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Tricity viewpoints trail | |
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Route length: 50 km Download: TRACK Route: Gdańsk - Sopot - Gdynia Start: Gdansk (Okopowa Street) Finish: Gdynia The trip begins in front of the Voivodship building in Gdansk, in Okopowa street. From there we head for the Motława River and its flow round. The first viewpoint is a bastion onto which one can ride a bike. Żubr Bastion is one of 14 similar buildings making up Gdansk fortifications, which were built from 1622 to 1636. The bastion is situated in so called Lower City. Its walls were mostly built of the city’s waste. It is an element of permanent fortification raised on the fortress edge, built of sand in the shape of pentagon supported with a brick wall. From top of Żubr Bastion you can see a splendid view over the Old Town, the Motlawa River as well as other bastions and fortifications. Next we get to Nowe Ogrody Street, where we enter the Fort of Gdansk. Grodzisko - the area in Gdansk which hasn’t been modified for almost 100 years, the main fortifications of Gdansk. The place enclosed by Nowe Ogrody, Powstańców Warszawskich , Gen. Dąbrowskiego and 3 Maja streets dominates over Gdansk railway and bus stations. The main characteristic element, visible from a distance is mount Gradowa (Góra Gradowa) or Jerusalem Bastion with Millenium Monument on the top. It is the viewpoint of Gdansk nowadays and was in the past to protect the town from invasions. The fortifications were built in XVI and XVII centuries, and their designers were Jan and Jerzy Strakowscy. Owing to that building Gdansk was saved during the Swedish siege and during the northern war. The fort was rebuilt by the Prussians while defending against the French troops. The present shape the fort gained during overall renovation in 1867-1874. One of the bastions is Neubauer’s Bastion named after its builder. It was built in the end of XVII century in the southern part of fortifications above Nowe Ogrody street. Since 1920’s has served as park area. The most significant part of the building is Dom Wałmistrza of XIX century (second half). From Neubauer’s Bastion we head towards a huge cross on top of Góra Gradowa. Góra Gradowa (eng. Heil Hill) also called Jerusalem Bastion accounts for 54 m above sea level is an excellent viewpoint. We can see there The Old Town, shipyard area, The Gulf of Gdansk and Hel peninsula on clear days. Góra Gradowa was presumably a place where the earliest settlement and town was raised (probably IX or X cent.) in the north Kaszuby region. Alike, examined thoroughly by archaeologists, in Sopot and Oksywie the dwellers used to make trade contact with the neighbours, yet no significant craft or trade centre appeared there. A radical change occurred with the first settlement a bit to the east, which was named Gdansk. During medieval period one of the main trails from Gdansk was crossing Góra Gradowa. The hill itself wasn’t fortified, although there could have existed a small watch-tower used for observation of nearby hills and forest. From there we follow yellow trail to the next viewpoint. Cygańska Góra is nowadays a highly urban area, surrounded by block of flats, from which one will see Wrzeszcz and the shipyard, and down on the left The Technical University of Gdansk. Next the trail leads to Królewska Dolina (eng. Valley of the Kings) and Sobieskiego street. Having crossed the street, climbing a steep grade, we reach Góra Sobótka (98 m) on top of which we find a stone tower overlooking Wrzeszcz area. Yellow trail leads next to Jaśkowa Dolina, we cross the street down in the valley and follow the signs of Teatr Leśny (eng. Forest Theatre), from where we climb the next high point- Strzyska Góra (105 m ). From this point, we go to Matemblewo and change the trail for the blue one. Following it, we cross Słowackiego street, and get to a beautiful forest path called Szwedzka Grobla, which we will leave at certain point to see two viewpoints, first on the left – Botwina, and a moment later Głowica (122 m ) on the right of Szwedzka Grobla, the highest hill in Oliwa forest. A view over Oliwa, Zaspa and Przymorze districts is covered by the trees, yet it’s worth reaching for its natural, forest beauty. We return to Szwedzka Grobla to leave it a moment later to Dolina Radości (eng. Joy Valley) where a must is a visit to Kużnia Wodna ( Water Smithy) (www.kuzniawodna.webhost.pl). Next, along the blue trail, we head for Pachołek (101 m), where we climb to the viewing platform in the forest. There is a splendid view over Old Oliva, Przymorze, Zaspa and the Gulf of Gdansk, and on a clear day you can see Hel peninsula in the distance. Following the blue trail, we proceed to the next viewpoint, until a cycling trail, which at certain moment turns right, and through the garden plots reaches Reja street in Sopot in Dolina Swiemirowska, where we turn right and go down. Next turn left and go up into the forest to Zajęcze Wzgórze Reserve (Hare Hill). Where we will see the athletic stadium in Sopot at the bottom, and the view of Sopot. The reserve is located in Trójmiejski Park Krajobrazowy (Atricity Landscape Park) in the western part of Sopot. It was created in 1983 with the area of 11,75 ha. It’s the only reserve of Sopot. There is a green tourist trail to Skarszewy crossing the reserve. It’s exactly located on the edge of the hills with very steep slopes overlooking Sopot, above Dolina Owcza ( Sheep Valley) with the athletic stadium. On top of the hill a viewpoint over all Sopot and the Gulf of Gdansk. The next stage leads through mixed forest to a hill Łysa Góra ( Bald Hill) where we can see part of Upper Sopot. There is a ski lift and a restaurant ( www.lysa-gora.pl ). Nearby there is a grocery shop where you can replenish your supplies for the last stage of the trip. We head along the black trail from Łysa Góra towards Opera Leśna, where various concerts are held, among them Sopot Festival, hosting various pop stars every year. Next nearby point is Wzgórze Olimpijskie where we see Sopot panorama and part of the Gulf. Next we reach Aleja Niepodległości and along it on the cycle lane we go to Gdynia Kolibki, where we have to turn left through a small railway tunnel and then towards Bernadowo to climb the last viewpoint, Wieża Kolibki (Kolibki Tower). It’s a solid building, very safe to climb. From there you can see both Gdynia and Sopot three piers (Orlowo, Sopot and Zaspa), all the Gulf of Gdansk and the forested hills surrounding Tricity. From the tower we return the same way to a railway station in Sopot or turn left towards Gdynia and go to see the view off the cliff in Orlowo. Photo: Marcin Snopek 
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