The name of the lake Jêdzelewo may bring to mind babo jêga or meridian, a Masurian female demon, which could be found in the cornfields. But nothing of the sort. The name came into being as a result of polonization of a German word Insel, meaning an island, so Jędzelewo Lake is “a lake with an island”. In historical and cartographic sources the names Hensell, Henselin, Hensel, Henselewo See, Hänsel See appeared.
For several decades, the lake, with an area of about 150 hectares and a maximum depth of 13 m, has been home to two islands – a large and a small one. The first one was inhabited already in the Stone Age! The second was formed by anchoring a community of branches and roots in the shallows at the outflow of the Gawlik River (Młyńska Struga).
Even before the war the landscape values of Stare Juchy and its surroundings, especially Garbas and Łaśmiady lakes, were recognized. Lack of direct connections with large bodies of water, conducive to sailing, prevented the development of this branch of tourism. Three inns located at the Yuzk market were focused on serving people coming here for trade purposes, including fairs. Nevertheless, the area around Stare Juch began to attract fishermen and those who were looking for peace and quiet among the beautiful landscape. After 1945, scouting tents began to appear in the area, and in the late 1960s and early 1970s the first camping cabins and a holiday resort were built at Jêdzelew.
The promotion of Stare Juchy as well as the landscape and tourist values of the area were film productions. Karate po polsku (Karate in Polish), directed by Wojciech Wójcik, premiered in 1983. In 1998, a nine-episode series Siedlisko was made, directed by Janusz Majewski.