Lakes

Lake Czorsztyn

A man-made reservoir of roughly 10.5 square kilometres, dammed on the Dunajec between the Pieniny and Gorce mountains, combines power generation, flood control and tourism — with views few natural lakes can match: the castles of Niedzica and Czorsztyn on opposite shores and the Tatras on the horizon.

The dam that reshaped the Dunajec valley

Construction took almost three decades, from 1970 to 1997, and the reservoir went into operation in 1997. The dam stands 56 metres tall and 404 metres long, while the lake stretches for 9 kilometres along a shoreline of nearly 30 km. The water feeds a pumped-storage power plant with a capacity of 90.5 MW, producing around 140 GWh a year. Just weeks after opening, the reservoir proved its worth: during the great flood of July 1997 it held back the flood wave, protecting towns downstream.

Castles above the water

The ruins of Czorsztyn Castle and Dunajec Castle in Niedzica preside over the shores; boats run between them, and the lake itself is paddled by kayak and pedal boat. An artificial Bird Island has become a haven for waterfowl, and the VeloDunajec cycling route circles the reservoir.

In practice

Niedzica, Frydman and Czorsztyn make the best bases. Allow half a day for a boat cruise between the castles plus a tour of one of the strongholds; by bike, the loop takes 2–3 hours with stops. Even in summer the water is cold — this is a mountain reservoir, not a seaside swimming spot.