Gleinkersee

The Gleinkersee is a mountain lake in the north of Spital am Pyhrn, directly on the border with the municipality of Roßleithen. Although the lake is a protected area, it is a popular destination for hikers who circle it on the shore path. And it is also very popular as bathing water.

The reason for this is one of the peculiarities of this lake, which was formed in a hollow dug by an Ice Age glacier. It has hardly any inflows and outflows and is mainly fed by a spring at the bottom of the lake. The water therefore stays in the lake for quite a long time and gets unusually warm for a mountain lake in summer. The Gleinkersee is embedded in a spruce forest, larch, sycamore, hawthorn and trees that are actually typical for alluvial forests, such as black alder and ash, also grow along the banks. Plants worthy of protection, such as buckbean, thrive on its banks. Alpine roses grow on limestone blocks in the forest - they are actually native to higher altitudes, but were swept away when the rocks fell. The lake itself is known for its rare crayfish stocks.