Lubusz Nordic Walking Trails – Drawsko Forest – the land of lakes and rivers – routes in Dobiegniew Municipality

Wine Route RED TRAIL

Route: Around the Marzęcin Estate
Route type: scenic and historical
Difficulty level: easy
Walking time: 2h (5.5 km)
Attractions: Interesting, well-preserved manor farm, which used to be a part of vineyard. Beautiful palace surrounded by a superbly designed park.

Mierzęcin 1

Mierzęcin has already been mentioned in medieval historical sources. We can find information that the family von Osten was the owner of this estate. Mierzęcin remained in their hands until 1608 and then it passed into the possession of the von Kramme family. The 17th century was a period of constant changes of owners. From 1715, the owner was the von Sydow family, who contributed to building of a brick church, which still exists today. In the second decade of the 18th century the estate was bought and extended by the von Waldow family. The railroad line, built in 1850, connecting Poznań with Stargard Szczeciński, which ran near the estate, contributed to the economic development of Mierzęcin. The palace, the family seat, was built between 1861 and 1863 on the initiative of Robert Friedrich von Waldow. The period of the biggest expansion and reconstruction of the estate was the beginning of the 20th century, when new distillery buildings and farm complex were built. During the war the palace and farm buildings preserved almost intact.

Park

The park of an area of 15.28 ha occupies the northern part. It is located on an elongated hill, descending in terraces from the palace to the west and to the north, towards the marshy valley of Struga Mierzęcka. The park layout has a multi-axial, radial layout and is strictly connected with the palace, located on the elevation with its facade facing east. The spatial composition of the park includes the ground garden with a fountain in front of the palace, from which the main park avenue leads, ending at the intersection of twelve roads. On the north-eastern side and the main park avenue there is an elongated viewing glade with a lime arbour at its edge. In the eastern part of the park there is a family cemetery with graves of the last owners of the von Waldow family. From the west, the park descends in terraces to the pond and river. Here was created in recent years a Japanese garden with stylish architecture (gazebo, bridge, torii gate) and an island with Japanese lantern. The park in the eastern part is a landscape English garden, where huge trees and groups of shrubs are exposed on an evenly cut lawn. Old trees in the park include magnificent beeches, oaks, plane trees, lime trees, hornbeams and elms, among which are more than 20 natural monuments. In the eastern part, there is a family cemetery of the former owners of the von Waldow estate.

Vineyard

The vineyard is located near the palace, by Mierzęcinka River. The plantation covers an area of 6.75 hectares and is the third largest vineyard in Poland and the largest in the Lubusz Voivodeship. The first plantings were made in autumn 2004. 27 thousand vines grow on a vast, gentle slope with a south or south-west orientation and on a flat terrain, at the altitude of about 60 m above sea level. The vineyard rises above the surrounding area and together with the lake, surrounding forests and meadows it creates an exceptionally picturesque landscape. The local microclimate is conducive to vine growing which is evidenced by old, pre-war shrubs found in many local houses. The winters at Mierzęcin are mild and the summers sunny and dry so the vines bear big and juicy fruit. The estate grows 19 grape varieties, mainly white Pinot Gris, Kernling, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay as well as red Pinot Noir, Rondo and Regent. There are also hybrids such as Sibera, Bianka, Hibernal, Muscat Odessa, Biona and Merzling.

Palace Route BLUE TRAIL

Route: Around a palace and park
Route type: scenic and historic
Difficulty level: Easy
Walking time: 2h (6 km)
Attractions: Beautiful palace surrounded by a beautifully designed park. Part of the park maintained in English style, near the palace, below the terraced slopes, a pond and a Japanese park.

Mierzęcin 2

Mierzęcin (German: Mehrenthin) is a small village (a linear village). The palace – park – farmhouse complex is located on the north-eastern side of the village and it is one of the most impressive complexes in the region. On the terraced bank of the Mierzęcinka River a brick palace was built on granite stone foundations. It consists of a rectangular building, tower and a small wing connected with the tower and the building. Mass and facade decor of the palace have preserved their original forms, unchanged since the construction time. The architecture of the Mierzęcin Palace and its surroundings is a classic example of a Romantic residence built in English neo-Gothic style, modelled on the palace building designed by Schinkel in Babelsberg.

Farmhouse

Palace Mierzęcin (Mehrenthin) is not just a palace but also a manor farm. The property covered 3675 hectares (including 2756 hectares of forest), which made it one of the largest in the area. The farmyard consists of brick buildings from the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, including a barn from 1872, a cowshed from 1868, a pigpen from 1862, and a distillery from 1901. At the beginning of the 20th century, buildings that accompanied the palace, which were built at the same time, were also rebuilt, including a villa-type residential building, which probably housed the estate’s administrator. The former cowsheds, stables and other outbuildings were turned into lecture, club and guest rooms. The estate has the third largest vineyard in Poland.

Hotel

Mierzęcin Palace Wellness & Wine Resort is an elegant leisure complex, where the spirit of history intertwines discreetly with modernity. In the neo-gothic palace and restored buildings of the former farmhouse there are 65 comfortably equipped rooms. Carefully furnished interiors, interesting architecture and the park surrounding palace provide perfect scenery for special events, family and friends meetings. For companies organizing training, conferences or integration trips we offer five comfortable conference rooms with modern audiovisual equipment, which can accommodate a total of 230 people. Mierzęcin Palace also makes its own wines as well as has a processing plant and a wine cellar. The hotel’s wellness and catering offer is based on grapes and wine. Grapes are also the basis for beauty treatments at Grape Spa, the first Spa in Poland to use fruit from its own vineyard. The location surrounded by forests and lakes, away from the city’s noise makes Mierzęcin Palace a quiet retreat for those seeking peaceful relaxation. Enthusiasts of active recreation will certainly choose something from the rich recreational offer – horse riding, swimming pool, fitness, Nordic walking, biking trips, canoeing and many other attractions