PL-2577-z "Kumiałka - Biebrza" walking trail, green markings - 66 km

“Kumiałka – Biebrza” walking trail starts in Janów and until Korycin it leads along the Kumiałka river. While walking the trail, one will have a chance to see interesting early medieval fortified settlements in villages of Aulakowszczyzna and Milewszczyzna, and water mills in villages of Sitawka, Romaszówka and Rudka. The trail leads farther on from Korycin to Suchowola, through pine forests and meadows by the Brzozówka river, which are the border of the Biebrza National Park. This section constitutes an additional value of the trail, especially for nature lovers /numerous species of birds/. Those interested in history will find villages of Karpowicze and Okopy interesting. Territory the trail leads through is the future agrotourism hub. Household sewage treatment units, especially numerous in Korycin commune, ensures pureness of water in this part of the Voivodeship. The trail is 66km long and was designed to be walked in parts if necessary, as it goes through villages connected with coach transport.

0km JANÓW – village, formerly a town, an administration centre of the commune, located by the Kumiałka river and Korycin – Sokółka road. First settled at the turn of 17^th and 18^th century. Former name – Przybudek /could be translated as “next to the huts”.  Name derived from tar makers’ huts in the forest/. The name Janów was first noted in 1715. It received municipal charter in 1791 and lost it at the end of 19^th century. The town was developing in 18^th and 19^th century /activities of court treasurer A. Tyzenhauz/, headquarters of a demesne and a few workshops. Janów is currently a centre of folk weaving – two-warp carpets, a tourism trail “following the tracks of folk craftsmanship”  goes through this village. Romanesque revival St. George church of 1904. In Communal Community Centre – a school of folk weaving. Coach stop.

The trail starts by the coach stop. From the square in front of the church we take a right turn into ul. Białostocka street. We go forward in the direction of the cemetery passing by the Communal Community Centre and a school on the right. After passing by the cemetery, we take a left turn. We go along the road to Sitawka watermill.

2,0 km SITAWKA WATERMILL – a mill from the interwar period, build by the Kumiałka river. Going the unpaved road north we return to Janów.

4,0 km JANÓW – After turning left, we go towards the centre of the town and pass the church from the north. Using Janów-Korycin road, we get to “Panderoza” club located by the Kumiałka river, approx. 1,5km from the commune main office.

5,5km KLUB "PANDEROZA" – the capital of Disco Polo, most famous bands playing this type of music perform here, the discos themselves are also famous in the whole region.
Passing by the club, next to the fencing, we go forward along the Kumiałka river. Walking the so-called “fishing paths”, we approach the ford, cross the river and go forward along the opposite bank.
Turning left on the footbridge, we enter the village of Jasioniowa Dolina.

7,0 km JASIONOWA DOLINA – village founded in 17^th/18^th century during the colonisation of Kuźnicka Forest. There are several burial mounds from 5^th-6^th century by
the main village road and an interesting wooden cross next to the shrine. Coach stop – 300m.
Walking along the brick road passing through the village, we approach a bridge on the Kumiałka river. We leave the road and take a path left, along the edge of the woods, to the bank of the river. Again, we go forward using the marked fishing paths along beautiful, riverside meadows. On our way, we need to pass through few narrow drainage ditches. While passing buildings of Romaszówka village on the right, we are leaving the river and go along the row of willows by the unpaved road in the direction of the first buildings. Before approaching them, we turn left and using a path crossing the meadow we get to the road in Zabrozie village.

11,0km ZABRODZIE – village founded in the 17^th century, by the Janów-Korycin road. Former crown land. A few votive crosses in the village, also architecturally interesting school building from 1930s resembling a Polish nobleman’s manor. Coach stop. Here we turn left and use the paved road. After 500 meters, we get to Romaszówka Kolonia.

11,5km ROMASZKÓWKA – the village consts of few farms standing close to a working, electric mill. River fork is an evidence that there was a water mill here in the past. Coach stop. The trail leaves the paved road and goes right, into a gravel road going south. We use it and follow the markings into a young forest until we reach first buildings of the Szumowo village.

14,0km SZUMOWO – a village founded in the early 17^th century in former Kuźnicka Forest, on the crown land. Name of the village derives from name of a settler – Szuma. There is a few wooden and metal votive crosses in the village. East of it, an interesting landscape of Szumowo Hills.
We leave the gravel road turning right, reaching the planned tent site. Going along the river and further on through part of an arable field we again get to a gravel road. We take this road south and after walking approx. 700m, once again we get to the river. Another tent site is planned here. From this place, the edge of the Aulakowszczyzna village should be visible.

15,5km AULAKOWSZCZYZNA – village founded in early 17^th century, former crown land from Kumialski demesne. Well preserved medieval fortified settlement, with visible bulwark and area around the fortifications. Coach stop.
The trail leads through the fortified settlement to a paved road on the edge of the village. Here we turn right and after approx. 1km we reach the Gorszczyzna village.

16,5km GORSZCZYZNA – another small village by the Kumialka river founded in 17^th century. Coach stop.
We leave the paved road turning right /not entering the village/. We take the road next to the village and go in the direction of the river. We cross the river through the footbridge and turn left. We go along the river, which in some parts resemble a mountain torrent. Through the riverside meadows we get to the bridge in the village of Milewszczyzna.

18,0km MILEWSZCZYZNA – a village from 17^th century, there was a water mill here in the past. A medieval fortified settlement on top of which now-abandoned farms were build. Good camping spot.
A gravel road going north will take us to the crossing on which we turn left and, after approx. 300m., we turn left again into a road leading to Rudka village

20,5km RUDKA- 17^th century village by the Kumialka river. The name derives from bog iron (‘ruda’ means ‘ore’) that can be found on nearby meadows in small quantities. The most interesting building in the village is a wooden water mill located on the old dyke. The mill is currently a tourism facility /accommodation for tourists/. Coach station.
From the mill, we go southwards to the paved road and then turn right in the direction of now visible church in Korycin. Opposite the cemetery we turn right into a path leading through the old Plebański Park from the 18^th century. We pass the church from the right and get to Korycin.

22,5km KORYCIN – village and administration centre of the commune, founded in 17^th century as a ranger village guarding the Kuznicka Forest. Its riginal name was Dąbrówka-Kumiałka. Contemporary name derives from bark roofing (‘kora’ means ‘bark’), or, more probably, from location by the Kumiałka river bed (‘koryto rzeki’ means ‘bed of the river’). Magdeburg town privilages gained in 1671, lost at the end of 19^th century. Urban arrangement from the 17^th century preserved to this day. Gothic revival Feast and Parish of the True Cross church built in 1905, located on the hill, is visible from any direction within range of few kilometres. Behind the presbytery there is a park from 18^th century. In the centre of the village there is a square with two monuments, one with Korycin’s crest, other dedicated to anniversary of regaining independence by Poland after the period of Partitions. Coach stop.
On the market we turn left and enter an unpaved road going south. After approx. 700m, we turn right into a minor road. On the left, around 200 meters from the road, there will be a coppice visible, in which remains of an old Jewish cemetery can be found. Next we cross asphalt road next to some buildings and going further on the unpaved road we will reach Borki forest. The trail will lead us along paths in the pine forest to the Mielniki Kolonia village. Passing by buildings on the right we reach meadows. From there we continue in the direction of nearby reeds, where Kumialka and Brzozowka rivers join. We cross the rivers using a footbridge, then a steel bridge and go eastwards. In the young pine forest, on the hill left of the trail, there are ruins of a military cemetery from First World War. We turn left, walk the road among meadows and coppices until we reach the Białystok – Augustów road. We are now on the edge of Zagórze village.

32,5km ZAGÓRZE – village founded in the 17th century as a settlement of rangers guarding the old Kuźnicka Forest. Name derived from being located by the hill (‘Zagórze’ can be translated as ‘behind the hill’). It is a typical linear village with houses facing the main road. An interesting windmill by the road, few votive crosses and a shrine are worth seeing. Coach station.
By the first buildings, we turn right into a gravel road. We go eastwards for 1,5km, when the trail turns left. A road across the fields will lead us to Kindzierz village.

38,5km SKINDZIERZ – another 17^th century village founded by rangers. First it belonged to Sokółka forest district, later as a crown land it was incorporated into Kumiałka demesne. Name undoubtedly of Baltic origin. In the village situated by the Białystok – Augustów road there is a historical windmill, a masonry shrine and a few votive crosses. Coach stop.
We walk along the road through the village northwards and, after passing by the last buildings, turn left into a farm road leading to Trzyrzecze village visible in the distance.

41,0km TRZYRZECZE – medium-sized village, 1,5km from Białystok-Augustów road. The name (could be loosely translated as ‘place by three rivers’) derives from three unnamed streams, tributaries joining Brzozówka river. Founded in 17^th century. Formerly belonged to Mitranowscy family, then to Zygmuntowscy family. Parcelled out in 1944. Two  sheds from 19^th century, remains of a park, a few votive crosses.
We head north using a gravel road among meadows. After approximately 5km, we reach the steel bridge over the Brzozówka river. From here, the trail goes eastwards. We reach the road between Jatwieź Mała and Jatwieź Wielka villages.

49,0 km JATWIEŹ MAŁA – a village founded in 15^th century during the colonisation of the belt of crown forests. Name most probably derives from Yotvingian settlers. By the end of 18^th century the village name was ‘Jac’, before that - ,Nowosiółki’. There is a medieval cemetery nearby, locals call it ‘pagan graves’. Interesting pole shrine, a few votive crosses. Coach stop. On the northern edge of the village, we enter a cobbled road. We go among meadows and fields to a asphalt road. Turning right will get us to Karpowicze.

52,0 km KARPOWICZE – large village by the Road to Dąbrowa Białostocka. Founded in the 16^th century. At first, its name was ‘Brzozowa’, in the 17^th century village name changed to a name of its owners – Karpowicz family. The village belonged to the Karp family as early as in 16^th century /there is a manor here/, in the middle of 19^th century – to Szumkowski family. As a penalty for participation in January Uprising the properties were forcefully sold and the church build in 1773 closed and later disassembled. In the end of 19^th century, the land was owned by Krejbich family, after 1944 it was parcelled out. In the village, there is a masonry shrine and a few crosses, including cast iron-stone ones from second half of the 19^th century. In place of the old manor complex there is a pole shrine. Coach station. After passing the village and crossing the bridge on Brzozówka river, we walk down the escarpment and go along the river. After  210m there are road signs, we pass them and turn right, then walk westward using a gravel road among the meadows. The road is a border of the Biebrza National Parks’ buffer zone. One can easily notice the abundance of water and marsh bird species, their presence being an additional attraction. After reaching an asphalt road, we take a turn left and after approx. 2km we arrive to the northern edge of Suchowola. It is 58^th kilometre of the trail. We cross the Białystok – Augustów road and using a gravel road we go northeast. We reach the Okopy village.

62,0km OKOPY – relatively small village founded in 16^th century during the settlement of Nowodworce Forest, it belonged to Grodno economy. The name derives from burial mounds that the local inhabitants referred to as ‘okopy’. It is known in Poland for being the birthplace of a catholic priest and 20^th century martyr Jerzy Popiełuszko. One can visit the house the priest was born, a stone with commemorative plaque dedicated to him, a shrine next to the stone. Two burial mounds near the village, a few historical votive crosses. From the village, we go south and after reaching the asphalt road we turn right. The  town of Suchowola is in front of us.

66,0km SUCHOWOLA – a town over the Olszanka river. Founded in 16^th century during the settlement of crown Nowodworce Forest. The name origin is connected with being founded on so called “dry root” (suchy korzeń), i.e. on a clear cutting. Second part – “wola” – from being granted free time for paying rent and other liabilities (“wola” is an older version of “wolny” and means “free”). In 1777 it was awarded with town privileges. Jews that were allowed to settle here thanks to the privilege granted by king Augustus II contribute to development of trade and small-scale industry. In the middle of 18^th century, an opinion appears, stating that the town is the geographical centre of Europe. Suchowola in 17^th and 18^th century is famous for cereal, cattle and especially horse trade. It loses town privileges in 1950, regains them in 1997. Historical buildings: classicistic Peter and Paul Church from 1885, a number of brick buildings form the end of 19^th and beginning of 20^th century, a stone and plaque informing on the centre of Europe, openwork steel arch – an element of the field altar from the Krywlany airport in Białystok used during the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1991. Coach stop.