8 Kolobrzeska, Bydgoszcz, Poland
The Elbląg Canal is one of the most unusual waterways in Europe. Built in the years 1844 - 1881 on the basis of a design by Georg Jacob Steinke, it connects the Drwęca basin with Elbląg and the Vistula Lagoon. It consists of man-made canal sections, lakes and many hydrotechnical structures, the most noteworthy of which are the slipways: equally inclined, on which ships are transported from the lower water level to the upper one and vice versa using a platform on the tracks. The canoe trail enables an extraordinary journey through the world of 19th century technology. Hydrotechnical facilities are a unique attraction for canoeists. Especially the ramps where the canoes are dragged with a dry ridge on special platforms moving along the track. It is also a route through the Drużno Lake, which is an ornithological reserve. Through the shallow, overgrown delta lake in Żuławy Wiślane, which is a breeding place for water and marsh birds. In the 9th century, on the lake, near today's Janów Pomorskie, there was a craft and trade settlement and a port - Truso. The trail can be connected with other sections of the canal and, through numerous lakes, also with many other routes in the region.
