Gorokhovoye Lake

Gorokhovoye Lake (Гороховое озеро) lies in the Pskov Region, in the Ostrovsky municipal district, about 10 km from the town of Ostrov and roughly 65 km from Pskov. The district center is about 9 km away by road. The lake belongs to the Velikaya River basin; the nearest village is Zankovo. The area used to belong to the Berezhanskaya rural district of Ostrovsky district.

Geography

The lake covers about 288 hectares together with its islands and is roughly 3 km across. Several small islands sit on the water, together about 6 hectares. The average depth is 5 meters, the maximum about 10 meters. The shore is mostly sandy, and the eastern side, with views of the islands, is usually preferred for swimming. The lake holds crucian carp, perch, rudd, roach, pike, tench, loach and ide, as well as crayfish, and is known locally as a fishing spot.

Origin of the name

Sixteenth-century Pskov land registers recorded the lake as Korokhovskoye. Over time, because the old name sounded similar to the Russian word for "pea" (gorokh), it was reinterpreted as Gorokhovoye — "Pea Lake" — and that form has stuck on maps and in everyday speech ever since.

Recreation and facilities

A state children's sanatorium called "Gorokhovoye Ozero" opened on the lakeshore in 1945 for children's health treatment. In May 1988 the "Yunost" sports and recreation center started operating there as well. Today the lake also has the "Spartak" holiday base and the children's camps "Chaika" and "Alye Parusa" — in summer the lake remains one of the main recreation spots for residents of Ostrov and nearby villages.

Getting there

From Ostrov, two daily buses toward the village of Grivy stop near the lake; they leave from the town's bus station. By car, the most convenient route from Ostrov runs through the village of Zankovo. The islands on the lake can only be reached by boat or by swimming.