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The year 2024 has already started in earnest - for many of us, January can be really dynamic and demanding, especially in the professional context. So it's good to stop for a moment and take a deep breath. The beaches, where you can only hear the singing of the waves and the sound of the wind, seem to be the last corner free from the city rush. If you need a place where time slows down and your senses come into harmony with nature, I have a wonderful proposition for you.
I invite you to a winter oasis of peace, i.e. Sobieszewska Island :)
In winter, Sobieszewska Island offers unique experiences for those who want to get closer to nature and feel it at their fingertips. In this somewhat desolate land, despite the proximity of beautiful Gdańsk, you will find solace in the sound of the sea and the sounds of your own footsteps on the frozen or (I hope) snow-covered sand.
Empty spaces, wide beaches, the Baltic Sea stretching to the horizon, as well as a relatively small number of residents and tourists provide a unique opportunity for reflection and silence. Perhaps they will inspire you to have honest conversations, spend time with a book, open up to creating art, and increase your awareness of the beauty that surrounds us.
Therefore, you have the opportunity to breathe deeply and benefit from the wealth of iodine floating in the cool, post-storm air. Such sea therapy for the senses and body will certainly give you energy and allow you to recharge your batteries for the coming weeks.
Photo: Family recreation in winter Sobieszewo
Sobieszewska Island has the status of an ecological island and is a Protected Landscape Area. Nature lovers will certainly not be bored, because despite its relatively small area, it is characterized by great natural diversity, resulting primarily from its deltaic location close to the mouth of the Vistula.
During a winter walk through this area, unless the snow cover gets in the way (;)), you will certainly see various habitats with characteristic fauna and flora. Coastal beaches, dunes, ponds, a lake, meadows, arable fields, as well as mixed forests and pine forests create a picturesque mosaic of the landscape, providing an unforgettable aesthetic experience.
So where is worth going?
Photo: Winter beach in Sobieszewo
To facilitate contact with the nature of Sobieszewska Island, in 2004 the Duck nature and educational trail was opened, marked with an orange duck symbol.
And although most people traditionally walk along it from spring to autumn, analyzing the content and photos on information boards and looking for birds through binoculars, I encourage you to walk there also in winter. Depending on how keen an observer you are, the duration of the trip, although it is not very long (about 6 km), can be up to several hours. Along the way, you will encounter two observation towers offering views of the coastal lakes, the beach and the Bay of Gdańsk.
The beginning of the path is located at the entrance to the reserve - about 100 m from the final stop of bus line 186 in Górki Wschodnie (there is also a small parking lot nearby).
Photo: Winter forest on Sobieszewska Island
It is not without reason that the beaches in Sobieszewo, approximately 11 km long, are among the most beautiful and widest in Gdańsk. Thanks to the shelter of a range of dunes and a pine forest, they are a place of respite and escape from the hustle and bustle of cities.
Winter walks on the sand can have numerous physical and mental health benefits. Iodine elixir and additional outdoor exercise, engaging various muscle groups, stimulate the circulatory system, improving the condition of the heart and the overall performance of the body.
Although the temperature may be low, the intensity of exercise generates heat in the body, which helps maintain the proper body temperature and ultimately has a positive effect on immunity. We also hear that in some countries, e.g. Japan, walking is prescribed "on prescription", because in the long run it improves mood and reduces stress, thanks to the beneficial effect of nature on the psyche. As a person "addicted" to walking, regardless of the conditions, I am sure that the specialists from the Land of the Rising Sun are right :)
And can there be anything even better? Maybe!
Photo: Winter beach in Sobieszewo
Walking with a dog is the crème de la crème of all hikes :) If you are also a happy guardian of a dog who will happily run or walk even several dozen kilometers in the bosom of nature, and reluctantly a few hundred meters in the very center of the city, Sobieszewska Island will be your paradise on earth. I am writing to you with full awareness of the topic :)
I have good news for all pet lovers - dogs are allowed along the entire length of the beach (except for guarded swimming areas in summer). Of course, remember about etiquette and the rules of good coexistence with other users (including the local fauna, also, or perhaps especially, protected in the Ptasi Raj and Mewia Łacha Reservations!). A long, snowy walk in the nearby pine forest should also make many Bureks happy, longing for space and shared adventures with their owners.
I also have good news. To meet the needs of dog owners who do not want to spend their holidays without their pets (which I perfectly understand), Hotel Grano Sol Marina offers free stays for dogs in holiday packages. If you are wondering whether this solution is for you, be sure to check what the testers - Misia and Mila - barked about their stay :)
And if you don't know how to prepare for a holiday trip with your dog, I would like to remind you of my previous post "Holiday on four paws", in which I tried to answer some more and less troubling questions and describe the experiences gained during joint trips with my dog Inari.
Photo: Stay with dogs at Grano Hotel Solmarina
Photo: Grano Hotel Solmarina in winter
Although I know that many people may smile sarcastically or "roll their eyes" when they hear the phrase "the beauty of a winter walk", I will uphold the belief that taking care of yourself also means gently hardening the body, establishing contact with nature and time to relax in the a positive environment that engages the senses.
I think the outlays are relatively small - woolen clothes, warm shoes, a thermos of tea and a positive attitude, but the effects are quite impressive :)
I hope that I have convinced you to give Sobieszewska Island a chance in winter, i.e. travel to a place where you can stop to fully enjoy the beauty of the sea peace and find coherence with nature in its purest form. I wish you frosty walks - alone, with your loved ones or with a dog friend - just as you dream :)
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