Wolin National Park

Most of the Polish Baltic is flat, which is what makes Wolin unusual: here the island ends in a line of wooded cliffs that fall almost ninety metres straight into the sea. The main trail leaves Miedzyzdroje along the top of them, climbing and dropping through beech woods with gaps that open onto the water and the pale scar of the eroding cliff face below. Inland the park covers lakes, moorland and old forest, with white tailed eagles nesting in it. Two set pieces sit slightly apart: a show enclosure where European bison can be seen reliably, and a former chalk quarry near Wapnica now filled with opaque green water.

What you actually see

• The Gosan and Kawcza Gora cliffs - the highest points of the cliff line, with the drop to the beach visible from the path.
• The bison enclosure - a fenced reserve near Miedzyzdroje where the animals are kept and can actually be seen.
• The Turquoise Lake - a flooded chalk pit near Wapnica whose colour comes from the mineral in the water.
• The beech woods - old, tall and shaded, running the length of the cliff trail with sea light coming through them.

When to go

May and June give the freshest woods and long daylight before the resort fills up. July and August are hot on the exposed sections and Miedzyzdroje is at capacity. September and early October are quiet and the beech colour is good. The cliff trail is safest in dry weather, since the clay surface turns greasy after rain.

Honest expectations

Miedzyzdroje itself is a busy seaside resort with a crowded promenade and prices to match, and the park is often treated as an afternoon add on. The cliff path is a constant series of climbs and descents rather than a level walk, and the edge is actively eroding, so fenced diversions are common. The bison enclosure is small and clearly an enclosure, not wild sightings.

Nearby

The beaches of Miedzyzdroje and Wiselka are on the doorstep, and the Szczecin Lagoon lies on the inland side of the island.