A 37-kilometre kayak loop, late Baroque churches and a landscape park shaped by the Ice Age: the destination of Wollstein offers a wide variety of discoveries. This contrast is especially vivid on the water and in the towns of Wieleń, Kaszczor and Przemęt.
Waterways and a shaped landscape
The Konwaliowy Kayak Trail forms a circular route on lakes in Przemęt Landscape Park that can be paddled in either direction. The start and finish are in Wieleń, where you can rent kayaks and get information on organising your trip. As water conditions can affect whether the route is navigable, it is advisable to check them in advance.
Przemęt Landscape Park was established in 1991 to protect the post-glacial landscape and local nature. It covers 21,450 hectares across the municipalities of Przemęt, Włoszakowice, Wijewo and Wschowa; 42 percent of its area lies in Powiat Wolsztyński. The wider geological context is also noteworthy: the powiat lies in the area affected by the most recent glaciation, the Weichselian or Baltic glaciation, which ended around 15,000 years ago. It gave the area a varied and lively relief.
If you prefer to travel on foot, Olejnica has a trail with a clearly marked starting point: it begins and ends at a car park, with arrows pointing the way between stations. At the start, there is an information board with general details and a route map, so you can get an overview of the route before setting off.
Cistercian traces and church architecture
The Greater Poland section of the Cistercian Trail passes through a wider monastic landscape. It includes the former Cistercian monasteries in Paradyż, Zemsko-Bledzewo, Łekno-Wągrowiec, Ląd, Wieleń-Przemęt and Obra, as well as the convents in Owińska and Ołobok. In Wieleń, this heritage is also reflected in the late Baroque Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Cistercians of Przemęt built it between 1731 and 1742 on a Latin-cross floor plan. Its high altar contains the Gothic sculpture of the Madonna and Child, “Ucieczka Grzeszników” (“Refuge of Sinners”), from the second half of the 15th century; it is the destination of numerous pilgrimages.
Kaszczor also offers two different insights into its church history. The late Baroque Church of St. Adalbert was built by the Cistercians between 1764 and 1777, replacing a wooden church dating from the end of the 16th century. Its furnishings combine Baroque and Neoclassical forms and date from the second half of the 18th century. A former Protestant church building in Kaszczor was restored in 2011 and now serves as a gallery and concert hall. From its rebuilt tower, you can enjoy views of Kaszczor and the surrounding area.
In Przemęt, the Baroque Church of St. John the Baptist tells a story of construction, fire and rebuilding: it was built between 1651 and 1690, partially destroyed by fire in 1742, and rebuilt in 1758–1759. The high altar dates from 1755. Fragments of the former 17th-century monastery buildings survive to the south of the church; the buildings were altered around 1767 and again in the 19th century.
Viewpoints, museums and architecture
A striking viewpoint is the wooden tower in the forest near Siekowo and Kluczewo. It is 30 metres high and stands on the “Winnica” hill, at an elevation of 101 metres. A flight of 147 steps leads to the top. These specific measurements give the visit a distinct sense of scale: the tower is a clearly defined destination in the landscape, while the marked stations on the trail in Olejnica help visitors find their way.
Museums in Wolsztyn focus on different life stories. The Robert Koch Museum occupies two rooms on the ground floor of a building constructed between 1842 and 1846. Its exhibits include mementoes from Koch’s time as district physician in Wolsztyn from 1872 to 1880, as well as from other places where he lived and conducted research. The Marcin Rożek Museum is housed in a villa built to the artist’s specifications, where he lived from 1934. Its address is ul. 5 Stycznia 34. The museum also includes a charming garden that extends to the lake and contains many of the artist’s works.
The open-air museum of the vernacular architecture of western Greater Poland presents a different aspect of architectural history. On a 3.5-hectare site on the western shore of Lake Wolsztyńskie, it recreates the layout and buildings of a linear village. Wroniawy Palace, meanwhile, was built for Stanisław Plater in the 19th century and remodelled in the Neo-Baroque style at the beginning of the 20th century. It is surrounded by a 12-hectare landscape park.
Everyday life and getting there
Local food culture also has a rural connection: agritourism providers in the municipality of Siedlec offer home-style cooking and wholesome rural produce. An important road connecting Poznań with Zielona Góra runs through Wolsztyn. Passenger trains run from Wolsztyn to Poznań, Leszno and Zbąszyń. Check the current timetable before travelling, as train services may change.
Discover more destinations: Godziszewo, Boruja, Tuchorza, Wolsztyn, Kopanica, Solec Nowy, Barchlin, Bucz, Wilcze, Chorzemin, Grójec Mały.
For the broader travel overview: Greater Poland.
