Plešné jezero, Glacial lake at 1090 meters in Nová Pec, Czech Republic
Plešné jezero is a glacial lake at 1090 meters elevation in Nová Pec that spans approximately 7.5 hectares with a maximum depth of around 18 meters. The water sits in a basin carved by ancient ice, surrounded by rocky slopes and forest on most sides.
This lake was carved by glaciers during the ice age and took shape as water filled the depression. In 1781, it became part of a timber transport system when Jezerní stream was connected to a floating channel for moving wood down the mountains.
A granite monument on the lake's shore honors Adalbert Stifter, a regional writer who documented the Šumava landscape in his work. The site preserves his connection to this mountain region.
The lake is reachable via marked hiking trails from the villages of Nová Pec or Jelení, with summer providing the best trail conditions. The paths are clearly marked and moderately challenging, requiring a reasonable level of fitness.
The lake harbors two rare species found nowhere else in the Czech Republic: Spring Quillwort and a specialized copepod crustacean. This singular biology makes it valuable for conservation efforts and scientific research.
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