Nadwieprzański Landscape Park (Nadwieprzański Park Krajobrazowy) protects the valley of the Vepr River in its middle course — from the mouth of the Helchwa to the mouth of the Bystrzyca, between Lublin and Łęczna. Here the river either cuts through chalk hills with a deep gorge or spreads out into a wide floodplain with meanders and oxbow lakes. This is a place for walks, kayaking, and photography, and on the valley slopes — ruins, palaces, and old churches.
Gorge in the Chalk
The park was established in 1990. Initially, it covered 44 square kilometers, and after expansion — about 62 square kilometers, with a protective zone covering over a hundred more. It lies on the Świdnik Plateau and in the Dorohucza Basin, on the border of the Lublin Upland and Polissia.
Near Łęczna, the Vepr crosses the chalk ridge of Lublin — Łęczna, and the valley narrows into a gorge between Ciechanek Krzesimowskich and Kiany. The slopes here are steep and in places reach 25 meters, with visible chalk outcrops. Southwards, the Vepr meanders strongly, and the valley widens to two kilometers.
Flora and Fauna in the Valley
Pine forests and floodplain woods grow in the valley. On sun-warmed slopes, thermophilic steppe plants occur, including Adonis vernalis. In the moist meadows bloom lady’s slipper orchids, Allium angulosum, and Siberian irises. The most valuable areas are the slopes near Witanów and Ciechanek, floodplain forests near Zakszów and Łańcuchów. Here there were plans to create forest reserves “Uroczysko Sosnowiec” and “Zakszów,” and in the protective zone — peat bog reserves “Bilsko” and “Uroczysko Jezioro.”
Palaces and Ruins above the Vepr
The valley has long attracted the nobility. There are ruins of the palace in Zav’iepchytsi with a baroque chapel, the palace in Kiany, and the palace in Lysolaye, and in Kiany — the baroque Church of St. Anne. Many wooden rural buildings have been preserved in the villages along the valley. Nearby are the church in Milejów and the Lakhert estate in Ciechanek.
How to Get There
The park is easily accessible from Lublin (15–25 km) or from Łęczna, which lies on its edge. The protective zone includes a red hiking trail, two educational paths, and a long cycling route from Lublin to Wola Ugruska. The Vepr within the park is a popular kayaking route. The park is managed by the Lublin Landscape Parks Complex. For Ukrainian citizens, this is Poland: a foreign passport is required.
