Lake Niesłysz: clear water and the islands of the Łagów Lakeland

In the Łagów Lakeland, in western Poland, spreads the largest lake of the region. Niesłysz covers almost five hundred hectares, with a branching shoreline full of little bays and three wooded islands in the middle of its surface. A dozen or so kilometres away lies Łagów, called the Pearl of the Lubusz Land, but it is on Niesłysz – between Niesulice and Przełazy – that paddlers find quiet, clean beaches and water so clear you can see the bottom.

Lake Niesłysz: what kind of water is it

Niesłysz is a polygenetic lake – a ribbon lake in the north, a moraine lake in the south – with a surface area of between 486 and 526 hectares, depending on the source. It is about 4.7 kilometres long and up to 1.7 kilometres wide, and its shoreline runs to almost 19 kilometres. The water drops to a maximum of 34.7 metres, with an average depth of about 7 metres; the surface lies 78 metres above sea level. In the middle of the lake stand three wooded islands – Koziniec, Ostrowie and Ptasia – which are a bird refuge. In the south the Ołobok flows out of Niesłysz, and with it the fortified Ołobok Canal, once run through the area of the Międzyrzecz Fortified Region. The bathing spots on Niesłysz have for years received the highest sanitary ratings (in 2025 the rating was "excellent" quality), though in environmental monitoring from 2020 the lake was classified in class III. The lake is covered by a quiet zone – craft with combustion engines are banned, so you won't meet motorboats or jet skis here.

The palace in Przełazy and the islands

On the western shore, in Przełazy, stands a neo-Gothic palace – a former residence, today one of the landmarks by the lake. Opposite, in the middle of the water, lie the three islands; the largest, covered with forest, is best circled at a distance, as it is a bird refuge. The shores of Niesłysz are broken up into bays and headlands, and among them hide intimate, sandy beaches with a gentle slope into the water – the kind children won't want to leave.

Routes on the lake

Niesłysz is large and branching, so you match your route to the weather and your strength – from calm loops by the beaches to longer crossings among the islands and towards the wild, ribbon-lake north. Below I mark the places worth visiting and the points from which it is convenient to set off.

See the area on the interactive map Click to load the map – routes on the lake, shores and weather

Safety on big water

Put your life jacket on and adjust it while still on shore. This is big, deep water – almost 35 metres at its deepest – so in the wind a wave builds quickly on the open water. Keep then to the shore and the bays, and go out onto open water only in calm weather. In summer Niesłysz has plenty of sailing boats and tourists, and the islands are a bird refuge best given a respectful berth.

How to paddle a kayak on the lake? Any way you like, as long as you follow all the safety rules. You paddle however suits you – you choose your own way and destination. There is no route, channel or course you have to keep to. Just watch out for natural obstacles and other people on the water. Adapt to the weather conditions.

How to get there and where to rent

The easiest place to start is Niesulice on the southern shore, where there are holiday resorts, a sailing marina and rentals, or Przełazy on the western shore. The lake lies in the Lubrza municipality, in the Świebodzin district, close to the road from Poznań towards the western border; nearby are Łagów and the kayak trails of the Paklica and the Ołobok Canal. Before heading out on the water it is worth checking the Kayaking Map of Poland and the water level in the area.