Majdan Sopocki Reservoir

Among the pine forests of central Roztocze, the Sopot river widens into a reservoir of about 16 ha. The lake at Majdan Sopocki is the main spot for summer swimming in the Susiec area: there is a bathing area with a sandy beach and a lifeguard post, and a wooden pier reaches out into the water with a view over the whole lake.

A reservoir on the Sopot

The Sopot is a right-bank tributary of the Tanew, about 23 km long. A few kilometres downstream from the reservoir, the river cuts into the edge of Roztocze and forms the cascades of the Czartowe Pole nature reserve. The reservoir is fed by river water, so it is clean and rather cool. Majdan Sopocki consists of two villages – Majdan Sopocki Pierwszy and Drugi ("First" and "Second") – on opposite sides of the Sopot valley; the bathing area with its beach and pier is on the western shore.

Things to do

• Swimming and sunbathing – in season the bathing area is supervised by WOPR water rescue lifeguards.
• A stroll on the pier – the wooden pier is a good place to watch herons and swans, which visit the lake.
• Water sports – in summer you can rent kayaks and pedal boats.
• Fishing and walks along paths around the lake, among pine forest.

A bit of history

The village grew up in the Sopot valley on the estates of the Zamoyski family. Sources give different dates: 1674, when the settlement was founded and leased by Wilhelm Jan Braun, a merchant from Gdańsk, or 1720, recorded as the start of the "Majdan". The word majdan meant a camp square around which forest-clearing settlements grew. In October 1942 German forces carried out reprisals against the village, and in July 1943 they expelled its inhabitants.

Tripto tips

The bathing area operates in summer, and the municipality holds a season-opening event here. In season there are guesthouses, a campsite and small food outlets, and a scout camp of the Polish Scouting Association (ZHP) is nearby. Regional road 853 from Tomaszów Lubelski to Biłgoraj runs along the northern edge of the village. Plan 2–4 hours by the water; out of season the lake is a quiet place for a walk. Nearby, consider the Nowiny quarry with its viewing platform, the Czartowe Pole nature reserve and the Firefighting Museum in Oseredek.