Zielonka Forest Landscape Park is situated north - east of Poznań and covers the central part of an area with attractive natural, landscape, and tourist properties called Zielonka Forest. It is situated near the cities of Poznań, Murowana Goślina, Skoki, Kiszkowo, and Pobiedziska. The Park was established by an Ordinance of the Governor of the Province of Wielkopolska of 20 September 1993. Its 9.981 ha area has been designed to preserve, protect and restore the largest and natural forest resembling complex in the central Wielkopolska region. It offers natural, landscape, scientific and educational values and is located in close proximity to Poznań greater area.
How to get there?
No public transportation lines run through the park. You can only access the outskirts of the protected areas: with Poznań - Wągrowiec rail line and by coaches running along Poznań - Murowana Goślina - Skoki road and from Gniezno to Dąbrówka Kościelna. Commuter lines run from Poznań to Czerwonak, Owińska, Bolechów and Murowana Goślina via Kicin and Mielno - Tuczno.
Lake Bolechowskie - A secluded water reservoir located in a deep forest valley 2.5 km south of Murowana Goślina. Rushes and bulrush grow on the lake banks and the lake itself is covered with aquatic plants, such as water lilies, brandy bottles and water soldiers. With peaty meadows surrounding it and fragments of dry - ground forest, it is a typical example of ecological succession. In the neighboring forest stands, monumental trees grow, among them oaks with a 450 cm, pines with 280 cm and hornbeams with 390 cm girths.
Drooping Bittercress - A flora reserve situated 1.5 km north of Głęboczek established in 1974 and covering an area of 10.51 ha. It features a forest situated on a folded moraine ground and meadows on the western bank of Lake Leśne. In the dry - ground forest, the most north - exposed and the only in the Wielkopolska region relict habitat of drooping bittercress, a mountain plant characteristic of Carpathian beech wood, is situated. Other rare plants are sweet woodruff and Solomon's seal.
Abbey Larches near Dąbrówka Kościelna - A forest reserve established in 1962 and covering an area of 6.39 ha situated 2.5 km east of Zielonka. The reserve contains the oldest in the Wielkopolska region, almost 200 year old forest stands including larches, pines, oaks, beeches, and birches. The number of larches in the overwood part is decreasing, however they grow up to 42 m.
Mixed forest in Łopuchówko Forest Division - A forest reserve situated 2 km south - east of Zielonka village covering an area of 10.83 ha and established in 1962. The reserve is designed to preserve the monumental oak and pine forest stand that is almost 200 years old, and also includes younger hornbeams and beeches. Recently, however, a big number of old trees has died and been removed.
Maruszka Range - In terms of natural attributes, it is the most precious part of Zielonka Forest with an area of 500 ha, situated between Pławno and Ludwikowo. Pine and oak forests with and addition of hornbeams, beeches, birches, alders, spruces, ashtrees, maples, limes and sycamores, which are 110-150 years old predominate in the area. The tree stand, which has been little deformed in the past, is of character similar to forests growing there in the past centuries. The most monumental tree in the range is and oak with a 410cm girth.
Lake Pławno - A flora reserve with an area of 16.71 ha established in 1978 and situated 1 km east of the village of Pławno. It contains two lakes: Pławno and Głęboczek surrounded by alders and birches, meadows and peat moor. It was designed to protect rare aquatic and peat moor plants, the most precious being greater spearworth, saw grass and shetland pondweed.
Lake Czarne - A flora reserve with an area of 17.75 ha established in 1959 and situated north - west of the village of Czernice. It covers a fragment of a deep post - glacial channel with Lake Czarne and adjoining transitional moor, where rare species of plants are found, to mention saw grass, inundated clubmoss, relict species of moss called palludella and calliergon, moor grass, great sundew and small cranberry.
Dziewicza Góra - The second highest in the region frontal moraine culmination (143 m above sea level) situated 2.5 km north - east of Czerwonak. Whole hill is covered with forests with precious and varied flora species. From the few meadows and fire lines, you can admire the view extending as far as over Poznań.
Cycling Route Network in Zielonka Forest and neighboring area is one of the most interesting and attractive in the region of Wielkopolska. The route layout resembles a bicycle wheel. It includes two rings - a small and large one and eight spokes. The total length of the routes amounts to 224 km.
The routes offer vast opportunities for planning your cycling trips and allow you to reach the most interesting places in Zielonka Forest and neighboring areas.
Everyone can find something interesting for themselves. You can go on a two - hour or two - day trip and use local accommodation. What is important, you can start on one route and return to the starting point along a completely different tract.
Cycling routes in Zielonka Forest and neighboring areas are linked with other regional and supra - regional cycling routes, and complement the County Ring and Trans - Wielkopolska Cycling Route.
Large Cycling Ring : Czerwonak Railway Station - Dąbrówka Kościelna (19.4 km) - Sławica - Brzeźno (11.6 km) - Długa Goślina Forestry - Pacholewo (15.4 km) - Starczanowo (3,3 km)
Small Cycling Ring : Murowana Goślina - Kamińsko (7.3 km) - Zielonka (4.5 km) - Łopuchówko (5.5 km) - Długa Goślina (6 km) - Starczanowo (6.5 km) - Raduszyn (5.6 km) - Murowana Goślina (Zielone Wzgórza - 4 km)
Transit Routes:
R1: Owińska Railway Station - Mielno (5.7 km) - Wierzenica - Kobylnica Railway Station - Gruszczyn (8.9 km)
R2: Murowana Goślina - Rakownia - Pławno (7.4 km) - Tuczno (2.8 km) - Kołatka - Jerzykowo - Biskupice Railway Station (4.8 km)
R3: Murowana Goślina Railway Station - Zielonka (7.5 km) - Bednary (1.6 km) - Krześlice (8.9 km) - Węglewo (3.8 km)- Lednica Fish 2000 (5.2 km)
R4: Murowana Goślina - Boduszewo - Głęboczek (7.2 km) - Dąbrówka Kościelna (4.4 km)
R5: Murowana Goślina - Łopuchówko (5.1 km) - Łopuchowo (2.8 km) - Brzeźno (3 km)
R6: Murowana Goślina - Przebędowo - Trojanowo - Kąty (5.2 km) - Łoskoń Forestry (5 km)
R7: Murowana Goślina - Starczanowo Forestry - Białęgi (4.9 km)- Białężyn - Nieszawa (6.5 km)
R8: Dąbrówka Kościelna - Pawłowo Skockie (4 km) - Wysoka (4 km) - Rybno Wielkie (3.9 km) - Kiszkowo (4.6 km) - Węgorzewo (2.2 km) - Głębokie - Lednica 2000 (Fish - 5.1 km)