Kocioł Wielkiego Stawu

The cirque, an oval-shaped valley surrounded by steep slopes from three sides and block of solid rock from the fourth side. It was created during the last glacial period, about 12-115 thousand years ago. It is filled with Big Pond - the largest glacial lake in Karkonosze. The areas around the Cirque of Big Pond are one of the most beautiful places in the Karkonosze National Park.

The Cirque of Big Pond can be reached by the main red trail of Main Sudetes Trail which starts in Szlkarska Poręba and goes through Śnieżka and then the upper edge of the cirque. The other way leads through the green trail which starts in Karpacz and goes through the northwest upper edge of the cirque. It is also worth to see Samotnia Refuge located by the neighboring Small Pond. It's one of the oldest refuges in Karkonosze. The first mentions about the little house by Small Pond come from 1670. The current building was built in the second half of the 19th century.

Because of the exceptional natural values, Big Pond is under strict protection. The area is off-limits to visitors. The lake can be viewed only from the edge of the cirque. The water is exceptionally clean and transparent, which temperature doesn't exceed 14 degrees Celsius even in the summer. The Pond's surface has over 8ha and depth of about 25m. It's the highest place of occurrence of the alpine newt.