55 Major tourist centers: • Białogard • Karlino • Kołobrzeg

Major tourist centers:
• Białogard • Karlino
• Kołobrzeg
The Parsęta Basin occupies almost half the eastern part of the West Pomerania region. This enormous area of almost three thousand one hundred
square kilometers includes twenty municipalities.
Its main river, the Parsęta, is one-hundred-and-fifty-seven kilometers in length, and has its source in
the countryside around Parsęcko near Szczecinek,
and reaches the Baltic in Kołobrzeg after travelling through Białogard and Karlino. The name of
this river derives from an Indo-European word
meaning ‘white water’, which aptly describes the
character of this river with its fast flowing current.
The difference in height between the source of the
Parsęta and its mouth is as much as one hundred
and thirty seven meters. As many as a hundred
weirs have been built on this river in the past in an
attempt to calm its strong current, but only one remains, at the hydro-electric plant in Rościno. This
means that the river has kept its ‘wild’, picturesque
and to some extent unspoiled character.
The Parsęta has sixty tributaries, the longest
of which include: the Radew (85km) which joins
the Parsęta in Karlino, the Chotla (38km) and the
Dębnica (21km). All three flow through forests for
almost their entire lengths, and often in the middle
of steep-sided moraine hills, and many stretches
have the character of mountain rivers (rocks, rapids,
steep slopes and deep ravines), which makes them
of great scenic value. The aims of protecting the natural beauty of the basin, together with regulating its
development, are catered for by ‘the Association of
the towns and districts of the Parsęta Basin’ and ‘the
Friends of the Parsęta Society’.
Kayaking
The Parsęta and its main tributaries are a paradise
for kayakers of differing abilities and expectations.
It would be hard to find another region containing
such a variety of conditions for kayaking enthusiasts. Experienced kayakers frequently choose the
strong currents of the Dębnica and Chotla rivers as
well as the Upper and Middle reaches of the Parsęta.
This kayak route may be classified as ‘difficult’, and
demands a variety of skills owing to the strength of
the current, and a number of rapids and fallen trees.
This is perfect for kayakers seeking a challenge.
On reaching the Białogard Plain the current
of the Parsęta calms down and the river acquires
a lazy and wandering character as it flows through
a pristine eco-system of oxbow lakes. This is the
ideal place to take the family kayaking and for
less experienced kayakers, as between Karlino
and Kołobrzeg the river flows down a fully regulated channel forty meters in width. The stretch
from Mostowo to Karlino on the Radew, can also
be recommended to such kayakers, who can then
continue their journey on to Kołobrzeg along the
Parsęta. This particular stretch of the Radew is both
picturesque and calm. Two man-made lakes add
to the charm of this kayak route: Lakes Hajka and
Rosnowskie. Tourists travelling down the Parsęta
have two fully equipped kayak stopping places at
their disposal at Karlino and Kołobrzeg, as well as
further stops in Krosino, Byszyno, Białogard and
Bardy. The stopping place on the Radew is to be
found near Białogórzyno and Krzywopłoty.
Fishing
The fifty-five kilometer in length lower reaches of
the Parsęta are the among the greatest and most
loved spots for game fishing in Poland. This is
a paradise for trout and salmon fishermen, where
numerous Polish records have been set for the
longest and heaviest fish caught. The upper part of
the river attracts those seeking to catch brown and
rainbow trout. Fish such as roach, chub, burbot,
dace, perch and ide can also be found throughout
the whole basin.
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