Szkotowo by the Lake: Cycling Routes, Shores and History

• Szkotowo lies on Lake Szkotowskie, which is connected to Lake Kownatki by a small stream.
• Lake Szkotowskie covers 41.3 ha and is up to 6.2 m deep.
• Almost all of Szkotowo lies within two landscape protection areas.
• The blue cycling route is 20.6 km long, and the yellow circular route is 35.1 km long.
• St Joseph the Worker Parish Church was built between 1874 and 1877 as a Protestant church.

The connection to the water is clear in Szkotowo: the village lies on Lake Szkotowskie, which is connected to Lake Kownatki by a small stream. A stream from Kownatki flows into Lake Szkotowskie from the north; the Szkotówka flows out of its southern part. The inflow and outflow can therefore be distinguished by their locations on the lake.

The shores also vary. The northern and eastern shores are high and steep, while the western shore is low and marshy. The lake covers 41.3 ha and is up to 6.2 m deep. Almost all of Szkotowo lies within the Nida and Szkotówka River Valleys Landscape Protection Area and the Lake Mielno Landscape Protection Area. The shorelines and protected-area boundaries give the local landscape its varied contours.

Length, route and surface descriptions are the most useful points of comparison for the cycling routes. The blue route starts in Szkotowo and runs via Kownatki, Turowo and Turówko to Januszkowo and back to Szkotowo. It is 20.6 km long and runs partly along unpaved and partly along asphalt roads.

The yellow circular route is longer at 35.1 km. From Szkotowo, it runs via Rączki, Szerokopaś, Łysakowo, Sławka Mała, Kozłowo, Sławka Wlk. and Rogóż before returning. The route includes field tracks as well as paved and asphalt roads. Another option is the “Szlak kurhanów” cycling route, which passes through Szkotowo. Its approximately 30 km length and moderate difficulty rating refer to the route within Kozłowo Municipality, not just the section through Szkotowo.

The route map for the yellow trail is dated 2014. Before setting out, check the current conditions on site, including the conditions of the other routes.

St Joseph the Worker Parish Church in Szkotowo was built between 1874 and 1877 as a Protestant church. The parish in Szkotowo is dedicated to Saint Joseph. The Kostka family is also part of the village’s history: from the 15th to the 18th century, Szkotowo belonged at various times to, among others, Mikołaj, Jan, Stanisław and Feliks Kostka.

The Szkotowo manor estate included more than 1,000 ha of land and a mill. The first recorded mention of the mill’s operation in Szkotowo dates from the 15th century. The mill was closed and demolished towards the end of the first half of the 19th century. The larger First World War cemetery is on the western edge of Szkotowo, beside the field track to Siemianowo.

Does the “Szlak kurhanów” route length refer only to Szkotowo?

No. The approximately 30 km length and moderate difficulty rating refer to the route within Kozłowo Municipality; the cycling route passes through Szkotowo.

Where is the larger First World War cemetery?

It is on the western edge of Szkotowo, beside the field track to Siemianowo.

When was St Joseph the Worker Parish Church built?

The church was built between 1874 and 1877 as a Protestant church.

How does water flow through Lake Szkotowskie?

A stream from Lake Kownatki flows into Lake Szkotowskie from the north. The Szkotówka flows out of its southern part.

For the broader travel overview: Kamionki.