Landscape description
Gmina Wlodawa - is a "land" which enjoys a great reputation among tourists from all over the country, situated at the eastern border of the European Union among picturesque Sobibor forests . Its greatest treasure is exceptionally clean and resistant to degradation White lake called tourist pearl in Lublin according to its extensive, but also exceptional tourist base which can satisfy many tastes and desires.
Gmina Wlodawa lies in the central - eastern part of Poland, near the border with Belarus and Ukraine. It takes almost 25.000 hectares and includes over six thousand. residents gathered in 15 villages and settlements. Gmina Wlodawa is very agricultural. The main source of livelihood of the population are just profits from agriculture. Agricultural production has more than 700 farms. The rural gmina area divides into two parts Wlodawa town, which is a separate administrative unit. The northern part of gmina lies on the geographic area called “Hump” in Włodawa and the southern in the eastern part of Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lakeland. Both units belong to the physiographic region called Polesie Lubelskie. Gmina Wlodawa is the most sunny region in Poland.
The attractiveness of the landscape in Gmina Wlodawa decide numerous and picturesque lakes and large forests, which undoubtedly represent a great wealth of the community. Their clean water, regular shape of shoreline and picturesque location among the surrounding forests, attract thousands of tourists every year . Pearl of the community is White Lake located next to the village Okuninka 7 km from Wlodawa. Water in this lake is of first purity class and has a high transparency (visibility circle 4.5 m). Open air swimming areal is included in the register of EU bathing. The lake has easy access to water, hard and sandy bottom. The length of the shoreline is 4262 meters. The narrow shore zone makes the development of aquatic vegetation in the lake negligible. From the south, to the asphalt road surrounding the lake there is the forest complex adjacent to the lake.Sobibór forests, within which in 1983 Sobiborski Nature Park was created, is part of Polesie Protected Landscape Area. Northern section of the highway cuts through a small village Okuninka, and its eastern branch - the village Tarasiuki.
In White lake lives of about 20 species of fish including: whitefish, pike, zander, eels, perch, carp, bream and tenches. Summer on White lake takes on average of about 105 days a year. Presumably this is a lake of glacial origin. Its essential feature is the high water temperature and its small decrease with depth. The area around the reservoir has become a leisure and recreation centre, so the village Okuninka is the best managed tourist village in eastern Poland. It aglomerates more than 80 recreation resorts and 15 public campsites. On the extension of the village Okuninka and in the village Tarasiuki, on the outer side of the road, are located some private plots and bungalows. Nearby on the northern shore of the lake shopping center with numerous dining, food kiosks, shops, etc.,has developed .In the summer season, restaurants, cafes, sport equipment rentals and swimming equipment rentals, playing fields for games and activities, campings, campsites , catering establishments and holiday houses are open and it creates a total of almost six thousand beds.
Advantages of tourism - sightseeing area, make perfect conditions for the development of tourism. Farms offer visitors many attractions, including regional cuisine, horseback riding and sleigh rides in winter. Symbol of Okuninka since 1999, is a crocodile, which, according to media reports a year earlier was prowling the lake and the surrounding area. From this yea in Okuninka Crocodile Days are held. The event is very popular among tourists. Crocodile accompanies tourists resting on the main beach. This is a sculpture made by artists from the Artists Association of River Bug Culture in Wlodawa.
In the vicinity of White Lake (106ha) are smaller lakes: Glinki(Clays) (47ha), Black (24ha), Holy (6ha) Rogoźno (6ha) Lipiniec (4ha). Lovers of peace and quiet can have great conditions to rest at Lake Glinki. Lake surrounded by forest and the reed is a paradise for anglers. In addition to the anglers, Gmina Wlodawa is a kind of "mecca" for kayakers. This type of tourism is becoming increasingly popular. The picturesque location and a mild form of Włodawka stream, cause that this river becomes a favorite among canoeists. For a bit more courageous and adventurous kayakers we can offer rafting a wild river Bug.
Wlodawa community richness is, lying within its borders, Sobibor Landscape Park and Polesie Protected Landscape Area and the surrounding moors which determine the unique value of this area. The landscape park is rich in rare animal and plant species protected by law. Park area of about 10,000 ha and 9500 ha buffer zone. It was created in 1983 in the area of :Gmina Wlodawa, Hańsk, Wola Uhruska. SLP includes lots of valuable Sobibor forests with very numerously occurring midforest bogs and 7 lakes, protected by nature reserve. Diverse habitats of coniferous forests and almost all types of lowland and swamp birch dominate here. In the park there are all types of peatlands. In SLP there is a peculiarity – a pond turtle, endangered species, whose population is the largest in Central Europe. Tarasienka River is the only known river in Europe where you can find a lake minnow - glacial relic.In the Park: wolves, moose , beavers, and adders. also occur quite frequently Rich is also the avifauna of the area with a population of at least 130 species of nesting. Within the Sobibór Landscape Park there are six nature reserves established (lake Orchów, Warehouse, Tortoise Mud , Brudzieniec, Małoziemce and Three Lakes).
The natural beauty of Sobibór forests is in the shade of tragedy, which happened near the railway station in Sobibor. Right here, in 1942 the Nazis established extermination camp of the Jews, to which Jews were transported from eastern Poland, Soviet Union, Austria, Czechoslovakia, France and the Netherlands. In October 1943. rebellion of prisoners in the camp inmated, during which many of them died, but some of them managed to escape. After the revolt the Germans closed the camp and to erase all traces of the genocide they planted the forest there. Currently, there is a museum of the Former Nazi Death Camp in Sobibor
Cycling enthusiasts will find here two bike trails: Wlodawa - Hrubieszów, Janow Podlaski - Wlodawa and local bicycle path "through contact borders", which runs along the Bug River.
Characteristics of cycle routes
- Biking trail – Janow Podlaski - Wlodawa - trail marked in red, in Gmina Wlodawa runs through Stawki, Szuminka and Suszno, reaching a length of 14 km. Cycle route runs through the northern part of Gmina Wlodawa.
- Biking trail - Wlodawa - Hrubieszów - trail marked in red,in gmina runs through Orchówek , Okuninka, Żłobek, reaching a length of 19 km. Cycle route runs through the southern part of tGmina Wlodawa.
- Biking trail "through contact borders" - the route marked in red, the route leads along the Bug River and reaches a length of 26 km. Along the route there were built gazebos and lookout tower.The route is designated by 12 information boards with maps of the path. Biking trail "through contact borders" begins in the southeastern part of Gmina Wlodawa, in Okuninka it runs through Sobibor Landscape Park Lake Orchów reserve , Dubnik in which the Polish, Ukraine and Belarus borders are converged at so called borders tripoint. Then the route leads through the valley of the Bug River to the village Orchówek, runs through Włodawa, Suszno, Szuminka and Różanka to complete its course in Stawki. On the route there are three parking spaces: in Różanka on the Bug and in Orchówek, where there is another tower. The route is not difficult it mostly runs through flat terrain. Surfaces are varied, with a predominance of unsurfaced roads. The route makes it possible to know Gmina Wlodawa - the beautiful land of lakes, swamps, bogs, alluvial forests with a great wealth of flora and fauna. On the route, in addition to natural and landscape values, there are also objects of cultural heritage, including historic orthodox churches, churches, manorial complexes.
All routes mentioned above, run through the Wlodawa town and Okuninka on White Lake, where the crossroad directions indicates the sculpture of” Swiatowid “carved by a local folk artist Sylvester Sowa. In Okuninka there is a bicycle rental, run by the Youth Hostel "Crocodile."
For all those who want to admire the beautiful landscapes of Włodawa from a horseback, undoubted attraction will be scenic trail riding "on the hucul back", which is a part of Polesie horse trail. It combines dozen municipalities in Chełm and Włodawa counties. In the municipality of Wlodawa it runs through the areas including Sobibor Landscape Park and Okuninka. This route is the result of high interest for tourism riding, and widespreading of breeding of riding horsesin gmina Włodawa.
Among other tourist attractions of gmina Wlodawa we should mention the beautiful park and manor complex of buildings in Różanka. Różanka is situated on a slope reaching down to Bug River. The splendor of Różanka is provided by owners, who included among others: Pociej, Flemings, Czartoryski and Zamoyski. Once there was a magnificent palace, which according to legend was built by Peter I for Louis Pociej. The palace was destroyed during the First World War. Currently, noteworthy in the locality is neo-Gothic parish church of St. Augustine founded by Zamoyski, and the center of the locality made under a program l “Rural Renewal”. Bicycle trial “through contact borders" runs through Różanka and the route has its source in the near Stawki. That bike trail runs along the picturesque river Bug, and through Orchówek and Włodawa.
Orchówek village is situated in the fork of two rivers: Bug and Włodawka, 2 km from Wlodawa center. This locality was founded as a town in 1506 on land of Orchów village, across the Bug River. Standing on a high slope of the old river Bug bed, a late Baroque postaugustian church, shows Orchówek's past. Here is surrounded by a cult image of Our Lady of Orchówek(XVI-XVII centuries), also known as the Mother of Consolation. This is a copy of the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa. Its history is linked to the cruel persecution of religious people in Orchówek by the tsarist authorities. Under the tsarist systemt there was liquidation of ,non existing now, postaugustian monastery and the Roman Catholic parish. Local units were forced to adopt Orthodoxy. One of them, Maxim Kossyk, stubbornly fought for religious freedom, heading a delegation to Rome for the Holy Father. Through his efforts, there has been a relaxation of religious repression. In 1923 the parish in Orchówek was resumed, and in 1931 the image of Our Lady of Orchówek Orchowski solemnly returned to its place. Since 1947the Capuchins take care of the church in Orchówek within the "Rural Renewal" program the village center was rebuilt .
Wlodawa Municipality is located on the Polish-Ukrainian and Polish-Belarusian border, which since 2002 is the European Union's external border. Supervision of this part of the border is in Bug River Guard Border Department concern. The area of gmina Wlodawa is being patrolled by officers from the Border Guard Agencies in Dołhobrody, Zbereże and Wlodawa. The average length of sectors assigned to the protection for individuals is about 30 km. Complete set facilities stands at almost 100%
More information about gmina Wlodawa you can seek in seasonal tourist information point in Okuninka and on the website www.gmina-wlodawa.pl
