Sopot is not only a seaside resort, famous for its beautiful beaches. Above the city stretch picturesque forests with numerous natural curiosities and viewpoints. From the tops of hills and viewing platforms, with a clear sky, you can see much more than from the level of the Gulf of Gdansk.
The Tri-City Landscape Park
The Tri-City Landscape Park, which stretches along Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia, is a forest with incredible terrain for the Pomorskie climate. The hills stretching here reach up to 200 m above the sea level which can surprise, especially when we go hiking or cycling.
In the first part of the journey, our route focuses primarily on the quite undulating terrain, thanks to which we have the opportunity to admire the views of the city and the sea. We start and end our journey in the same place – from Mikolaj Rej Street. The Swiemirowo estate, through which the street leads, borders the forest of the Tri-City Landscape Park.
The first kilometre of our journey is a gentle approach to Zajecze Hill (The Hare Hill), which is covered by a nature reserve. Old oaks and beeches are protected here. From the reserve table the path of our route climbs even higher, to the very top of Glinna Hill. It offers a beautiful view of the athletics stadium, housing estates in Sopot and the Bay of Gdansk. With the cloudless sky you can also see the Hel Peninsula. At the first vantage point you will also find an interesting stone obelisk, which is part of the historic and didactic Badger Trail.
The monument commemorates the fate of oppositionists, members of the Workers’ Defence Committee and the underground of martial law. If you want to rest, you can use the roofed recreation shed, which is located on the left side of the path and the trekking Skarszewski trail (marked in green).
After resting and levelling our breathing, we continue the journey with the ridge of local hills. We are accompanied by local tourist routes. To the Little Star, at which Sopot marked walking paths cross, we walk through picturesque forests, where you can meet several natural curiosities, including aged oaks and beeches. At the crossroads we descend to the picturesque valley and the ancient Douglas-fir Avenue. If we look closely at the trees, we will notice that they differ significantly in the structure of the bark, its colour and height from the known mums of pines and spruces. Giant Douglas firs come from North America.
Further on, the route passes through the toll gates of the residential estate and plunges into the forest again, at the foot of the only Tri-City ski slope – Lysa Góra (The Bold Hill). We will have the opportunity to meet its summit later in the journey, for the time being we are heading towards Strzeleckie Hill (The Shooting Hill). After reaching the wooden highlander’s tavern, which is located at the pond commonly known as Morskie Oko (The Sea Eye), our route goes down the stairs to the top of the hill, from which there are beautiful views of the city and the Bay of Gdansk. Together with the top of the mountain we are in the middle of our journey.
In the second part of our route, we also deal with impressive trees that are under protection. At the Great Star, which today is associated by walkers only from the intersection of hiking trails, there are two intertwined trees: beech and pine, like a couple in love. These trees certainly remember the time when there was an inn here and one of the main trade routes led through the current road. All that is left of the building is the foundations, which can be found near the rest shed.
The route on the return journey is much calmer than in the first part. We wander wide forest trails slightly descending towards the Swiemirowska Valley, from where we started hiking. The last curiosity on the route is oak and Boulder Esperantists. The obelisk was created in memory of the World Congress of Esperantists, which took place in 1927 in Sopot.
Summary of the trail
Travel time along with stops will take a minimum: 3 hours
Route distance: 10,7 km
Communication: We start and end our hiking route in Sopot: Swiemirowska Valley, Mikołaj Rej Street.You can get here by car, and free parking is located at the recreation area, in front of the reservoir.
- You can also get there by bus or trolley bus ending at Reja Loop.
- Continue on foot towards the forest, approx. 200 meters.
GPS track described:
https://www.traseo.pl/trasa/punkty-widokowe-w-lasach-sopockich
