Hi
So far, I haven’t really sought out lakes and reservoirs as destinations for my trips. My usual goals were beautiful gorges, mountain peaks, or castles and palaces. But that was when I went hiking, seeking adventure and knowledge, alone. Now, most of the time, my two kids join me. And what can I say? They enjoy throwing stones into the water and playing in it. Since I’m trying to guide them towards travel and hiking, I choose places that might interest them and where they wouldn’t get bored. Today, we decided to go to Blajzloch Lake.
I have to admit, I've explored the Slovak Paradise thoroughly, but I've never been to Blajzloch Lake. That's right, the lake is located in the Slovak Paradise, near the Píla tourist center. Maybe I'm exaggerating with the term "tourist center" since you won’t find any hotels here, but it is the starting point for several hiking trails.
We’re walking slightly uphill along a forest path from the parking lot. To my surprise, the parking lot is full of cars. Many people have decided to take advantage of today’s beautiful summer day for a nature walk.
After a short while, we stop. A small stream runs alongside the path. It’s our first stop. The kids are picking up stone after stone. Splash, and it's already in the water. I watch them for a moment, but then I noticed this interesting beetle in the grass. It was boldly and steadily making its way through the dense grass.
It's a weevil from the Liparus genus, specifically Liparus glabrirostris. This species enjoys mountainous and forested areas. The yellow spots on its body serve to scare off predators, warning them that this beetle is either dangerous or doesn't taste good. It certainly isn’t dangerous, but I’d rather not taste it.
I was fascinated by its snout. It is used to bore holes into hundreds of plants. The weevil lays its eggs in these drilled cavities, and the larvae then feed on the plant tissues.
We probably won’t make it to the lake today. We’ve only walked a few meters after admiring the beetle with the big snout, and now our path is crossed by this butterfly. It’s from the Nymphalidae family.
Limenitis reducta is an elegant butterfly. In the right light, its wings have a purple tint, especially noticeable in males. Presumably, this is how they try to attract females. This species is not endangered, but deforestation can lead to their disappearance from certain areas. It lives on the edges of forests and in adjacent meadows. If it feels threatened, it pretends to be dead, hoping to fool and deter its attacker.
And here we are! We see the lake, and my kids run to the shore. Water is like a magnet for them. And the best part is if there are stones around that can be thrown into the water. The most important thing is that they are happy. It pleases me that they are content, and we are in such a beautiful natural environment.
Blajzloch Lake is a small reservoir. It’s man-made and surrounded by forests. It is located in the Slovak Paradise National Park. It was created as a fire reservoir, but the locals say it was built to beautify the surroundings. Either way, I’m glad it was constructed here.
The surroundings of the lake are enhanced by a wooden water mill like this one.
Water bodies are extremely important in an ecosystem. Fish live here, it provides refuge for waterfowl, and it increases biodiversity in the area. It also helps retain moisture in the surroundings.
In the middle of the lake, there’s an island. Of course, we decided to take a closer look at it. We crossed this wooden bridge. Fortunately, both of my kids managed to make it without anyone ending up in the water.
This romantic island has its charm. It’s pleasant here. We sit on the rocks and look around. It’s hot outside, but here by the water and in the forest, the temperature feels just right.
Following the educational trail that leads around the lake deeper into the valley, we come across this educational board. We stopped by it. It shows trees and cross-sections of their trunks, displaying the tree rings. These rings illustrate how the trees grew. Each trunk has its distinctive color.
I think we were all satisfied with today’s trip. We were in nature, we saw a beautiful lake, and we learned something new. It was a pleasant day spent with my children.
Thank you.