18 Sep 2014
Strona główna » Places » Colourful Lakelets – the wonder of nature in Lower Silesia

Colourful Lakelets – the wonder of nature in Lower Silesia

There are magical places in Poland, created by human hand or nature. Colourful Lakelets (Polish Kolorowe Jeziorka) in Rudawy Janowickie, near Kamienna Góra, are the result of human intervention and mother nature’s work. In the 18th century, there was a mine, which was abandoned after 152 years. The mine workings, rich in various chemicals, after some time were overwhelmed by water, which transformed them into something extraordinary and pleasant to look at.

On the green trail

An educational trail leads through the land of fairy tale lakes, allowing to improve your knowledge about each of them and the surrounding flora and fauna. The route takes about an hour and the lakelets are situated at different heights. Purple Lakelet is situated the lowest, at 555 m a. s. l. and the highest one, Green Lakelet, at 730 m a.s.l. Blue Lakelet lies at an altitude of 635 m a.s.l. Along the way, you can enjoy not only the phenomenon of flooded mine workings, but also the beautiful nature of the Rudawy Landscape Park (Rudawski Park Krajobrazowy).

 

There is a gastronomic point near by and a camping place, where you can light a campfire or use the grill.

 

 

Purple Lakelet

Kolorowe Jeziorka - Purpurowe Jeziorko
Purple Lakelet owns its purple colour to the elements of iron and sulphur contained in the water. A sulphuric smell rises above the water.
Jeziorko Purpurowe
Purple Lakelet is also a leftover of the oldest mine workings of pyrite, “The Hope”, filled up with water. It is the largest one, among the Colourful Lakelets in Rudawy Janowickie.
Kolorowe Jeziorka - tunel
The tunnel carved in the rocks at Purple Lake.
Kolorowe Jeziorka - skałki
The presence of sulphur also affected rocks surrounding the lake, giving them an interesting yellow-rust colour.

Blue Lakelet

Kolorowe Jeziorka - jeziorko błękitne
Blue Lakelet, also known as Azure or Emerald. The copper ions contained in the water give this fabulous colour to the water.
Kolorowe Jeziorka - jeziorko błękitne
Azure Lake was formed in place of former pyrite mine “The New Happiness” (Neues Glück)
Kolorowe Jeziorka - Błękitne
This sky-blue lake periodically changes its colour and sometimes it even seems to be colourless.

Green Lakelet

We were not lucky to see the green lake formed in the place of the third former mine “Gustav”, because during the hot summers, sometimes it dries up completely.

Colourful Lakelets on the list of 7 new wonders of Poland

In the poll conducted in 2011 by the National Geographic Traveler magazine for 7 new wonders of Poland, the colourful lakes ranked in 3rd place. Interestingly, in the list they are the only work of nature.

The whole list includes:

1. Zamoyski / Kozłówka Palace, Lublin Voivodeship / Kozłówka
2. Garners in Grudziądz, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship / Grudziądz
3. Colourful Lakelets, Lower Silesian Voivodeship / Rudawy Janowickie
4. Nikiszowiec, Silesian Voivodeship / Katowice
5. The Central Cemetery, West Pomeranian Voivodeship / Szczecin
6. The Holy Trinity Chapel, Lublin Voivodeship / Lublin
7. The Annunciation Monastery, Podlaskie Voivodeship / Supraśl

Colourful curiosities

  • Purple lakelet disappeared in 1997 after the great flood. After some time the water overwhelmed the excavation again.
  • Blue lakelet had been dried up in 1950 to resume mining of pyrite. The project came to nothing, and the place was flooded again.
  • Because of an acidic reaction in water of Purple Lakelet, there is completely no vegetation around it.

How to get to Colourful Lakelets

The Colourful Lakelets are located in Wiesciszowice and are part of the Rudawy Landscape Park.

GPS coordinates:

N50° 49′ 46.82″

E15° 58′ 24.56″

Export as KML for Google Earth/Google Maps
Map - Colourful Lakelets

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Colourful Lakelets: 50.827542, 15.973485

 

 

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Follow Liwia:
She paints with images and words. Liwia finds joy both in long journeys "beyond the horizon" as well as in familiar everyday life, at which she looks through a colorful kaleidoscope of hers. She's inspired by the beauty of nature and stories intertwined in a stream of true emotions.

6 Responses

  1. Greeny
    | Reply

    Wow, looks nice, will add it to my plan when visiting Poland next month, thanks! Regards from Cimiez!

    • Joki
      |

      I’m glad to hear it. Enjoy your trip. Autumn in Poland is very beautiful.

  2. Oleg
    | Reply

    Looks fantastic!

    • Joki
      |

      Yes :-)

  3. Vanessa
    | Reply

    Is these lakes are swimmable?

    • Joki
      |

      I would not recommend to do this :)

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