “concrete road” from Slonsk towards Przyborów, following the road signs. Before going there, check the park’s website to make sure the path is not flooded – in January and February 2018, the water level was so high that the “Betonka” was flooded up to 50 cm. At the end of this road there is a car park and a convenient shelter, and further down the “Bird Trail” begins. This trail is particularly attractive for birdwatchers as it leads through the breeding areas. In high season, there are many visitors with binoculars and cameras, but the wide areas of the park are not crowded. If you plan to visit the bird trail, be prepared for strong winds in the open landscape.
If you are looking for a shorter route, you can take the “Wetlands” trail, the entrance to which is next to the Warta Estuary National Park headquarters in Chyrzyn. This trail is dedicated to wetlands and their role in nature and the economy.
The Warta Estuary National Park also includes areas on the right bank of the Warta, i.e. the Północny Polder. A 3 km long “Olszynki” trail has been created there, which leads over a wooden footbridge through forests and reeds.
In addition to the hiking trails, the 30 km long cycle path leading through the North Polder area should also be mentioned. There are also several hiking trails in the Warta Estuary National Park, but they can be flooded at times. For bicycles, in addition to the hiking trails, there is also the “Vogelpfad” (bird path) and the “Feuchtgebietweg” (wetland path) as well as the cycle path along the Nordpolder. Dogs, on the other hand, are only allowed to use the cycle path on the Nordpolder.
No fees are charged for visiting the Warta Estuary National Park. Only the observation tower at the park’s headquarters in Chyrzyn and the “Nature Sensory Garden” require an entrance fee of PLN 4 (open from 07:30 to 15:30).
Museum and Education Centre of the Warta Estuary National Park in Slonsk
The new museum and education centre of the Warta estuary National Park in Slonsk, directly at the entrance to the town in the direction of Kostrzyn, is also well worth seeing. The interactive museum provides modern and extremely vivid information about the national park and its inhabitants.
