Lakes In Linz
Popular with tourists, the Austrian city of Linz has some of the cleanest swimming lakes in the country. In recent years, the water quality of these lakes, including Pichlinger See, Pleschinger See and Weikerlsee, has been consistently rated as “good”. AGES takes care of water analyses; Linz AG monitors the lakes mentioned above. With facilities including swimming areas, green spaces, restaurants, playgrounds, campgrounds and different recreational activities, each lake presents a different experience. These lakes have a decades-old history; some of them were created in the area by gravel mining operations. Although the historic growth of algae in these lakes presents challenges, efforts have been made to preserve and improve their quality for tourism. In addition, the lakes are ideally located for both residents and visitors since public transportation allows them to be reached. Each lake offers unique qualities and attractions that provide visitors with a diverse spectrum of experiences.
Pichlinger See
An artificial recreational area called Pichlinger See is located in Pichling, southeast of Linz, Austria. It includes a swimming lake, a green belt with shops, parks, playgrounds and a campsite as well as parking spaces. Dependent on slow groundwater flow, the lake, with a water surface area of 31 hectares and an average depth of 4.5 meters, has no inlet or outlet. Its lowest point is six meters below the surface.
The beginnings of the lake lie in the gravel mining of the Pichling region for several construction projects, including the Hermann-Göring-Werke of 1938 and the A1 motorway (Westautobahn). Originally the result of gravel dredging, the lake has been a swimming area since 1947. Mammoth tusks were found during mining operations in the 1950s; Ice Age embankments are visible to the north of the lake.
The efforts of Linz AG, formerly Stadtbetriebe Linz (SBL), helped keep the lake attractive despite obstacles including algae growth in the mid-1980s and 1990s. By the mid-1990s, algae and the silt were removed using suction dredges; Linz AG is still responsible for the lake, which is a popular place for many leisure activities all year round.
The Pichlinger See attracts up to 40,000 bathers per day in summer and has facilities including a 3.5 kilometer walking and running track. The lake is also used regularly for several seasons by divers, fishermen, surfers, skaters and curling enthusiasts. Especially on weekends and public holidays, lifeguards guarantee safety during the swimming season.
Linz AG bus lines 11 and 19, running every 15 minutes, as well as tram line 2, which is extended to Pichlinger See, help to facilitate access to the lake. The Western Railway stop in Linz Pichling is also connected to the Upper Austrian S-Bahn network.
The leisure area offers free Wi-Fi, a circular path of almost 3.5 kilometers, a fountain, children’s play areas, sports facilities including football, table tennis, basketball and beach volleyball. In addition, the leisure experience at the Pichlinger See is enhanced by a small golf course and a camping area welcoming visitors and long-term guests.
Pleschinger See
Consisting of several facilities, the local recreation area known as Pleschinger See is located in the municipality of Steyregg in Upper Austria. These include a swimming lake, green areas with parking lots, restaurants, snack bars, playgrounds, a campsite and an allotment garden inaugurated in 2004. Especially since May 29, 1982, an area designated nudist welcomes nudists and their friends, usually visited. by the inhabitants of Linz due to its proximity.
Covering a 13-hectare body of water and depths of up to eight meters, the Pleschinger See offers plenty of space for water sports. Around the former gravel mine, a two-kilometer pedestrian and cycle path offers visitors breathtaking views. The lake attracts up to 30,000 bathers every day in summer; divers and fishermen enjoy its waters in spring and fall. Ice skating and curling find their place there in winter.
Equestrian trails across the Nibelungen and VEST bridges as well as car-free trails along two streams to the east provide easy access to the lake. The Steyregger Bridge, however, does not have direct access for pedestrians or cyclists. Since the 1990s, the lake has seen increased vehicle traffic, alongside an increase in parking spaces.
Bus line 33 has provided direct access to the lake since 2005; it stops on the east side, separating the nudist areas from the textile areas. Children’s playgrounds, volleyball courts, free Wi-Fi, a circular path of about two kilometers, a fountain, a beach volleyball court and sports facilities such as football, table tennis , basketball and slacklining abound in the lake area. A campsite also particularly attracts cyclists, thus enhancing the Pleschinger See as a comprehensive leisure site.
Weikerlsee
Located in the urban district of Pichling in the southeast of Linz, the Kleine Weikerlsee and the Große Weikerlsee are local recreational areas with unique qualities. These include green spaces, parking lots, toilets, a snack bar and a nudist area in the middle of the swimming lakes. A waterway connects the two lakes; the larger lake has rainwater retention basins nearby.
Since the 1950s, the Weikerlsees, resulting from gravel mining, have been used as bathing lakes. In 1994, Linz purchased the lakes with the intention of transforming them into a local recreation area for neighbors. Environmental problems led to the abandonment of an ambitious project to cover the vast Weikerlsee with slag dating from 1982, as evidenced by the incomplete pillars of the Traun bridge.
The main Weikerlsee has a depth of 7 meters while the smaller one has a depth of 3 meters; their cumulative surface area in water is almost 30 hectares. Although both lakes have low water temperatures and mud-covered bottoms, only the smaller lake allows swimming due to its nature reserve status. Around the lakes, several rules control behavior, including bans on dog bathing, boating, fires and tents; they also specify dog leashes and waste disposal rules.
Growing at the turn of the century, the Petit Weikerlsee has a separate naturist area. With additional facilities on the south shore including a snack bar and toilets, a bridge with a viewing platform separates the nudist area from the textile beach.
