Lake Ełk lies in the centre of Ełk and offers a special thread for discovering Lyck: lakeside paths, bathing beaches and activities on the water come together here. There are also routes, an educational park and a townscape featuring buildings from the 19th century.

On Lake Ełk: paths, beach and water sports

The almost seven-kilometre-long promenade along Lake Ełk is both a walking and cycling path and can also be used for inline skating. Two bathing beaches lie directly alongside it. If you want to experience the lake beyond its shoreline, you’ll find opportunities for sailing, stand-up paddling and fishing. If you’re planning a particular water activity, it’s best to check what’s currently on offer in advance.

Ełk’s rope park is also located directly on the lakeshore. Its three courses vary in difficulty and are adapted to users’ ages. This offers a different focus from the paths along the water: here, the emphasis is on climbing courses with varying levels of difficulty.

Routes from Lyck: course and length

The Pope’s Trail begins at the place where Saint John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist on 8 June 1999. Its individual stages are accessible all year round and can be covered on foot or by bicycle, and in winter on skis. The route thus links a specific historical site with several ways to explore its stages.

Other trails also differ in their course and stated length. The 19-kilometre Tatar Trail starts in Ełk and leads via Szyba, Tatar Hill, Chochołki and Ostrykół to Prostki and Bogusze. The blue “Morenowe Wzgórza” trail is 30 kilometres long: from Ełk, it leads via Straduny, Piaski, Malinówka, Królowa Wola, Czerwonka, Grabnik and Chrzanowo back to Ełk. The Michał Kajka Trail also starts in Ełk and runs for 37 kilometres to Skomack Wielki.

For mountain bikers, the 15-kilometre MTB trail of Ełk County is another designated route. It follows the Ełk–Wiśniowo Ełckie route through the area around Tatar Hill and Lake Tatar. Tatar Hill therefore features in two different route descriptions: the Tatar Trail crosses it, while the MTB trail runs through the area around the hill and lake.

Townscape and discoveries for young visitors

In the centre of Ełk is an ensemble of 19th-century tenement houses with Art Nouveau and eclectic elements. The different architectural influences give the buildings a varied character without reducing them to a single style.

The Kopernika Park offers a different way to learn about the world. Its design is inspired by a planetary system, and the educational park introduces children and young people to astronomy and physics in a playful way. It is located on ul. Wojska Polskiego in Ełk, near the mouth of the Ełk River.

Getting there and taking a scenic train ride

Ełk is served by national roads 16 and 65, as well as railway lines 38, 41, 219 and 223. The railway station and bus station are right next to each other. Their addresses are 16 and 1 Dąbrowskiego Street, respectively. This gives you a clear reference point for arriving by train or bus.

The Ełk narrow-gauge railway offers a separate option for a scenic train ride. Currently, tourist passenger trains hauled by a diesel locomotive operate on the Ełk–Sypitki–Ełk route. Trips are available according to the timetable or by request. For planning, check the timetable and note that trips can also be arranged on request.

Discover more travel destinations

Discover more travel destinations: Bajtkowo, Gorlo, Miluki, Mrozy Wielkie, Ruska Wies, Sikory Juskie, Woszczele, Stare Juchy, Golubie, Szeligi, Ełk, Nowa Wieś Ełcka, Guty Rożyńskie, Zawady Ełckie, Orzechowo, Regiel, Kalinowo, Zdunki, Laśmiady, Straduny, Rękusy, Bogusze, Bartosze, Małkinie, Chrzanowo, Sajzy, Lepaki Wielkie.

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