Why Is The “Crooked Forest” Crooked? Let’s Find Out
There are various hidden gems across the world, and the Crooked Forest makes its place in the list effortlessly. The Crooked Forest is a grove consisting of oddly shaped trees, placed in the Nowe Czarnowo village close to the town of Gryfino, West Pomerania, Poland.
These trees deviate from the natural order of things, and they are somehow mysteriously bent. They buckle out at 90 degrees and strangely form an odd J-shape. It has a potbelly that hovers above the ground.
It is still a mystery to the world how the trees came to be like this. However, there are numerous stories going around, some of which sound feasible, and some are bizarre. While some believe that the trees were buried under heavy snow when they were small, some hold the gravitational pull of the area responsible for this.
History Behind The Crooked Forest
The Crooked Forest has been attracting the attention of tourists for a long time now because of the strangely shaped pine trees. This forest is home to around 400 twisted trees. People are automatically drawn to a good mystery, and this forest does not fail to offer one.
Back in 1930, these pine trees were planted. These trees are bent perpendicularly to the north and have grown parallel to the ground for almost three to nine feet before they have turned upright.
The rest of the tree trunk is straight and points upwards. These pine trees are completely healthy, and their height is almost 50 feet.
What Is The Magical Force Working Behind This Forest?
There are various speculations and numerous theories about the mystery of the Crooked Forest. However, most of these speculations do not have enough evidence and data to support them.
Some say that it is because of the gravitational pull, as I mentioned earlier. However, according to the basic rule of gravity, it pulls things downwards and does not form a curve. Some say that because of heavy snowfall in that area, the trees have weighed down.
People believe that when the trees were planted, the area received heavy snowfall. And because of that, the base of the trees got crooked. However, this theory is also not valid. Because this suggested snowfall did not affect the other trees and assorted vegetation in the area.
Few people suspect that these trees were planted to make rims of wooden cartwheels. The grain direction of the trees would be good for producing tough wheels. However, the explanation believed by most is that local farmers planted the trees this way and manipulated the growth.
One of the most recent and plausible explanations found was that the farmers twisted these trees when they were just saplings just after they were planted. However, this theory does not hold the facts as to why the trees started to grow straight from the age of seven or eight.
Are There Any More?
Well, the stories do not end here; there are some more. Another theory is that after planting the trees, the German tanks ran over them and made them flat. Szczecin, the nearest city to this place, was under the control of the Nazis back then, so the logic behind this ongoing theory is understandable.
But again, this theory can be debunked with the logic. If this were the case, it would have caused havoc in the entire forest and not just in one particular region. The curves of the trunks are too smooth for this kind of destruction.
Creative minds have come up with a few more strange stories about this Crooked Forest. Some of the reasons are those that I have mentioned above, like the gravitational pull theory and the snowstorm one.
But people have cooked up theories like genetic mutation, strong winds, aliens, and whatnot. However, it is possible that because of heavy snowfall, the saplings have been affected, but the theory of the Nazi tanks makes no sense.
If that has been the case, then it fails to explain why the other pine trees surrounding these trees are straight. There is also no evidence that the gravitational pull has caused this.
Is There No Reasonable Explanation?
Have you ever heard of Occam’s Razor principle? It says that the simpler the explanation, the better. Even though a simple explanation does not satisfy the curious mind, this is one of the most possible and reasonable explanations behind this mysterious Crooked Forest.
It could happen that the invasion of Poland and World War II had a part to play in it. Even though tanks might not have anything to do with it. It is quite a common practice in America, India, and Europe to shape trees for agricultural purposes.
There are various purposes for bending trees, such as making instruments, boats, furniture, carts for transportation, and many other things. It is easy to manipulate and change the shape when the trees are young.
There is a high chance that this enigmatic forest was a result of a business venture. However, the work remained unfinished because of the invasion and the war. The chaos that World War II created and the lives it took caused a lot of stories to disappear.
Probably, this is what happened, and the creators of the Crooked Fost lost their lives in the war, and now their identity is unknown.
What Is So Special About The Trees?
Trees are known to have various shapes and sizes. Most of the species follow the same pattern and reach towards the sun. However, the Crooked Forest of Poland does not follow the conventional norms, and this group of pine trees grows sideways close to their base.
The base shows a sharp 90-degree bend and then grows straight upward. The curve of the trees does not interfere with their health. The treads radically bend the trees.
Every forest has its own characteristics, but this one does not match any others. The other trees follow the conventional form of nature, but these trees over a particular area have their unique feature, making this forest stand out.
Tourist Attraction
Just like the 13th-century Teutonic Castle, the Crooked Forest also makes the list of the must-visit places in Poland. “The Unexplained,” season 1, episode 4, featured this forest in the series, and that made the forest even more popular among the people.
This aired on the History Channel, named “Unnatural Nature.” There have been other documentaries featuring this forest, making it a popular tourist attraction in the region. This site is open to the public, and you should visit it when you are in Poland.
A couple who visited this place gave their review on “Tripadvisor,” and wrote, “It’s extremely difficult to find the place. Only a tiny little wood sign on the side of the forest indicates it, so it’s not crowded like it was a tourist attraction. Also, almost no one speaks English around, though very few locals around here, it’s a remote area.”
They further added, “Anyways, once you’re in the forest, there are wooden signs again. As you find the spot, it’s very interesting, magical and mystical place, since no one can tell what caused the curves. No guards, no blocks around, you can touch them, sit on them, embrace them. It’s a great experience!”
Conservational Efforts
This forest is not just a tourist attraction now, but it is also a protected natural monument of Poland. The government has taken it upon themselves to preserve the uniqueness of the forest and take good care of these unique-featured trees.
How Can You Get There?
You can reach this Crooked Forest from Warsaw, which is the capital of Poland. There are trains available, and this is one of the most convenient ways to reach the place. It is a seven-hour journey by train. But if it pleases you, you can take a bus, but it is going to take more than ten hours to get there by bus.
The ideal time to visit Poland is spring and autumn, which are from March to May and September to November. Poland has a European temperate climate and has six different seasons. The summers and winters experience extreme climates and thus are not so ideal.
The Mystery Stays Unresolved
Even though there are numerous speculations, starting with UFOs and aliens and ending with World War II destroying the forest, there is not enough evidence to support the theories.
However some of the theories seem feasible, but again, there is not enough evidence to support the facts. Possibly, the people who stayed there before the war had an answer to it, but now it is just speculation. The mystery of the forest remains unresolved forever.
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