Forest Road in Masuria
Single row panorama stitched of 4 (7) shots. (The complete panorama of 7 shots is considerably broader.)
Nikon D3x, AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 95mm, 0,5 sec, f 22, Tripod, Leveling Base, Panohead 

On Country Roads in Northern Poland
Autumn 2011

October 21 - November 07, 2011

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Country Roads and Avenues



Country Road in Masuria
Panorama stitched of 5 shots, Nikon D3x, AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 102mm, 1/20 sec, f 16

The Lake-Distrikt in northern Poland is a rather homogenous landscape which was formed during the last ice age. The retreating glaciers left moaines and numerous lakes behind.

Due to finacial restrictions during the socialist decades  modernisation in agriculture was limited to the most fertile regions of the country. So we still find many regions, where modern agriculture has not begun its destructive work.  Now the government discovers the value of these untouched regions and many areas have recently became protected.
 

The highlighted area in this map indicates where I took
the photographs of this series.
 

Old avenues have survived everywhere in Poland, so in the lake district in northern Poland. The lime trees on the right of this avenue were trimmed many years ago.  That is why they have been growing this peculiar way.




 

Lime Tree Avenue, Cedynski Park Krajobrazowy
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G , 40mm, 1/25 s, f 11,

 

Big willow trees form an arc over a small road.

 

Country Road, Mazurski Park Krajobrazowy
Pano stitched of 3 (6) shots, AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 95 mm, 1/5sec, f22


 

Oaks are the most frequent trees in the avenues, ...

Oak Avenue, near Kętrzyn, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Pano stitched of 4 images,
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 78mm, 1 sec, f 22


 

...and some of them are obviously really old.

Oak Avenue, near Kętrzyn, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Pano stitched of 4 images
Nikon D3x, AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 116 mm, 1/5sec, f22

 

The panorama technique makes it easy to take a photograph with an angle of more than 180°. This image of a straight avenue has an angle of more than 180°, so this makes you see as if the avenue was curved just in front of the photographer ...

Avenue of Lime Trees, near Szczecinek, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
Panorama stitched of 5 shots
AF-Nikkor 18-35mm 1:3,5-4,5 at 18 mm, 1/50 s, f 11


 

... Although it is definitely not. It is straight as you can see from inside the same avenue.

Avenue of Lime Trees, near Szczecinek, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
Panorama stitched of 4 shots
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 85mm, 1/4 sec, f 22



 

Avenues with Norway maple are rather frequent. Their shiny yellow leaves are real eye-catchers.

Avenue of Norway Marple and a Lime Tree, near Olecko, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 3 images
Nikon D3x, AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 102 mm, 1/5sec, f22



 

For some days colourful leaves are lining the country roads almost everywhere.

Poplar Leaves along a Country Road, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
3-Row-Panorama stitched of 12 shots in horizontal format
AF Micro Nikkor 55 mm, 1:2,8, 1/5sec, f22


 

I was happy about the bright foliage of the lime trees which was much more intensive than in the  previous years.

Avenue of Lime Trees, near Mieszkovice, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
2-row-panorama stitched of 14 (18) shots
AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 210 mm, 1/5sec, f22


 

Forest in the Mazurski Park Krajobrazowy, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 4 shots
AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 95 mm, 1/8 sec, f22


 

Leaves of Norway Maple
Panorama stitched of 3 shots in horizontal format
Micro-Nikkor 105 mm, 1:2,8,0,3 sec, f16
 

Sign at a Cossroad in the Forest, Bory Tucholskie, Woj. Pomorskie
Panorama stitched of 3 shots
ISO 400, Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 28mm, 0,3 sec, f 16

 

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Observations on the road

Horse breeding has a long tradition in Poland.

Young Horses, near Starogard Gdański, Woj. Pomorskie
ISO 640, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 190 mm, 1/250 sec, f 8


 

On a small field, which was not accessible by tractor, these men were ploughing with a horse. They kindly allowed to take pictures.

Ploughing with a Horse, Woj. Pomorskie
ISO 640, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 145 mm, 1/160 sec, f 6,3


 

Ploughing with a Horse, Woj. Pomorskie
ISO 640, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 125 mm, 1/160 sec, f 6,3


 

Ploughing with a horse is rarely seen just as  geese swimming in a village pond. However both still exist.

Geese in Village Pond, near Szcytno, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
 ISO 400, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 190 mm, 1/160 sec, f 6,3

 

Geese in Village Pond, near Szcytno, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 4 shots, ISO 400,
 AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 110 mm, 1/50 sec, f16



 

Old houses and traditional gardens come across in every village.

Old House in a Village near Chojna, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
ISO 400, Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 70 mm, 1/125 sec, f 8


 

Looking at the freshly renovated or new houses in the villages it is obvious how popular strong colours in Poland are.

Renovated House in a Village near Chojna, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
Nikon D3x, ISO 400,
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 24 mm, 1/320 sec, f 9


 

One of the numerous wayside shrines in Poland. In the weeks before All Saints Day these shrines are freshly decorated.

Wayside Shrine, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 5 shots
AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 170 mm, 1/60 sec, f 5,6


 

At All Saints Day every cemetery in Poland turns into a sea of lights and flowers.
 

Cemetery in Orzysz, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 4 (7) shots, Nikon D3x, ISO 400,
 Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 70 mm, 2,5 sec, f 11



 

The next morning (Nov. 2nd) the autumn had added a carpet of coloured leaves to the decorations.

Cemetery in Orzysz, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
2-row-panorama stitched of 6 (10) shots in horizontal format,
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 34 mm, 0,4 sec, f 16



 

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Lakes and Ponds

Jezioro Mamry, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 6 (8) shots
AF Micro Nikkor 55 mm, 1:2,8, 0,4 sec, f22


 

Beaverdam, near Żytkiejmy, Park Krajobrazowy Puszczy Rominckiej, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 5 shots
 Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 45 mm, 1/4 sec, f 16



 

Beavers alter the banks of rivers and lakes considerably.  At some places there are big beaver-dams which cause a drowning of the forest in the pond (above ↑).

Along the shoreline many trees show signs of gnawing.

 Alder Cut Down by a Beaver, Suwalski Park Krajobrazowy, Woj. Podlaskie
3-Row-panorama of 12 shots,
ISO 400, Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 38 mm, 1/13 sec, f 16


 

Pond in the Fields,near Chojna, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
Panorama stitched of 6 shots
ISO 200, AF-Nikkor 18-35mm 1:3,5-4,5 at 18 mm, 1/100 s, f 16


 

The lakes and ponds are the pearls in the magnificent sceneries. I don't want to comment on  them. Please just look!

Jezioro Ublik Wielki, Hotel Park Ublik, near Orzysz, Woj. Warmińsko-Mazurskie
Panorama stitched of 5 shots
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 58 mm, 0,5 sec, f 22

I have always my small fourwheel-hotel with me. But occasionally I can't deny that I would have liked to be a guest in a hotel or guesthouse.
 

The hotel in which I would like to stay is this Hotel Park Ublik, high above the shore of Lake Ublik Wielki
 (http://www.ublik.pl/)

The guesthouse in which I would like to stay is the very beautiful Drumlin Lodge. The Gościniec Drumlin  is a reproduced village farm-house in the Suwalski Park Krajobrazowy.
(http://drumlin.pl/)

Rivers

Bank of the Rver Vistula(Wisła) near Gniew, Woj. Pomorskie
2-row-panorama stitched of 6 shotsin horizontal format
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 32 mm, 1/4 sec, f 16


 

The lower Vistula (Wisła) is a big river in a wide valley. Gniew is a small town on the left bank of the river. The castle is a landmark. There is a nice small engineless cable ferry crossing the river in front of it.

Cable Ferry at Gniew, Vistula, Woj. Pomorskie
Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 65 mm, 1/100 sec, f 5

 

Cable Ferry at Gniew, Vistula, Woj. Pomorskie
ISO 400, Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 28 mm, 1/160 sec, f 6,3


 

Shoals of fish are gathering downstreams from barrages which occasionally block small rivers. Invisible hunters force them to jump ot of the water in a swarm.

Jumping Fish, Small River near Kwik, Mazurski Park Krajobrazowy,
ISO 400, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 78 mm, 1/250 sec, f 8


 

My journey ends at the borderriver Oder. There are marvelous landscapes on both banks of the river. However the Polish bank is visited much less than the National Park on the German bank.

Side Arm of the Oder, near Plasek, Cedynski Park Krajobrazowy,
Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
Panorama stitched of 4 shots
Nikon D3x, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 190 mm, 1/60 sec, f 11

 

Oder near Gozdovice, Cedynski Park Krajobrazowy, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
Panorama stitched of 5 shots
Nikon D3x, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 135 mm, 1/50 sec, f 11

 

Oder near Gozdovice, Cedynski Park Krajobrazowy, Woj. Zachodniopomorskie
Panorama stitched of 4 shots
Nikon D3x, AF-Nikkor 70-210mm, 1:4-5,6 at 70 mm, 1/20 sec, f 11
 

Thanks to Michaela Franz for her support.