Lakes

Lake Solina

Lake Solina is the largest retention reservoir in the Bieszczady Mountains: roughly 22 km² of water, a 166 km shoreline and depths of up to 60 m near the dam. It was created by the Solina Dam — 81.8 m high and 664 m long, the tallest in Poland — commissioned on 20 July 1968. The water, in shades of green and turquoise and wedged between forested mountains, sometimes looks like a fjord, with bays, peninsulas and viewpoints on the dam's crest.

Villages at the bottom of the lake

When the reservoir was filled, entire villages disappeared underwater: the old Solina, Teleśnica Sanna, Horodek, Sokole, Chrewt and a large part of Wołkowyza. Today a 200 MW hydroelectric plant operates below the dam.

What to do by the lake

In summer, boat cruises, sailing and windsurfing rule — a silence zone covers the whole reservoir, so you will not hear combustion engines (the only exceptions are the police and WOPR lifeguards). A walk along the dam crest and its viewing terraces is the core of any visit, while anglers go for zander, pike and perch. Use only designated bathing areas. Not every access point is safe, and obstacles may occur near the shore or below the surface.

Practical tips

The spa town of Polańczyk lies on the western shore, with accommodation in Polańczyk and Solina. In summer the reservoir bustles; after the season, calm returns, the trails empty and the dam shows its austere autumn face. Solina is not an easy body of water: the fragmented surface and high banks make the wind capricious.