Lake Cerkniško is one of the largest intermittent lakes in Europe. It appears every year on the karst field, caught between the Javorniki on one side and the Bloška plateau and Slivnica on the other. In the dry part of the year, the lake disappears, so you can row, fish, walk and mow the lawn in the same place all year round!
As a rule, the lake stays in the Cerkniške polje for about eight months a year. Usually, the water spills over a surface of more than 20 km2, but when there is a lot of water, the surface of the lake measures around 26 km2. When full, Lake Cerkniško is the largest lake in Slovenia.
Lake Cerknica was first mentioned in antiquity, and it appears on European maps since the 15th century. Janez Vajkard Valvasor was the first to delve into its activities, which earned him membership in the Royal Society of London. There is a cradle of karstology and terms such as karst field and intermittent lake.
The importance of the intermittent Cerkniška lake therefore goes far beyond the borders of Slovenia. Today, Lake Cerkniško, together with Rakov Škocjan and Križna jama, has been declared an internationally important wetland - a Ramsar site, and because of its importance for the life of endangered birds, it is also a Natura 2000 site.
276 bird species were observed here - half of all European species; 45 species of mammals live here - half of all Slovenian species; 125 species of butterflies live here - just under a third of all European species; 15 species of amphibians also spawn here - almost a quarter of all European amphibian species... The biotic diversity of this area is truly extraordinary!
Humans have always been connected to the intermittent Cerkni Lake. With an abundance of fish and game, the Lake has attracted and supported people since the Stone Age. Generations of industrious hands have not least co-shaped the characteristic landscape on the moist soil of the lake basin, and by maintaining flood meadows, they still provide a habitat for endangered plants and animals.