The areas of Wiele and Karsin, Brusy, Lesna and Swornegacie have been known for centuries as Zabory, the land lying beyond the forests, seen from the Tuchola side. The land here is slightly more fertile, because it was created on the clays of a moraine plateau, which sinks like an island in a sea of sand and pine forests growing on it.
The Capital of Zabory
The centre of this region is Brusy. Although it officially became a city in 1988, the small-town development shows that it had long been an important centre of trade on the route from Koscierzyna to Chojnice. Many of the buildings on the cobbled main street belonged to Jewish residents, who were exceptionally numerous here in Kashuby villages. The town is dominated by a huge, two-towered brick church of All Saints, with a monumental interior. The town is famous for processing forest products. You absolutely must buy them as a souvenir, for example in Stefan Skwierawski’s shop at Szkolna Street 28.
Zabory, photo: P. Kowalewski
At the Kashubian philosopher's
In the part of Brus called Jaglie there is the house and farmstead of the outstanding Kashuby folk artist, Jozef Chelmowski (1934-2013). Although the largest collection of his works is gathered in the Western Kashuby Museum in Bytow, the farmstead is full of paintings and sculptures, in which he shows his own vision of the world and philosophy. Right next to Chelmowski’s farmstead there is a Kaszuby House, which is an information point, library and regional museum.
Brusy Jaglie - J.Chełmowski Gallery
Lesno
The village of Lesno, located ten kilometres north of Brusy, is also dominated by a church tower, the highest wooden church bell tower in Poland. According to tradition, the temple was founded by the Polish queen Maria Ludwika Gonzaga around 1650. It is worth paying attention to the incredibly beautiful interior of the village church. South of Lesno, we will come across one of six sites of stone circles and barrows in the whole of Pomorskie, associated with the Goth tribes.
Zabory, photo: P. Kowalewski
Into the Kulawa Valley
From the village, you can start a kayaking trip down the Mlosina and Zbrzyca rivers, excellent for beginners. It leads us to the village of Laska, to the heart of the Zaborski Landscape Park. You can spend the night here at a campsite on the Zbrzyca River. The surrounding forests are great for various forms of relaxation. We suggest a four-hour walk along the nature trail in the Kulawa Valley. In places, you walk on wooden footbridges to make it easier to walk among the extraordinary habitats.
