EuroVelo 10 leaves Rowy in both directions: 33 km on asphalt to Ustka, 60 km through the national park to Łeba. The local classic is the 30-kilometre loop around Lake Gardno.
EuroVelo 10 runs out of Rowy in both directions: about 33 km of tarmac west to Ustka, and about 60 km east through Słowiński National Park to Łeba. The local classic is the loop around Lake Gardno, about 30 km and four hours at an easy pace. For the routes through the park, a trekking or hybrid bike is best, because the surface is mostly concrete slab tracks and forest roads. The season runs from roughly April to October.
Three cycling routes from Rowy
Rowy sits on EuroVelo 10, the former R10 route, the international cycle route that circles the Baltic Sea. There are three directions to choose from and each has its own character: easy tarmac to the west, a long and demanding route through the park to the east, and a full loop around Lake Gardno. All of them start in Rowy itself.
West to Ustka: 33 km on tarmac
The easiest of the three. About 33 km through Dębina and Poddąbie, with a good stretch of newly surfaced track and no hard climbs. It is the best choice for an easy day with children, or for a ride out and back the same way. On the way you pass the cliff at Dębina and the paths down to empty beaches.
East to Łeba through Słowiński National Park: 60 km
About 60 km, longer and harder. The route runs over sandy and forest sections through Słowiński National Park, and after rain it can be hard going. Halfway along it is worth planning a stop at the open-air museum in Kluki. Set aside a whole day for this direction and start in the morning.
The loop around Lake Gardno: 30 km
About 30 km and four hours at an easy pace. We start at the church in Rowy on the R10 route towards Ustka, turn off at the viewing tower towards Retowo, and come back through Gardna Wielka on the forest trails of the park. This is the route we recommend to guests most often: a closed loop with no backtracking, the lake on one side and forest on the other.
Which bike to bring
The surface on the Gardno loop and on the route to Łeba is mostly concrete slab tracks and forest roads, so a trekking or hybrid bike is the one to bring. A road bike is out. Only the stretch to Ustka is tarmac the whole way and suits any bike.
Signposting, bike hire and the season
The EuroVelo 10 signposting can be patchy, so it is worth carrying a map or a GPX track on your phone. Some guesthouses in Rowy hire out bikes, and it is best to ask a day ahead. The season runs from roughly April to October; in late autumn the trails across the spit often turn boggy after rain.
