The best traffic-free bike rides around Plußsee

I'd only ever seen painted cows like these at numerous Swiss locations... lovely to see the two of them frolicking in front of the Dieksee promenade.

A lovely rest area at the narrow point between Höftsee and Behler See... Just sit down and let nature work its magic.

The wind often dies down in the evening, calming the lake. Its surface becomes mirror-smooth, perfectly reflecting the vibrant colors of the sky. The Schöhsee, described as tranquil and idyllic, enhances this effect of slowing down.

On the mirror-like surface of the lake, the shadows of the trees danced, while on the opposite shore, the first lights of the houses twinkled like tiny stars. A rowboat, moored all day, rocked almost imperceptibly. In that moment, time seemed to stand still, and the Dieksee became the perfect place to let the day end in peaceful serenity.

The lake, situated in a hilly landscape, is bordered by extensively managed grassland to the north and east, a mixed forest to the southeast, an allotment garden and a cemetery on the southern shore, as well as private gardens, a fishing club on the western shore, and a path running directly along the lake for approximately 800 meters. West of the cemetery is a large, unsupervised bathing meadow, and another bathing area can be found in the forest. Furthermore, it has three small, wooded islands (from west to east: Kleiner Warder, Mittelster Warder, Großer Warder). The lake level fluctuates between a maximum of 22.45 meters above sea level in spring and a minimum of 22.27 meters above sea level in late summer (data from 2001). During the winter months, Schöhsee is of regional importance for several waterfowl species, particularly for up to 2,000 tufted ducks. Furthermore, the lake is part of the hunting grounds of white-tailed eagles and a breeding ground for oystercatchers, great crested grebes, kingfishers, common goldeneyes, and many other waterfowl species. Due to the relatively small catchment area resulting from the lake's low nutrient content, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, and the consequently limited algae growth, Lake Schöhsee, with a summer visibility of over 3.5 meters, is one of the clearest lakes in Schleswig-Holstein. The use of motorboats and sailboats on the lake is generally prohibited, while canoes, rowboats, and paddleboats may use it with permission obtained from the angling club. The Max Planck Institute for Limnology (since April 2007, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology), which existed under this name until 2007 and is located on the shore of Lake Schöhsee, studied, among other things, the inland water ecosystem there. Since the lake, which is currently in good ecological condition, particularly with regard to underwater fauna and vegetation, and has only a limited capacity for regeneration due to the relatively long exchange time, it requires strict protection to maintain this condition. Any potential threat would arise from the intensification of agriculture and the use of fertilizers on fields or in gardens.

Autumn at Schöhsee in Plön (Holstein Switzerland) is known for its particularly beautiful and peaceful atmosphere.

We visited here in winter. It was very beautiful here, even at this time of year.

Evening atmosphere at Lake Schöhsee. Situated in a hilly landscape, the lake is bordered by extensively managed grassland to the north and east, a mixed forest to the southeast, an allotment garden and a cemetery on the southern shore, as well as private gardens, a fishing club on the western shore, and a path that runs directly along the lake for approximately 800 meters. West of the cemetery is a large, unguarded bathing area, and another bathing area can be found in the forest.