Walk along the nature trails of Belarus

Outdoor recreation is not only barbecues, tents and swimming till kingdom come. Walks in protected areas will help you take a fresh look at familiar landscapes.

Nature trail Yelnya

To spend the night at the swamp

The Vitebsk Region has unique raised bogs, which are 9,000 years old! In fact, these are 118 lakes. The largest is Yelnya. The famous nature trail of the same name passes through it. Here one can make spectacular selfies. Wood covering with railings snakes through marshy landscapes and lures into the swampy depths to the incredible beauty of the lake.
The two main attractions are cranes and cranberries. An ecofest is held in autumn to celebrate them: flight formations are escorted to warm lands amid scarlet berry mats. In Yelnya, one can go for a walk in bog shoes in Yelnya, ride all-terrain vehicles or collect a bouquet of cotton grass. However, to fall asleep on a soft pillow of moss and herbs under the starry sky is even cooler.

To solve the mysteries of Du

There is no sea in Belarus, but there are plenty of islands. In the waters of the vast Osveyskoye Lake, a piece of land with the charactonym Master is drifting. There is also another island — Du. It does not swim anywhere but also keeps many secrets. Five square kilometres of territory is absolutely uninhabited.

Island Du

There are no bridges and ferries — one can only get there by boat or by swimming. Mobile communications, electricity and other delights of civilisation are not available, but there is something more interesting. During walking tours, they offer to plunge into the world of pristine beauty. Admire the roe deer at dawn or catch a raccoon dog with a camera lens. And there is cotoneaster growing on the island, as in the Alps. Where did it come from? Mystery of nature!

To find Pushcha ‘syabry’ [friends in Belarusian]

There are two nature trails in the largest forest area in Europe, Naliboki Forest. The kilometric route ‘Syabrynsky Crossroads’ passes through three biotopes at once, which are forest, meadow and swamp. The main feature is that a herd of wild tarpan horses lives here, and in winter you can even see bison. If you go on a guided tour, experienced employees will show you the tracks of a bear and teach you to understand the language of the local birds.

Tarpan horses in Naliboki Forest

The inclusive Belokorets trail is notable for its ideal paths with a unique surface: any stroller will pass through the forest without problems, and information stands include Braille script. For lovers of cycling, routes of varying complexity and distance have been developed: from 4 – 6 to 12 kilometres, 30 and 57 kilometres.

To see flaming paws

Dreaming of miracles? You should go the Forest River natural trail in the south of the country. There are luxurious branches of the royal fern (Osmunda regalis in botany) on the high banks of the Bug. Red panicles ‘flame’ above the green paws. The locals believe that this is the ‘paparats-kvetka’ [fern flower in Belarusian] from Slavic legends, and they advise you to whisper to it your devout wish. They will not let you pick a flower: it is included in the Red Book. By the way, the local forests are the only place in Eastern Europe where it grows.
The thickets and dunes hundreds of metres long near the Bug are noteworthy. Sandy shelters in the forest were chosen by rare marsh turtles for laying eggs. If you are lucky, you might even see baby turtles.

To drink water from the holy spring

Just forty kilometres from Minsk, real murmurous waterfalls hide. They are the Sacred Springs. The most convenient way to explore them is to go down a wooded hill on a wooden deck. Fabulous impressions and photographs are guaranteed: fourteen springs gush in the shade of trees, the water from them rushes into the river Udra. Why are springs called sacred? According to legend, there used to be a church in their place. It went deep underground (why, no one will remember), leaving behind only crystal clear water. Be sure to try!

By Sofia Arsenyeva