Lake Ińsko

Ińsko is a lake in the Ińsko Lakeland, within the boundaries of the town of Ińsko in Stargard County. It covers 596 ha, has banks that are steep in places and an island that is a nature reserve. It belongs to the Ińsko Landscape Park, and at the same time it is one of the more popular diving sites in the voivodeship.

What the lake looks like

The body of water is 5.4 km long, 2.1 km wide and up to 42 m deep. It consists of several lake troughs, and the lake bed is very varied. The shoreline is 32 km long. The banks are mostly high and in places steep, because they are formed by moraine hills with a relative height of up to 30 m. The northern shore is wooded. The lake has two large bays with names of their own, Miałka and Ścienne.

There are three islands on the lake with a total area of 22.3 ha. The largest, with an area of about 20 ha, is the Wyspa Sołtyski nature reserve. The Ina River flows through the lake and connects it with Lake Stubnica.

Nature conservation

The lake is part of the Ińsko Landscape Park and lies in the Ostoja Ińska special protection area for birds in the Natura 2000 programme. On the north-eastern shore is the Kamienna Buczyna forest reserve. The lake is home to Pallasea quadrospinosa, a crustacean rare in Poland and a relic of the Ice Age.

Diving and the bathing area

According to Wikipedia the lake is one of the most popular diving sites in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. This is due to easy access, good underwater visibility, abundant fauna and flora, and the facilities of the local diving centres. Several unusual objects have been placed under the water, including sunken cars, road signs and a desk with computer equipment.

The town has a municipal bathing area, off which large boulders lie in the water.

Nearby

In the town itself stands the Church of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and about 2 km from the lake lies the Jewish cemetery in Ińsko.

Practical information

• Location: the south-eastern shore of the lake is occupied by the town of Ińsko, Stargard County.
• Municipal bathing area and diving: the rules, hours and conditions for entering the water are given by the municipality of Ińsko and the local diving centres.
• Restrictions apply in the zone of the reserves and the park, so before a trip to the island or the forest check the rules with the park's administrator.