Chalupská Slať: Bohemia's Largest Peat Bog Lake

Chalupská Slať (German: Großer Königsfilz) is a remarkable peat bog located in the Šumava National Park, near the village of Borová Lada. This natural monument features a transitional type of peat bog, situated between a valley and a mountain plateau, at an elevation of 900–950 meters. Covering an area of 137 hectares, Chalupská Slať is one of the most significant peat bogs in the Šumava region. The bog's formation began after the Ice Age, approximately 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, in a shallow basin lake. Over time, the lake filled with vegetation like reeds and sedges, followed by sphagnum moss, which now dominates the landscape. The average peat depth is 1.9 meters, but it reaches up to 7 meters near the lake. A 260-meter educational trail on a wooden boardwalk allows visitors to explore the bog safely. The trail leads to the largest peat bog lake in the Czech Republic, covering 1.3 hectares, where floating islands create a unique and picturesque scene. These islands host rare plant species, including carnivorous sundews, mud sedge, and poor sedge. The surrounding area features cottongrass, cranberry, gray sedge, and black sedge. Historically, peat was extracted from Chalupská Slať, particularly after a paper mill was built in Františkov in 1895. Peat extraction intensified until the economic crisis of the 1930s and ceased entirely with the establishment of the Šumava Protected Landscape Area in 1963. Interestingly, Chalupská Slať was also part of the route used by smuggler Kilián "Franz" Nowotný, known as "Channel 54," who operated between Czechoslovakia and Germany. Today, Chalupská Slať is a protected area within the Šumava National Park, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the unique beauty and biodiversity of this upland peat bog.