Leba and the Slowinski National Park

Leba is a Baltic resort town on the western edge of Poland's Pomeranian region, about 130 km north-west of Gdansk, and it is the gateway to the Slowinski National Park, known for its shifting sand dunes. The trip is long for a day excursion: trains from Gdansk or Gdynia usually require a change at Gdynia Glowna or Lebork, taking about 1h45 from Gdynia and 2.5-3.5 hours from Gdansk, and Lebork-Leba rail services are seasonal, with some running only until 31 August in the 2026 timetable. FlixBus links Leba and Lebork, and driving takes about 2 hours via the S6. Because of the transfers and the walking, the day suits an early start and a firm return plan. The headline sight is the moving dunes at Lacka Gora, reached from the Rabka gate, where wind-driven sand buries forest and forms a landscape sometimes compared to a desert. Trails through the park also lead to the beach, lakes and the Baltic shore, and some sections charge fees between 1 May and 30 September on the routes Zatoka Polnocna-Rowy and Smoldzinski Las-Jezioro Dolgie Male. General park entry is free, and any entry fee is capped by law at 6 PLN. A suggested itinerary is to reach Leba by mid-morning, walk or take transport towards Rabka, spend the middle of the day on the dunes and the beach walk, eat fish in Leba's centre in the afternoon, and leave on the last convenient connection. Allow a full day, with 2-5 hours on foot depending on the route chosen. The best season is May to September, when trail sections and trains operate and weather suits the open dunes. Midsummer heat, strong wind and blowing sand are common, so water, sun protection and closed shoes are important. In shoulder months, check train timetables in advance since the seasonal rail links may not run.