For those who might not know what is it, should be noted that it is a lake of glacial origin. In the Slovak High Tatras there are in a total of 87 glacial lakes, but the most famous one is certainly Štrbské Pleso. It is not the largest or deepest one, nor the highest situated, but it’s just typical.

It lies at the connected point of Furkotská and Mlynická valley at the altitude of 1346.6 metres above sea level. It covers an area of 19.76 hectares and its maximum depth reaches about 20 meters. The lake is almost half of the year covered by ice.

The lakes were created in the Pleistocene by the action of glaciers, which dug them into the valleys. Due to the remoteness and high altitude such lakes have very clean water and are often a home to quite specific types of plants and animals. Štrbské Pleso is home to a fish called European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). This salmon-like fish is still widespread in many countries, but currently it can be found on the Red List of Threatened Species. It has been found yet, that whitefish from Štrbské Pleso is genetically purest of its kind in the world. The lake is also home to several other species of fish, some of them (especially perch and roach) are unfortunately direct food competitors to whitefish. The management of High Tatras national park therefore prepared a program to capture these fish, to save a rare population of whitefish.

In terms of nature is the human presence on the shores of lake negligibly short, but more intense. The first mention of a lake comes from David Frölich in 1644. Later there came hunters, loggers and miners. A lake has almost ceased to exist in 1860. It was due to the residents of nearby Štrba town, who tried to drain the lake and use that “useless puddle” for new pastures! Fortunately, they didn’t do it well …

The same-name settlement of Štrbské Pleso was founded in 1872, when there was a hunting lodge built by Jozef Szentiványi. Other buildings were then built at the instigation of Hungarian Carpathian Association. At present, a town of Štrbské Pleso is a popular winter and summer resort with many hotels and restaurants, and also serves as a climatic spa centre. With its altitude it is also the highest situated resort in Slovakia. There are lots of opportunities for hiking and skiing, including ski lifts and cable cars to Solisko peak.

Despite its mountainous location, you can get to Štrbské Pleso by both road and rail. The main gate to Štrbské Pleso and High Tatras is the city of Poprad where is an international airport as well.

Whether you come to Štrbské Pleso for hiking or skiing, you will be surely surprised with its beauty and surrounding nature. There are lots of hiking trails leading from this place to several important peaks – Kriváň (2,495 m) or Rysy (2,503 m) or you can visit the great 10 metres high waterfall Skok (1,725 m), or another popular lake Popradské pleso (1,494 m).

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Popradské pleso is also a good starting point for the tours around Mengusovská valley. To Popradské pleso you can get from Štrbské pleso following the marked trail which take approximately two hours of slow walking. Near Popradské pleso there is the symbolic cemetery. In this cemetery there is a monument to victims of the High Tatras. The cemetery is a good idea to show the number of victims who lost their lives in the mountains.

Popradské pleso covers an area of 6.88 hectares and it is 18 meters depth. In the past it was called Rybie pleso (Fish lake), as it was the only mountain-lake in the southern High Tatra Mountains with the natural occurrence of fish. The old name was first used in 1736 by Matej Bel, a prominent Slovak scholar of 18th century.

At the lake you can find Cottage of Popradské pleso where you can buy some refreshments, beer or try Slovak traditional meals (e.g. Bryndzové halušky). You can also book a room here and stay here for few nights. If so, I would recommend you to wake up very early and enjoy the sun-rise.

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There are several places from you can get to Zelené pleso:

• Tatranské Matliare (yellow-blue, 2h55″/3h30″)
• Skalnaté pleso lake (red, 2h15″/2h00″)
• Kopské saddle (blue-red, 1h00″/1h00″)
• Plesnivec cottage (red-green, 1h45″/2h00″)
• Tatranská Kotlina (red-green, 3h05″/3h30″)
• Jahňací peak (yellow, 1h40″/2h00″)
• Tatranská Javorina village (red-blue, 3h30″/4h00″)
• Veľká Svišťovka (red, 1h00″/0h45″)

There is also one of the most romantic accommodation is Slovakia – Chata pri Zelenom plese (cottage at Zelene pleso), where you can stay in a newly reconstructed room at the price of €11-€13/night.

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Domaša lake / P.matel

Optimal climate and water temperature of around 23 °C provide pleasant swimming in clean water from June through mid September. Domaša is ideal for lovers of water sports and recreation. Its shores are lined with nice hills and ridges, which offer a unique scenery and a nice view of the water surface.

Its right western side is forested, which creates a paradise for mushroom pickers, hunters and lovers of long walks.

Water surface and its shores are characterized by variety of waterfowl. You can see the black stork, bitterns, plovers, various species of ducks, swans, herons, raptors from the kite, white-tailed eagle and others.

Fishermen will find a beautiful, quiet nooks, with the possibility of hunting different types of fish – carp, perch, pike, ache, catfish, bream, eel, chub. Rich fishing is also provided by a buffer tank adjacent to small towns of Malá Domaša and Slovenská Kajňa.

If you will be looking for an accommodation, there are several hotels, pensions, cottage resorts or campings around the lake. The best time to visit Domaša is, of course, the summer, when several summer festivals take place here. Some of the best known and most popular include Miss Domaša or a music festival, Domaša Fest.

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