tourpoland

24.10.2015 Usually, very rare or very old trees become natural monuments. In the case of the Crooked Forest, the phenomenon of nature decided: in an area of ​​about 1.7 hectares we can see almost 400 pines distinguished by an unusual bending of trunks. In the group of trees they create a fascinating, amazing view - the crooked forest all tilted in one direction. And although this may look like a magic trick at first glance, the explanation is prosaic, but not entirely obvious. The forest also bears the less popular name Fairytale Forest, and a similar formation of trees is nowhere else in Poland. It is difficult to determine 100% what the purposeful distortion of young pines was for, but undoubtedly the mystery contributed to the tourist attractiveness of this place. It is not easy to find here, because Krzywy Las is located off the beaten track, but it is worth going to the vicinity of Nowy Czarnów and the nearby Dolna Odra power plant - we will not find such a surprising forest anywhere else. An equally peculiar route leads to this natural surprise. The easiest way to get here is along the heating pipes, then look for a fragment of the pipeline shaped like a gate, as if symbolically opening the gate to a mysterious place. We will be there when we see the area covered by about half a thousand deformed trees. The pines stand in more than twenty rows and each is more than a meter away from the other. Instead of growing up, all pine trunks of a low height above the ground turn at a large, almost straight angle to the side, then arch back to the vertical. The curvature of some plants reaches a height of three meters, while the trees themselves reach over 10 meters. They resemble wooden hammocks clinging to the ground. Interestingly enough, trees around the crooked pines grow quite straight. Specialists, judging by the deformation and visible signs of damage on the bark, see this as intentional human activity. Specially cut branches and tree tops began to function as trunks with time. The forest was probably planted around 1930. After the number of rings on the knots, it can also be concluded that the trees were bent on ten-year-old pine trees. Little is known about the creation of this forest. However, there are various hypotheses about the sense of performing these operations. One of the most popular theories is that pine trees were to be the material for building boats, vats, sleighs, and even furniture and household appliances. There are known cases of intentional tree cultivation in a similar way for special orders from producers. There were also legends among the local community that the trees were damaged by German armored tanks stationed in these areas during the war. However, this contradicts the direction of the trunk bending and the age of the trees, which is confirmed by the fact that dendrological procedures took place before the war. Regardless of the real cause of the characteristic appearance of the Crooked Forest, the mysterious formation of trees arouses the interest of tourists. It is one of the best known natural attractions of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.