Trip to Vrbické pleso

Hi

Every summer, we meet up with friends from college for an extended weekend. It's a kind of tradition for us. It's a family gathering, which means there are ten adults and a lot of children at the cabin. Every year, we choose a place where we will meet, and this year we picked a cabin in Jasná, Slovakia.

Jasná is a recreational area in Demänovská Valley. It's mainly known for its ski resort, but you can also find many tourists here during the summer. That's because it's one of the gateways to the Low Tatras National Park. There's even a cable car that takes you to one of the most famous peaks in the park, Chopok. Thanks to the cable car, the peak is accessible even to less experienced hikers. You can see it in the picture.

We can't stay in the cabin all day. I checked the map and found that Vrbické Lake is nearby. I had never been there, so I came up with the idea of going to see it. Everyone liked the idea, so we set out. We decided to walk, cutting through the forest. I found a forest path online, so we took that route.

The path starts as a paved road and gently ascends. It's a pleasant walk. At the last cabin, the road ends—at least the paved one. From there, the forest path continues, and the ascent becomes steeper. At this point, the friends with the youngest child decided to head back. The rest of us continued. The incline gets steeper, and we were waiting for one of the kids to ask to be carried, but that never happened. All the kids walked steadily at their own pace. We enjoyed spotting mushrooms along the way.

The last section is quite steep. We carried the youngest children, but the others, aged four and up, managed on their own. It's clear that when there are more kids together, they motivate each other and can achieve much more than we would expect.

We've reached the top and returned to civilization from the forest. We were greeted by a beautiful view of the lake, hotels, and stunning mountains in the background.

On the way, we passed this monument. It commemorates the opening of the first cable car to Chopok, which was in 1949. It could transport 220 passengers per hour using two-person cars pulled by a single cable.

The cable car connected the northern and southern sides of Chopok. That's right—you can reach Chopok from the other side by cable car, too. Both cable cars meet at the top. This first cable car was in operation for an incredible 50 years.

After a short rest and some photos, we continued. This lake is not our final destination. Vrbické Lake is located in the forest. We climbed a small hill and, a few meters later, reached our destination. Vrbické Lake lay before us. We were at an altitude of 1,113 meters above sea level. The air at this altitude is amazing, especially with forests all around.

And how did this lake come to be? A long time ago, glaciers covered this area. When the glaciers began to retreat, they left behind various formations, including lakes. This one covers an area of 0.73 hectares and is 8 meters deep. Vrbické Lake is one of the most well-known lakes in the Low Tatras.

We walked along the educational trail around the lake and arrived at this children's playground. It's built in the forest, in a place where I wouldn't expect to find a playground. But I have to admit, it's a great idea. It's a nice environment, with fresh air, and a place for parents to relax while their kids play.

We continued our walk through the forest, and there were plenty of mushrooms. Not many of them were edible, but that didn't matter to our little mushroom hunters. They were excited about every one they found.

My daughter insisted that I take pictures of all of them, and that's why you see so many mushrooms in this post. But I liked them too, and I enjoy taking pictures, so I was happy to fulfill her request.

Thank you.