Kępice: River Routes, Forests and Industrial History
Accommodation in Kępice
Kępice combines riverside routes with forest walks and an unusual industrial history. The Wieprza features in several of the experiences described: an educational route follows the riverbank, and the area also has a kayak station and canoe rest stops. There is also the “Dolina Wieprzy i Studnicy” hiking trail, which runs entirely through forest areas. Whether you prefer a designated cycling route, hiking or learning about the history of the paper industry, you can discover Kępice from different perspectives.
Riverside Route and Kayak Station
The educational route “Ścieżka edukacyjna w Kępicach” follows the bank of the Wieprza and is designated as a cycling route. Information boards accompany the route. This makes it possible to include the route as a separate activity during your stay—whether you explore Kępice by bike or add a stretch by the water to your travel plans. Its cycling-route designation and educational character describe this route; it should not be confused with the separately named hiking trail through the forest areas.
The Przystań Kępice canoe station offers another way to experience the Wieprza. It has fixed piers and a walkway that can be used to launch and land kayaks. New canoe rest stops have been created in Kępice along a 9 km section of the Wieprza route. If you are especially interested in water-based activities when planning your holiday, you will find specific options around the Wieprza: a station with piers and a named route section with canoe rest stops. These descriptions refer to different facilities and do not present them as a single connected route.
Forest Trail with Natural Features
The “Dolina Wieprzy i Studnicy” hiking trail runs entirely through forest areas. Hikers and cyclists on this trail may encounter numerous religious monuments and natural features. This gives it a different focus from the educational route along the riverbank: here, the forest setting and the monuments and natural features found along the way take centre stage. If you enjoy spending time outdoors, you can consider these two named trail experiences separately, depending on whether you are looking for a cycling route by the river or a hiking trail that runs entirely through forest areas.
A History of the Paper Industry
Kępice’s industrial history is also part of the town’s story. The tannery was formerly a paper and cellulose factory and belonged to the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. A hydroelectric installation was built on the Wieprza in 1890 to serve a paper factory and a sawmill. In 1918, the installation was converted into a hydroelectric power station that supplied electricity to the paper operation. The dates mark distinct stages: first, the construction of the installation for the paper factory and sawmill, followed later by its conversion into a power station supplying electricity to the paper operation. The town’s history can therefore be explored not only through its landscape and routes, but also through the former industrial use of hydropower.
Discover More Places
If you would like to explore other places for your travel plans, you can also visit Witkowo, Rowy, Runowo, Płocko, Objazda, Orzechowo, Dębina and Sycewice.
For the broader travel overview: Słupsk.
