Spechtensee

Geschichte

The Spechtensee is a lake on the southern edge of the Totes Gebirge mountains in Austria in the parish of Pürgg-Trautenfels near Wörschachwald. The lake is named after the Specht family who were formerly resident in Stainach and who lived on the so-called Specht Estate (Spechtengut, nowadays Schloss Sonnhof="Sonnhof Manor House") until the end of the 19th century. The Spechtensee was part of the estate.The lake is drained by the Wörschachbach stream, which flows through the famous Wörschachklamm gorge into the Enns valley. It has a maximum depth of eight metres, according to other sources it is eleven metres deep. The lake, which can be as warm as 23 °C in summer, is also used as a swimming lake. On its northern shore is a bathing area and in the middle of the lake a small bathing platform is anchored. In the vicinity of the lake is the Spechtensee Hut, a mountain hut belonging to the Austrian Alpine Club and there is a circular walk around the lakeside.Flora and faunaOn the eastern side of the lake is a fen that transitions via a quaking bog (Schwingrasen) into the open waters of the lake. There is another important quaking bog on the western lakeshore. The White Water-lily flourishes in the southern part of the lake and Signal Crayfish are bred here. Fish species occurring in the Spechtensee include the Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout as well as Tench, Rudd, Roach, Chub and Pike.