Poland Part One... North & West

We wake up feeling slightly worse for wear after spending the night exchanging travel tips and stories with Simon and Amy, a couple we met at our wild camp in Rüdersdorf. We make an early start and begin our drive to Poland. We travel 80 miles east across the border and into Poland. It's a miserable day and as we cross the border the unfamiliar surroundings paired with the gloomy weather are unwelcoming. We drive for miles and miles along an eary deserted road lined on both sides with trees and farmland as far as the eye can see. We pass the odd house that looks as though nobody's lived in for years but oddly there's smoke coming from the chimney. We reach a deserted village called Ownice, drive down a dirt track and reach a large lake where we decide to spend the night. There is nobody at all around and the only noise comes from a Rotwieller standing on top of his kennel barking loudly at us. Jac has a productive afternoon re-sealing our leaky sky light and kitchen sink. It's pitch black outside by 3:30pm so we spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in the camper ready for another early start tomorrow. 

Our noisy neighbour 

We are awake early after a silent nights sleep and I spring out of bed like an excited child. Today is Friday 21 November, Jac's 26th birthday. No banners and balloons this year, but there is a little pile of cards on the table next to his sugar puffs. After a number of unwanted photos and insincere smiles the birthday boy, who is still half asleep decides we should head off towards our next stop. We are aiming for a place called Hel right on the tip of a peninsula in the far North of Poland 645 km away.

The Birthday Boy

 

We drive for around 7 hours before stopping in a busy town called Koscierzyna, 248 km South of the northern peninsula. There are no campsites open at this time of year and Poland doesn't have many camper van stopovers so we settle for the next best thing. Tesco car park. Feeling right at home, we spend the night cooped up in the van huddled around our tiny heater trying to keep warm. The temperature is reaching around 1-2 degrees at night which is far colder than anything we've been used to since we left the UK. After a noisy night in the car park we are awake early ready to set off on our last stint before we reach Hel. Hoping to find Kettle Chips and Tesco Finest Chicken & Chorizo Pâté we excitedly bounce through the doors with a list of 'essentials'. Approximately 6 minutes later we skulk back out with a loaf of bread and a bottle of Cherry Vodka and head off.

Trying to get comfortable

The majority of the journey is along dual carriageway and through fairly large towns and villages until we reach Władysławowo, the first town on the peninsula. For the next 45 km we travel along a quiet road lined on both sides by the sea. The Baltic Sea to be specific. A train track follows the course of the road although we don't see a single train. We pass run down army barracks, a military museum and dozens of closed campsites. We finally reach Hel which looks like the ghost town of a former seaside resort and huge tourist hub. It's uninviting but we're told there's lots to do here so we find somewhere to park and set about exploring. We'll worry about where we're going to sleep later. 

We visit Hel lighthouse set in the middle of dense pineforest used to guide ships into the bays of Gdansk and Puck and take a walk along the white sand beach. The water is crystal clear and earily calm, there is a single boat sitting on the beach in which Oscar finds a fat cray fish wriggling about on its back. We pass a seal enclosure on the beach and watch the seals diving around playfully after a ball before wandering back through the quaint little village to the camper van. We fail miserably at finding somewhere to stay for the night so eventually give in (after 216 nights in the van) and check into Hotel 77 in Kaperska. We justify it as a 'Birthday Treat' and treat ourselves we do!! We pay 150 zloty (around £30) for one night, full use of the spa and breakfast. Bargain!! At such a steal we decide to stay for two nights. Later that evening we head down to dinner and enjoy a three course meal and a bottle of wine. We ordered a prawn salad and baked Camembert to start, pork tenderloin wrapped in Parma ham and Stilton and steak with Gorgonzola sauce together with real roast potatoes and steamed veg with almonds. We topped it off with a raspberry cheesecake to share (total cost 230 zlt, about £46).

Hel Lighthouse

Oscar at Hel Lighthouse

Hel Beach

Hel Beach

 

Hel Beach

Excited was an understatement

Heading down for dinner

We wake the following morning after a warm, cosy nights sleep (in a proper bed) and fight over the shower. Today is Sunday 23rd November, my birthday. I open some cards and presents before heading down to breakfast. An impressive display of fruit, meat, cheese, and an unusual egg arrangement is on offer. After gorging on 2nd, 3rd and 4th helpings, making full use of the facilities we drop our laundry (3 weeks worth) at reception and leave the hotel and head back along the peninsula to Hel to spend the day exploring old military bunkers and spooky underground passageways. Jac's inner child (and Boy Scout) takes over and he's straight in with a torch dashing in and out of pitch black rooms whilst Oscar hurriedly trots behind. I however tip toe slowly and silently along the corridors terrified of what might be down here. Such a baby.

Struggling to get up

One of the bunkers in Hel

Disused Military Land in Hel

A disused lookout tower in Hel (notice the noose)

That night we eat in the restaurant again, another beautiful meal but I won't bore you with the details. We spend the evening skyping family and catching up with some blogging. We've been slacking a little recently as there's been a serious lack of wifi. Poland is probably one of the best places for wifi so far. Every lamppost has a wifi point which is great for a quick look at Twitter or Instagram but sitting under a lamppost on my laptop is pushing it a bit, even for me. The following morning we enjoy another giant breakfast and walk Oscar along the beach on the other side of the train track for a couple of hours before setting off for our next stop, Gdansk.

A cold dog walk along the beach

Dog walk along the beach

The weather here is really starting to turn and night time in the camper is becoming more and more difficult. After stocking up on 7 fleece blankets in Germany we decide dressing gown and slippers are in order (living the glamorous camper life) and call into a retail park en route. Probably the most exciting stop we could have made. I come away with a new dressing gown and slippers (as intended). Jac on the other hand purchased two new pairs of Adidas Gazelles. Not really practical for sub zero weather but an absolute bargain all the same. He splashed out 80 zlt/£16 on one pair and 120zlt/£24 on another. Pleased with our purchases we continue our journey and arrive in Gdansk 96 km South East of Hel. We park the camper and head straight out in the city centre. Quite possibly the prettiest city so far. We spend hours window shopping and admiring the beautiful old buildings before stopping for dinner. We escape the cold in Neopolana Pizzeria. A large pizza and three beers set us back 64 zlt/£12.80. We watch a band in the main square before walking along the canal back towards the camper.

Gdansk

 

Gdansk

 

Gdansk

The following morning we are up and out bright and early to make our way 450 km south to Poznan, we stop halfway and spend one night in Ciechocinek on a brand new campsite where we are the only ones staying before continuing to Poznan the following day

 

 

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