Lyck

By Ełk Lake: lakeside path and water sports

The almost 7 km-long promenade along Ełk Lake is designed for pedestrians and cyclists and can also be used for inline skating. There are two bathing beaches directly beside the promenade. This means you can consider different activities for a stay by the lake without conflating them: the path is intended for getting around on foot, by bicycle or on inline skates, while the beaches offer their own destinations along the shore.

The lake is in the center of Ełk. There are opportunities for sailing, stand-up paddling and fishing. Those considering an active day on the water will find several different forms of water sports. Ełk’s high ropes course is also located by the lakeshore. Its three courses have different levels of difficulty and are adapted to the age of participants. For families, this is another activity, distinct from visiting the beach and water sports.

Routes of varying lengths

Several routes start in Ełk, but they differ in length and course. The blue “Morenowe Wzgórza” route is 30 km long and passes through Straduny, Piaski, Malinówka, Królowa Wola, Czerwonka, Grabnik and Chrzanowo before returning to Ełk. The Michał Kajka route also starts in Ełk and runs 37 km to Skomack Wielki. The MTB route in Ełk County is 15 km long; it runs in the area around Tatarska Góra and Lake Tatarskie on the Ełk–Wiśniowo Ełckie route. Each distance refers to the route described and gives you a sense of the different distances to consider when choosing a route.

The Tatar Trail is 19 km long. It runs from Ełk via Szyba, Tatarska Góra, Chochołki and Ostrykół to Prostki and Bogusze. The Pope’s Trail has a historical connection as well as a route: it starts in Ełk at the place where Saint John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist on June 8, 1999. Its individual stages can be completed year-round on foot or by bicycle, and on skis in winter. This trail therefore differs from the routes for which only the course or length is given here, thanks to its explicitly stated modes of transport and year-round character.

Train rides, town history and getting there

The Ełk Narrow Gauge Railway currently offers tourist passenger rides on trains pulled by a diesel locomotive. The route runs Ełk–Sypitki–Ełk; rides operate according to a timetable or on request. This is a different way of connecting Ełk and Sypitki from exploring the routes on foot or by bike. Ełk’s town center is also home to an ensemble of 19th-century tenement houses with Art Nouveau and eclectic elements. If you would like to see architecture during your trip, you can make this historic building stock a focus in its own right.

For children and young people, Kopernika Park is another special place: designed as an educational park, its layout is modeled on a planetary system and introduces astronomy and physics in a playful way. It is located on Wojska Polskiego Street in Ełk, near the mouth of the Ełk River. This adds a science theme to the activities by the lake.

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, at 16 and 1 Dąbrowskiego Street, respectively. When planning your journey, you can take this transport connection into account alongside the lakeside activities and the routes described when deciding whether to visit Lyck. When choosing a hotel or other accommodation, you can first consider which of these features you want to shape your trip.

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

See the broader travel overview: Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.