Stare Jablonki

Stare Jabłonki combines a circular hiking trail by Lake Szeląg Mały with a recreational beach and the history of the Elbląg Canal. There are also other ways to experience the place: kayak tours start here, and the Camino de Santiago passes through Stare Jabłonki. This lets you shape your trip around whether you mainly want to get around on foot, experience watercraft or include a route with a spiritual connection.

Around Szeląg Mały

The yellow “Around Lake Szeląg Mały” hiking trail passes through Stare Jabłonki and Buńki, circling the lake before returning to Stare Jabłonki. Its stated length is 8.9 km. Most of the route runs through forest, combining a clearly defined circular walk with predominantly wooded surroundings. The distance is a useful guide when planning your day.

The trail starts at an intersection by a shop in the town centre, where the circular route both begins and ends. If you are arriving by car, you can park at Stare Jabłonki railway station. The trailhead is also accessible by train. These details give you several ways to plan your journey to the hiking trail, without confusing the circular walk with a longer regional hike.

Recreational beach and water experiences

The lakeside recreational beach is described as a leisure spot for residents and tourists, but it does not have a designated bathing area. This distinction matters when planning your holiday: the beach offers a place to spend time by the water, but it is not described as a designated bathing area. There is also a pier for boats, yachts and smaller watercraft.

Another way to experience the water is at Stanica Wodna PTTK Stare Jabłonki. Located on the shore of Szeląg Mały amid the Taborskie Forest, it is a starting point for kayak tours. If you are interested in a trip focused on the water, there are different options: the pier at the recreational beach and the starting point for kayak tours. These are separate local connections to the water, not the same offering.

The Elbląg Canal and its special features

The Elbląg Canal begins in Stare Jabłonki. One of its three main routes runs from Miłomłyn via Ostróda to Stare Jabłonki. The canal also connects the town to a wider regional route. If you are interested in the canal landscape, it is also worth looking at the special structures elsewhere in the surrounding region.

The Upper Elbląg Canal has five inclined planes that are unique in the world: Buczyniec, Kąty, Oleśnica, Jelenie and Całuny. Watercraft are transported on them by special carriages powered by water. This technical feature makes the canal experience different from an ordinary boat trip. Regular boat trips on the canal take place in the wider region every year from early May to the end of September.

Which focus suits your trip?

Stare Jabłonki developed into a tourist centre in the 20th century, with guesthouses, holiday resorts and restaurants. The Camino de Santiago also passes through the town. Together, these features give the destination both a tourism history and a connection to a longer pilgrimage route, while the circular trail and waterside spots offer specific activities to help you plan your trip.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment with your family, you could first consider whether you want to focus on Stare Jabłonki itself, with its circular trail, recreational beach or Camino de Santiago. Or are you especially interested in the regional canal experiences, with the inclined planes and seasonal boat trips? This distinction can help you choose the focus you want for your trip without presuming any particular accommodation features.

More pages about nearby towns: Zabi Róg, Wilnowo, Lukta, Wysoka Wieś, Maliniak, Kalbornia, Kajkowo and Wielki Dwór.

Back to the main travel overview: Ostródzki.