Blanki – Herb Culture and Cycling Route No. 5

• The “Babki Zielarki” association is dedicated to herbs and regional products.
• The village community hall is a central venue for local activities, with frequent presentations and tastings.
• Blanki is known for products made from local herbs, especially nettles.
• The red Cycling Route No. 5 passes through Blanki and is a well-marked leisure route of about 30 kilometres, forming a loop.

The “Babki Zielarki” association is behind Blanki’s focus on herbs. The informal club was founded in 2011 and became an association in early 2015. This sequence shows how an informal group developed into an organised community. At workshops, members tell visitors about their interests and products; the occasions mentioned also include study visits.

The village community hall is a central venue for local activities. The “Babki Zielarki” often hold presentations and tastings there. A visit therefore cannot be planned solely on the basis of a general events calendar: arrange the date and details in advance if you would like to take part in a workshop or tasting.

Local products are also part of this picture: Blanki is known for products made from herbs, particularly nettles. This links the association’s activities with a local product tradition, which is not limited to food.

At the ninth Herb Festival, visitors sampled regional dishes made with herbs. These included traditional nettle soup, pancakes with lentils and nettles, baked goods, and herbal syrups. These examples show how herbs were used in savoury dishes as well as in baked goods and drinks.

The programme also included hands-on activities. Children made their own tea blends and learned rules for gathering and drying herbs. In workshops, adults prepared herbal salt blends for food and cosmetics and learned about the properties of the plants used. Different ways of engaging with herbs were thus offered side by side: tasting them, learning about plants, and making blends yourself.

At the eighth edition, visitors could also take part in a workshop on making herbal soaps. The activities therefore vary from one festival edition to another. If an activity like this is important to your trip, check the date directly in advance.

The red Cycling Route No. 5 is a well-marked leisure route that forms a loop of about 30 kilometres. The route described passes through Kłębowo, Jarandowo, and Kochanówka before reaching Blanki. Blanki is at kilometre point 19.4 from Lidzbark Warmiński; from there, the route continues to Lake Symsar before returning to Lidzbark Warmiński.

The figures of about 30 kilometres and kilometre 19.4 describe two different things: the first is the approximate length of the loop, while the second marks Blanki’s position along the route described. Check local route conditions before setting off. This will help you take the approximate route length into account when planning your ride without mistaking the kilometre point for the total distance.

If you would like to visit Blanki for its herb-related activities, arrange workshops and tastings in advance. For a cycling trip, the loop offers a different option: you can use the route description and approximate length as a guide and check current route conditions. Both approaches can help you decide what you want from your trip before looking for suitable hotels for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Kochanówka, Wielochowo, Klebowo, Długołęka, Lidzbark Warm, Suryty, Orneta.

Do you need to arrange workshops in advance?

Yes. Arrange the date and details directly with the association before your visit.

What does kilometre 19.4 mean on the cycling route?

The kilometre point marks Blanki’s position along the route described from Lidzbark Warmiński. The loop is about 30 kilometres long in total.

What herb-related activity was there for children?

At the ninth Herb Festival, children made their own tea blends and learned rules for gathering and drying herbs.

Go to the main travel overview: Lidzbarski.