Staw za Turbiną

Staw za Turbiną is a water reservoir on the river Gać in Spała, surrounded by tourist trails of Spalski Park Krajobrazowy. It covers approximately 3.7 hectares and has served for generations as both a fishing location and a point on walking and cycling routes through the forest.

History of the pond

The history of the place dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when a wooden mill belonging to the Spała family stood by the pond - the settlement takes its name from this family. The family, led by Bartłomiej Spała, had to leave the area in 1884 when a hunting residence for Tsar Alexander III began to be built nearby. A hydroelectric power station with a dam was then constructed at the pond, remnants of which survive to this day and explain the name "za Turbiną" (beyond the turbine).

Fishing

The pond is a popular location among anglers from the region. The water contains pike, perch, tench and carp, making it one of the more frequently visited fishing grounds around Spała. Permit conditions and cost should be checked locally before a visit, for example at the angling club that manages the waters of Spalski Park Krajobrazowy.

Trails around the pond

Staw za Turbiną lies on a walking loop 10.1 kilometres long leading through Spalski Park Krajobrazowy. The place is visited by anglers, walkers and cyclists looking for a rest point on a route through the forest above the Pilica river, into which the Gać river that feeds the pond flows. The proximity of forests and the closeness of the former tsar's residence in Spała mean that the area around the pond is often included in longer excursions through the landscape park.

Accessibility

The area is public and accessible throughout the year, without formal opening hours. Access rules for the fishing season, including any differences between summer and winter, are best verified before planning a longer stay by the water.

Practical information

• Address: ul. Harcerska, 97-215 Spała
• Getting there: by car to Spała, then on foot or by bicycle along tourist trails of Spalski Park Krajobrazowy
• What to expect: woodland pond with remnants of a former hydroelectric station, fishing spot (pike, perch, tench, carp) and point on a 10.1 km walking route, with no fixed opening hours