Lake Łagowskie

Łagów sits on an isthmus between two lakes, and the southern one is calmer and shallower. Lake Łagowskie begins right behind the village houses, while its other shores are hidden in the woods of the Łagów Landscape Park. In summer pedal boats drift across it, and at dawn the anglers come out.

Profile

This ribbon lake covers about 82 hectares, with an average depth of 5.3 m and a maximum of 13.5 m – much shallower than neighbouring Ciecz. A short canal in the centre of Łagów links it with Lake Ciecz to the north, and from the east a stream flows in from Lake Ciche. Until 1945 it was called Lagower See. The banks are steep and cut by small valleys; only the northern shore, by the village, is unwooded. The lake holds about 4.3 million m³ of water, and its catchment covers almost 48 km². Łagów, a town from 1808 to 1931, grew into a holiday resort after the railway opened in 1909.

What to see and do

• Jetties and rental points on the northern shore, with a view of the village on the isthmus and the castle tower.
• Pedal boats and kayaks – the shallower water makes for easy paddling, also with children.
• Plants – reeds, yellow water-lilies and reed sweet-grass along the shore, with underwater meadows of pondweed and stonewort.
• Fishing – a bream-type lake, managed in one fishing district together with Ciecz.

Tripto tip

It is loveliest in the morning, before the rental points open. Combine the lake with a walk over the canal and through the Polish Gate to the other side of the isthmus and Lake Ciecz – less than a kilometre. Allow about two hours for a pedal-boat trip and a walk.