The best MTB trails around Lake Warchałdzkie

Kucbork (German: Kutzburg, Kottenberg) – a village located in the southern part of the Masurian Lake District, on the Kurpie–Masuria border, in the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship, in the Szczytno district, in the Wielbark commune. Kucbork is located on the Sawica River, 4 km north of Wielbark. A forge existed here as early as 1360 (it survived until the beginning of the 19th century!). The village was founded in 1408, granted to five beekeepers. At the end of the 15th century, the number of beekeepers, encouraged by the favorable conditions of settlement, increased even more. A small estate belonging to the metallurgical masters was established at the forge. In the second half of the 16th century, the village covered only 6 łans, but later, as part of the box settlement, its area increased significantly. In the mid-19th century, the village had 110 łans, although most of it was occupied by pastures, meadows and forests. During World War I, Kucbork was partially burned down; later rebuilt from the destruction. http://encyklopedia.warmia.mazury.pl/index.php/Kucbork

Lake Głęboczek is located in the Szczytno district, in the Jedwabno commune. The reservoir has an irregular shape - it is elongated from the north-east to the south-west, where there is a small bay. The shores of the lake are rather high and hilly, covered with pine forest, only along the shoreline, apart from the bathing area, there are also deciduous trees - birches and alders. On the south-east side, on the high shore, there are quite extensive campsites with wooden shelters. The lake has clear water throughout the year. The bottom and the coastal shoal are sandy, in places rocky. Emergent aquatic vegetation consists mainly of reed, which only in some parts of the lake grows on its shores. Submerged vegetation is soft, in places covers the coastal shoal only on the west and north sides. On the south-east side, the shoal is free of vegetation and covered with sand. The lake is very popular with tourists in the season. https://mazury24.eu/jeziora/jezioro-gleboczek,903

Starting point for forest gravel routes north toward Lake Szoby Make and the Sasek Maly and Sasek Wielki areas.

An unmapped overgrown trail runs along the Sawica creek, at least out to an information panel about the stream and its history or to the boat dock for those who bring a packraft or kayak.

Tidy village with a somehow remote feel, between forest and Sawica creek, that has a tradition as a colony of German and Polish farmers and foresters cultivating the once densely forested area. It sits at the crossroads of several enjoyable gravel tracks going star-shaped in all directions. A large information panel provides historic context and old photographs.

Fairly smooth gravel road connecting to the paved Kucbork road and the network of dirt forest trails on the northern side behind it.

Villagers used to honor some of their elders with grave sites right along the village roads, here at the strategic intersection with the bridge across the local creek.

At the intersection of the newly paved former gravel road via Kucbork to Szymany is this shrine that shows how important this shortcut has been for a long time. The village has preserved or rebuilt some excellent examples of traditional wooden home architecture.