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Natural wonders are not necessarily high summits or endless underground labyrinths. Volyn region in north-western Ukraine presents its own small and comfortable wonder in the depths of Svitiaz Lake. Chosen as one of Ukraine’s seven natural wonders, the lake’s blue waters hide other reasons for its fame: Svitiaz is the deepest, largest and one of the clearest lake in Ukraine.
Travellers come to Svitiaz Lake for its golden sandy beaches, warm crystalline waters, clean air, forests and scrubland teeming with mushrooms and berries, and even for the excitement of sport fishing. The lake is part of the Shatsky National Nature Park founded in 1983 at a picturesque borderland straddling Ukraine, Belarus and Poland. The park includes 22 lakes – each unique in its own way.
Svitiaz Lake, however, is the largest freshwater lake at Shatsky NNP, its deepest, and perhaps the most beautiful and renowned among all the Shatsky Lakes. It is also quite isolated in that it is only fed by underground springs. The lake covers 26 km2, is 9 km long by almost 5 km wide, and has a coastline over 30 km long.
Impressively, the transparent waters of Svitiaz Lake mean its visible depths reach 8 metres, while its maximum depth is 58.4 metres. Not even Lake Balaton in Hungary or the Azov Sea in Ukraine can compare. At the same time, the lake’s shallow coastline, where children splash and play along throughout the summer, makes it easy to forget the lake’s imposing depth.
Svitiaz Lake is surrounded by birch and oak forests that grow very close by, their reflections mirrored on the surface of the lake. An island in the centre of the lake has a romantic name, the Island of Lovers, and is rather large, covering 7 hectares. On the island, according to a local legend, a young couple in love turned into sycamore and linden trees.
The soft water of Svitiaz Lake has long known fame for its healing properties: in the Middle Ages legend has it that its waters were capable of fighting cholera. Aristocrats, mostly women, from Warsaw were known to order it for their own baths, since bathing in Svitiaz’s waters makes the skin baby-soft and wounds heal faster. Following World War 2, the waters of Svitiaz Lake were used to treat wounded Soviet Army officers and soldiers. The secret behind the lake’s curative effect has a simple explanation: the local water contains iodine, silver and glycerine. Additionally, the water is 20 times cleaner than that from the Moscow River system.
Another marvel of the lake is the fish! The main local delicacy is eel: they say a 5-kilogrammes giant was once caught here. Fishermen also catch pike, catfish, perch, bream and pike-perch here. Passionate fishers feeling down on their luck should head to Big Black Lake in Shatsky NNP. They call it the “Fishermen’s Hope”: at Big Black Lake, the fish are always biting!
The fabulous atmosphere of Svitiaz Lake has given rise to several legends. One of many was recorded by renowned Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz in the 19th century. Once upon a time, at the site of the lake there stood a beautiful city and a stronghold belonging to Prince Tugan. While the Prince was defending the land of his neighbour, Mendog, enemy forces approached the city walls in order to lay siege. Tugan’s beautiful daughter prayed to Heaven, asking to be hid from the enemy. Heaven answered her prayers and hid the castle underground, while in its place a beautiful lake appeared, surrounded by shining prince-like flowers.
The small town of Shatsk is the gate to Shatsky NNP. It offers the relaxed atmosphere and developed infrastructure of a resort. For those preferring more quiet environs, the banks of Pulemetske Lake, the second-largest after Svitiaz with an area of 1,638 hectares, offers a respite from civilization and oneness with nature. As a reminder to visitors, tents are allowed only in designated camping areas within Shatsky NNP.
Roughly 10 percent of the park’s 49,000 hectares form part of a nature reserve. In all, 32 of the 789 species of local plants are listed as protected in Ukraine. Among those included on the protected list are 33 species of Shatsky fauna such as grey cranes, wild bores, moose, black storks and musk beavers.
Every visit to Svitiaz brings opportunities for new and exciting experiences: visit the time-worn log houses in Ostrivya village, enjoy a boat ride in the shallows of Piskove Lake or feed whooping cranes on Looki Lake. Or simply share a meal with friends: a huge, mouthwatering fish caught in this Ukrainian natural wonder.
GETTING THERE
UIA offers direct daily flights to Kyiv from most large Western European capitals and the Gulf. With your Panorama Club card you can earn miles on all UIA flights and those of our partner airlines.
Buy tickets on line at www.flyUIA.com.For more information, call us in Kyiv at 0-44 581 5050.
KyivStar, MTC, life:) and Beeline cellular service subscribers can dial 566. The call costs UAH 1,00 per minute for KyivStar and life:) subscribers, UAH 0,95 per minute for Beeline subscribers, and is billed as a call to a city line for MTC subscribers
How to get there from Kyiv: Take one of the frequent trains from Kyiv to the town of Kovel (460 km) in Volyn region. From the bus station in Kovel, minibuses go directly to Svitiaz Lake.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Shatsky National Nature Park address and contacts:
Svitiaz village, Shatsk district, Volyn region.
Tel.: 0-3355 295 15
Website: shatsky-ozera.com.ua ; www.shatsk.com.
Holidays at Svitiaz and other lakes of Shatsky NNP:
Numerous hotels, resorts, cottages, private houses and apartments are available for rent just outside Svitiaz to suit any taste or budget. For accommodations and excursions, visit www.svityaz-tour.com.ua.
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