The best MTB trails around Sztabin

A gravel road, a cruel washboard, unexpectedly frequent cars, but a beautiful forest

Lake Studzieniczne in Augustów is a picturesque reservoir located in the heart of the Augustów Forest, which is part of the Augustów Canal trail. Surrounded mostly by pine forests and wetlands, it delights with its natural charm and varied coastline with several islands, including the Brzozowy Grąd reserve. On the southern shore is the famous Studzieniczna with the sanctuary of Our Lady of Studzieniczna, a popular place of pilgrimage and walks.

The Holy Place can be reached by bike better from the direction of Rączki than from the direction of Janówka (a steep, sandy descent).

A wild and rather inaccessible place, but visible from the trail.

An interesting hydrotechnical device. It is worth stopping to look at it for at least a moment.

Fortunately, this can be avoided. This attraction is rather questionable!

The Holy Place is located on the banks of the Rospuda River next to the Jałówka River and Lake Jałowe. There is a chapel built in the fence from 1990 and several wooden and stone crosses, as well as a large wooden shrine. On one of the wooden crosses - which draws attention with its appearance - a copper plate is nailed with a text by Father Antoni Kochański, the deceased parish priest of Janówka. It informs that this cross was erected by the Yotvingians from the Skometa team after they were baptized in 1283, before going to Samland. The cross, supposedly burned and destroyed by pagans, miraculously survived and was re-erected by converted enemies. This place is surrounded by an aura of mystery and extraordinary. Miracles that have appeared here through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary have long been told. The first miracle is said to have occurred during the times of the Yotvingians, when a cross thrown into the water, instead of floating down, returned to the same place. The second miracle occurred when the Mother of God saved people surrounded by Tatars by covering them with an invisible cloak. Sometimes this extraordinary event is transferred to the times of the January Uprising. In fact, the sacred place is most likely located on the site of the former cemetery of the Orthodox church built by Bohdan Hrynkowicz Wołłowicz after receiving the grant of the forest - around 1514. It was patronized by St. John the Baptist - hence so many names related to the name of John in the area. Local people have been gathering in this place on June 24 for a long time. They prayed, ate a ritual meal, washed themselves in the nearby Jałówka river, made offerings under the crosses - money and food, and tied decorative towels on them. As ethnographers explain, these rites are characteristic of the Orthodox holiday of Jordan. Similar behaviors are seen in the Mińszczyzna region, where some of the population probably came from. Today, the holiday is officially sanctioned by the local parish priest. https://suwalszczyzna.com.pl/info/miejsca/uroczysko-swiete-miejsce

Studzieniczna – Parish of Our Lady of the Scapular The first historical mention of Studzieniczna dates back to 1740 and is connected with the cult of the image of Our Lady. The first hermit is anonymous. A more famous figure is Wincenty Morawski, who erected the first wooden chapel around 1770. The current Church was built in 1847. In 1872, the current Chapel of Our Lady was built on 64 oak piles. Initially, the parish belonged to the parish in Szczebrze. In 1873, the Bishop of Sejny, Bishop Piotr Paweł Wierzbowski, established it as an independent parish. On September 17, 1995, the act of coronation of the image of Our Lady of Studzieniczna, Mother of the Church, took place. The act of coronation was performed by Cardinal Józef Glemp – Primate of Poland, with the participation of Archbishop Józef Kowalczyk – Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Edmund Piszcz – Metropolitan of Warmia, Bishop Juliusz Paec – Bishop of Łomża, Bishop Juozas Żemartis of Mariampol, Bishop Wojciech Ziemba – Bishop of Ełk and Bishop Edward Samsel – Auxiliary Bishop of Ełk. Indulgences: Descent of the Holy Spirit, Our Lady of the Scapular – July 16, St. Anne – July 26, Coronation Anniversary – September 17 Holy Masses: 9:00; 11:00 church 13:00 (Płaska chapel) 17:00 September (Sanctuary) 19:00 May-August (Sanctuary) Weekdays: church 17:00 (October-April); Sanctuary 12:00 and 19:00 (May-August); 12:00 and 17:00 (September)