Lake Deseda

North of Kaposvár lies the region's longest, one of Hungary's longest artificial lakes, Deseda. The lake was enlarged by damming the similarly named stream (and the Varga-bonyi or Varga-bónyi ditch) with a valley‑spanning gate over a length of 8 km in 1974, with the purpose of creating a flood reservoir.

The lake is a popular recreation and holiday spot for the people of Kaposvár; in summer there is a beach and an electric excursion boat, and in winter an ice‑skating rink operates here. Its surroundings, interspersed with forest and meadow, provide pleasant leisure for hikers and water‑sport enthusiasts alike. The area near Toponár is mainly visited by young people and those who enjoy sports and beach activities, while the shoreline sections touching Kaposfüred, Magyaregres and Somogyaszaló are the resting places of those seeking quiet and tranquility.

There are differing opinions about the origin of its name. It seems certain that the lake took its name from a village located near Somogyaszaló in the Middle Ages. According to some views this village was Dershida, others say Déshida (medieval spelling: Deushyda, Deshyda). Both are derived from personal names (Ders, respectively Dés), and it may have arisen that a landowner named Dés or Ders collected tolls on a bridge belonging to his property. In 1975 it was suggested that the name Déshida should be officially restored, but the idea was not realized.

Fishing

Its fish stock – which includes the native fish species of Hungary – has made the lake an acclaimed fishing paradise. The lake's fisheries management is handled by the Kaposvár Sport Fishing Association. Annual permits and day tickets for fishing can be obtained here.

The lake's water depth and bottom formation show a varied picture. In the southern parts, closer to the Gáta, it can reach a depth of 3–3.5 metres, while in other parts of the lake (especially north of the old road 67) the water depth is only about 1 m. A large number of anglers can fit simultaneously on the long shores of Deseda, and boat fishing is also possible. In September 2017, the 19th pontyfogó World Championship was held here with the participation of 208 competitors from 26 countries, which was the first such event in the history of Hungary.

In Deseda the following fish species live: carp, amur, crucian carp, roach, bleak, catfish, pike, rainbow trout, cutting barbel, meadow barbel, crucian, balin, white bream, eel, stone loach, ringed roach, red‑winged roach, bodorka, kös, perch, koi carp, sunfish, cutting barbel, dwarf catfish, river goby and Chinese razbora.

According to verified measurements the largest caught Deseda carp was 99 kg, the largest common carp was 22.8 kg, the largest pikeperch was 11.1 kg, while the record for koi carp is 10.8 kg.

Tourism

Deseda is completely surrounded by varied hiking trails, which are also walkable by bicycle. Thanks to the newly built bike path, almost the entire lake can be cycled around on an asphalt bike path. A viewpoint built on the western side of the lake offers a beautiful view of the lake and the surrounding forests. In suitable weather, an electric excursion boat also sails on Deseda's water.

On the largest peninsula jutting into the lake, north of road 67, an arboretum was established in 1978, which has been accessible via a bridge since 2001 (free of charge). The bridge will be rebuilt in 2022.

In 2014 the Fekete István visitor centre opened on the toponári shore, and in the spring of 2015 an adventure forest was created on the north side of the lake, with educational trails, playgrounds, and since the autumn of 2017 a small “leaf‑crown promenade” also welcomes visitors. All facilities of the adventure forest are free to visit (the Fekete István visitor centre is not included).

In 2015, next to the Magyarereg road, SEFAG placed a huge “deseda” sign made of wooden letters for the purpose of allowing visitors to take photographs with the sign. This had to be removed during the construction of the new Highway 67, but in 2018 it was rebuilt at a new location: near the old Highway 67 bridge. In the same year two other bright yellow “DESEDA” signs were made near the southern end of the lake, one on the western shore and one on the eastern shore.

Since October 1997 a memorial sculpture titled “Hazatalálok” by the band Republic has stood in one of the parking lots next to the old Highway 67 bridge, and there a 5‑metre‑high wooden cross was erected in 2021 for the upcoming (held in Hungary) 52nd International Eucharistic Congress.

Water sports

On the lakeshore near Deseda Toponár, a boathouse was built in 1988, which has been undergoing a complete renovation in several phases since 2015. The building used by local kayakers includes storage rooms, a gym and changing rooms. In the spring of 2018 a wakeboard track also opened at the southern end of the lake.

Ice skating

In colder winters the lake is surrounded by a multitude of ice skaters. They mainly concentrate on the area between the old Highway 67 main road bridge and the arboretum, due to the favourable conditions.

Transport

Deseda cannot be reached directly by local bus, but several bus routes serve Toponár, which is close to the lake.

Long-distance services heading towards Somogyaszaló have a stop next to the bridge of the old road 67 spanning Deseda.

In addition, one of the stations of the bicycle sharing system called Kaposvári Tekergő is located next to the Fekete István Látogatóközpont.