Many countries in Europe are home to wild and wonderful things, each country delivering something unique to the world. In a tiny little part of Poland, there are 400 planted pine trees which stand tall, bowed and crooked – each of them bent in mysterious ways and nobody knows the full story of how or why. But the forest in Poland has become famous for its native flora.
Crooked Forest in Poland
The Crooked Forest is located just outside of Gryfino in north-west Poland, and it’s a place that has left people in awe. It looks like something out of a fairytale; each tree is bent, overshadowing the foreground and offering a spectacular sight even in the winter.
The Crooked Trees
There has been plenty of speculation on how the trees came to be so uniquely bent and deformed – but no theories have ever been proven. It has been said that each tree was planted and then bent on purpose in order for them to be used in furniture and boat making. The theory is that once these plants were bent for building, the trees were forgotten once W.W.II began, which is possible as they all show signs of being planted in 1930.
There are theories that the trees just grew bent, stemming from the ground and bending at the bottom of the trunk because that’s the kind of trees that they are or perhaps because of gravitational pull. Nobody knows. What we do know, though, is that it’s an amazing site to see.
How to get to Gryfino Forest
Gryfino is a city located closer to the German border than the capital of Poland – so your best bet is to travel from Germany (notably the closest capital city would be Berlin). It’s also located close to the city of Szczecin in Poland, which is a great little place to stop over on any travels you might be going on – as the Old Town is beautiful and shows much of the history of the area. The best way to get to the forest is to drive – on the autobahn!
From Berlin the drive takes just under two hours. You should head out of the city in the direction of the B2, and from there you take merge onto the A11. Take the 3-Penkun exit for the B113 which will take you into Poland and then continue across the border onto Route 120.
From Szczecin, the drive takes only 40 minutes and you just head south. Take the DK10, take the exit onto Leszczynowa. Head towards the DK31, via Batalionwa Chlopskich and Granitowa. Follow the DK31 south, straight onto Luzycka.
When to go
The best time to go would be in summer. There may be more people visiting, but the attraction only gets a sporadic audience, so the appeal won’t be lost. Poland’s warmer months are from June through to September. It’s best to still pack a light coat, as there often is a cooler breeze on the outer months.
Poland is a cold country, and in winter they get huge amounts of snow so if you want to go see the forest in all its snowy, wintery goodness, make sure that you pack coats, hats and scarves and be prepared.