Kids in Prague

Lhota Sand Lake with Playgrounds and Beach, Lhota-Mlada Boleslav

Swimming Activities, Activities on 01 July 2013 by Darina

Probably the closest Sand Lake to Prague with infractructure, clean water and pine trees all around, kiosks and a sand beach. I must admit it was a nice change to come here after all those swimming pools we have visited over summer. Firstly, even if many people arrive the water isn’t overcrowded and there is lots of space for a good swim. Secondly, it’s a nice connection to nature and a rest from chlorinated water. These last weeks of August 2012 will be HOT!! So enjoy these last swims of Summer!
Pls. see update at the bottom from 27.7.2013

Lhota sand lake is an old sand mine as are many lakes in the Czech Republic. Such lakes are known for clean and healthy water. In the past 10 years Lhota lake has become a very popular summer swimming destination. They have developed the sand beach and lake into a decent summer centre with everything you need. I used to come here when there were owners for different parts of the beach so it was very unclear where to go and each part had different entry fees and attractions.

Finally they understood that divided they stand – united they fall so they united all entries and the beach!

So there is just once entrance, one big parking lot and you can easily walk around the whole lake without being stopped by fence. The fee is very reasonable and you pay for the day. It’s a perfect set-up for the families with kids. The whole lake is surrounded by pine trees that provide shade for the smallest ones. Many families bring half-tents and build up their own spot under the trees.
Here you can take all the inflatables, that are banned from most of the Swimming Pools!

Within the pine trees are different attractions for kids such as playgrounds with swings and climbing frames, kiosks with refreshments, small shops with gadgets and swimming gear.

You might want to turn to the right when you get here with kids or stay right across the entrance. All the playgrounds are here as well as kiosks. If you turn left soon you will find your self in close proximity to the clothing optional beach. It is separated by green textile fence from the “normal” beach but the path and the forest around are all connected. Us Czechs we do not really care but many other nationalities could find nudity in large numbers confronting.

In the kiosks you will find typical Czech refreshments and food like: fried cheese, chips, hot-dogs, sweet corn or Langos with cheese and garlic. Apart from beer and Coca-Cola you might like to try Czech raspberry lemonade called: Malinovka. Its very refreshing and its either drafted or poured from bottles. The draft one is better and that’s the only thing we usually drink when there. Its traditional and briings up memories from childhood.

In case you forget kids arm bands and inflatables you can get them here as well as towels and goggles. The water here is clean and many kids were diving. This is a big lake yet we swam across it with our boys twice in one day. Yes, we had one inflatable with us so they could rest occasionally but it was such a free feeling to swim across whilst not kicking any other people and having all this space to ourselves.

Here you can also rent small wooden huts and stay for a night or a week camping, have a bonfire or grill sausages. We will do this for sure next year because the boys love it. The whole area has many nice forests where you can go for mushroom picking too. Just what our kids need lately - less commercialism, more nature and simple fun. Back to their roots as I call it :-)

To our horror we lost Niki here once. We were terrified. The last time we looked he was in the water with Marcus – diving with his fins and goggles. Both my boys swim very well but 15 seconds later we could not see him and ran into the water. We looked everywhere and my husband started diving for him because he was nowhere to be seen. Just try to imagine.

I ran to the Life-Guards office which is the biggest building on the beach (on the exit path) and asked them to call his name out on the PA system. They did and started looking for him with us, so to cut the whole HORROR short when we thought he must be under the water – we found him almost on the other side of the lake.

He had left with his fins and goggles which made It even worse because if he had left them on the beach we would have at least assumed he had not drowned. But Nikki being Nikki – was on the nude beach…..he had walked and walked after not recognising our umbrella (the whole beach looks the same) so he thought he would eventually find us.

His father cried when we finally found him. The best thing is to tell your children to stay in one spot if they think they are lost and talk firstly to a mother they see or go to the first shop or kiosk and tell the shop keeper they are lost. For the rest of the day we did not let him let him go more than 2 metres from us and eventually we sent him to the playground. It’s a nice break for the kids after spending too much time in the sun as the playground is hidden in the shade of the trees.

The quality of water is being checked by hygienists constantly and it was always very good. 2 years ago however there was a plague of green weeds that are called: Sinice in Czech. They are unhealthy and I always check if the lake is covered with it. This year the water has been perfect but when we swam to the other side there was a bit of green stuff in the water. No big deal.

You could always rent a paddle boat which we always do and spend a half day on it in the middle of the lake, but this year I didn’t see any there. Maybe they were out for maintenance. They had some small boats you could rent. Apart from this they have Zorbing for Kids – a big plastic ball filled with air – you get in it and run on the water. From what I know – it’s quite energy consuming!

There are other – smaller sand lakes around the area where you can also go for a dip but they dont have such good infrastructure and its just at your own risk. I tried and since Lhota is so great it isn’t worth it. Sure – its for free… but the entrance fee to Lhota is so small its not even worth trying. Yet, don’t get confused by the other lakes. The one you want has a big parking lot for up to 1400 cars and sits in the middle of green fields surrounded by pine trees. When you enter Lhota – the village – you will see sign saying: JEZERO LHOTA (jezero means Lake).

UPDATE ON 27.7.2013

So we went to the Lhota Sand Lake (you will find on our web) today and thanx God we did. I dont know what it must have been today in Prague. This weekend we experienced a heat wave of 40C. We were shocked to see tons of cars parked 1.5-2km before the lake, and people walked this distance even with small kids. Although we were directed to park there we have driven all the way to the main entrance with car-park. I am happy we did. They let us in without any problems. In case you decide to go there, dont get fooled. Just drive all the way to the end. If the parking lot would be really full, you can at leats drop your family off there and park elswhere. This was a first time we experienced it at this lake..despite the parking situation the lake had plenaty of room for everybody. If you have a chance you will spend a nice there.

There are also other lakes in this area. When going towards Lhota, you will pass by a village called Borek. Next to Borek there is a sand lake as well. Yest again only Lhota Sand Lake has a infrustructure with Kiosks, shops and Life Guard.