Lake Firlej

Firlej is an oval lake with no inflowing rivers, circled by a lit footpath and cycle track, with a sandy beach and a dozen or so holiday centres. It lies 12 km north-west of Lubartów, next to national road 19, and has long been one of the most popular summer swimming spots in the Lublin region.

The lake in numbers

The lake covers about 91 hectares and is up to 10 m deep. It belongs to the group of Firlej lakes on the Lubartów Upland. It has no permanent inflows or outflows: only after snowmelt or heavy rain does water run west along a seasonal stream into the lower-lying Lake Kunów. The shoreline is fairly regular and there are no islands. Fields and the village spread along the north and north-west shores, with pine forest to the south.

The history of Firlej

The village by the lake bears the name of its founder. In 1557 Mikołaj Firlej set out to found a town here; Firlej received town rights in 1629 and lost them in 1869–1870. Later owners included the Zasławski, Lubomirski and Sanguszko families. On 9 May 1831 one of the battles of the November Uprising against Russian rule was fought near Firlej, and in August 1920 Józef Piłsudski reviewed troops in the market square as they set off to the front in the Polish–Soviet War. After the Second World War Firlej developed as a holiday resort based on its pine forests and two lakes.

Things to do

• Swimming and sunbathing: a sandy beach with piers runs along the shore.
• Walking or cycling round the lake: the footpath and cycle track are lit, so you can do the loop in the evening too.
• Water sports: rental points and food stalls open in season.
• Fishing: the lake is stocked, with pike, perch, zander, eel, tench and carp among others.
• In the village itself, look at the wooden Church of the Transfiguration from 1880 and the market square lined with late 19th-century buildings.

Tripto tip

There are paid municipal car parks by the lake, with rates set by the local council. In summer this is one of the busiest spots in the area, so if you want some peace, come early or on a weekday. Lublin is about 40 km away and buses run to Firlej. The trip combines easily with Kozłówka Palace, a dozen or so kilometres away.