Discover Wilkasy

Wilkasy offers two distinct starting points for planning a trip: green walking trails through the village and an early settlement history. Travelers choosing a destination for its active trails or historical connections can weigh both options here in concrete terms.

Early settlement history

Wilkasy was founded in 1505 as a free settlement under Magdeburg Law. Three years later, Grand Commander Szymon von Drahe confirmed that Friedrich, Duke of Saxony and then Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, had sold 15 hides of land between Sobole and Niedźwiedzkie to Jan, Jerzy and Paweł; Wilkasy arose from this transaction. Its early development thus involved a specific legal status, the people involved and the extent of the sale. This sequence sheds light on the village’s history: the founding was followed by confirmation of a transaction explicitly associated with the emergence of Wilkasy.

Two green walking trails

Two green routes pass through Wilkasy and differ in their course and length. Walking Trail No. 6 runs from Ogródek via Stare Juchy, Krzywe, Gąski, Wilkasy, Szeszki, Kucze and Czarna Wieś to the dam near Rajgród. It is 118 km long in total, of which 109 km lie within the EGO area. On leaving Wilkasy, the trail heads towards a forest.

The second green trail is called the “Szlak Mazur Garbatych.” Its 90.4 km route runs from Jasieniec via Czerwony Dwór, Jabłonowo, Szeszki, Dorsze, Wilkasy, Kamionki, Suczki and Gołdap to Stańczyki; 78.9 km lie within the EGO area. Near Wilkasy, the trail loops around the small lake to the north. The section passing through the village is part of the international long-distance hiking trail E11. The trail is managed by PTTK Suwałki and registered under SU 2012z.

Directly compared, Trail No. 6, at 118 km, is longer than the Szlak Mazur Garbatych, at 90.4 km. Separate figures are also given for the sections within the EGO area: 109 km for Trail No. 6 and 78.9 km for the Szlak Mazur Garbatych. This makes it possible to distinguish the routes by their total length and their stated share within the area. The sequences of villages and the northern loop around the small lake provide additional guidance on each route.

A memorial nearby

The First World War soldiers’ cemetery at Sobole (Wilkasy) is in the forest north of the Olecko–Raczki road and one kilometer west of the village. The road, cardinal direction and distance help pinpoint its location. For travelers who want to include a historic memorial as well as walking trails in their plans, it offers a separate point of interest nearby. The founding history concerns Wilkasy itself; the cemetery lies west of the village.

These two interests are represented by specific places and can help you decide what to focus on during your trip.

Discover more destinations: Olecko, Dobki, Szarejki, Nowy Młyn, Babki Oleckie, Guzy, Jaski and Swietajno.

See the regional travel overview: Olecki.