Längsee

The Längsee is a largely unspoilt lake in the district of St Veit an der Glan, Carinthia. Formed by glaciers like most Carinthian lakes, it remains a remnant of a much larger body of water. The lake’s shores slope gently except on the western side, where they drop steeply. Clear water warms to 26 °C in summer, and two small bathing areas attract mainly local visitors. Shallow, marshy stretches around the lake are bordered by reeds and water lilies. The lake holds special interest for anglers, with thirteen fish species recorded. Brachsen, the commonest, can exceed fifty centimetres, while pike grow unusually large; one specimen of twenty-nine kilograms was found in 1990. Other species include wels, eel, carp and zander, making it a varied fishery. Autumn diving offers visibility up to eight metres, though unexploded Second World War ordnance may lie on the bottom. Visitors find a quiet lakeside with two bathing spots and gentle paths through reed beds and water-lily patches. The water’s surface sometimes shows a rare purple film of Thiocystis violacea bacteria. Anglers cast for hefty pike and carp, while others simply enjoy the clear, warm shallows and the surrounding marshland.