River Myśla

The Myśla River flows in western Poland, through two provinces: Zachodniopomorskie and Lubuskie. It starts in Lake Myśliborski in Myślibor. It flows through the Myśliborski Lake District, the Gorzowska Plain and flows into the Oder River in its 629.4 km, near the village of Chlewice. The total length of the Myśla is 95.6 km.

The Myśla is a good river for canoeists, so canoe trips are often organised on it. The degree of difficulty of the routes is described as moderate. Beginners can manage, but sometimes you have to overcome all sorts of obstacles, including permanent barriers on the river (and carrying the canoe along the bank). 

The river has largely retained its original course. As a result, during a canoeing trip you can admire the riverbanks, floodplains and riverside ponds created by the often meandering river.

The Myśla flows through important natural areas: the Myśliborsko-Barlineckie Lake District (upper reaches), with many lakes, the Gorzowska Upland Protected Landscape Area (middle reaches) and the Warta Mouth Landscape Park in the lower reaches of the river. So you canoe through forests, meadows and marshes. Thanks to the variety of habitats, it is not difficult to spot kingfishers, black stork, cranes, black and red kites, little owls, tawny owls, barn owls or red-necked grebes and many others along the Myśla. You can also see typical river animals such as otters, great crested newts, bog turtles and beavers, as well as most of the fish species found in river waters.

The Myśla is known as the river of the Templars. In the 13th century, many of the local rulers granted land located along the Myśla to the Templars. Along the way you can admire medieval monuments and the seats of the Templar, Augustinian and Cistercian orders. During a canoeing trip, it is worth visiting a historic late-Romanesque church from the 12th century, built in the village of Chwarszczany by the Templars.