Man-Eating Swans

Aukstaitija National Park, Lithuania

 

Finding flowers too

Here is your intrepid reporter, deep in reeds, swans and slime in Aukstaitija National Park.  Well, we’re not wet – not yet anyway, with those threatening dark clouds following our every stroke.  Yes we’re in a kayak taking in a landscape pushed together some millions of years ago by glaciers that once rumbled by.  Luckily the ice is now water, and we have a series of attractive lakes set beside a truly picturesque blend of rural and pine forest landscapes to paddle through.  Earlier, we had taken a character train from Vilnuis, 100km to Ignalina and then jumped a transfer to our homestay, a guesthouse, set amid traditional farmhouses deep in the wilds of Aukstaitija National Park.  This park is meant for getting back to nature.  Our plans included a hike and a canoe trip; not to mention being fed wonderful meals by our host Regina and her family.  I think there was meant to be some lazing about tucked into that itinerary too!

On arrival, we risked the threatening weather and set out on a hike.  This was not your usual pacey effort but rather a long, slow search through banks of pine needles for some soon-to-be-scrumptious mushrooms followed by a berry picking venture that quickly turned into a feast for gluttons!   We saw wild deer, were savaged by escaped purse-pooches, hissed at by evil swans and decided to give the Bee Museum a miss as it was getting dark.  Our hosts lit the guesthouse fire to warm chilled toes and after serving an excellent dinner, left us to relax. 

Nearby 19^th c Ginuciai Watermill is the start point for kayak tours and we had signed up for the short 3 hour trip!?!  So, learning how to paddle together (this helps with forward motion) we slipped along the narrow, shallow stream ducking under low wooden bridges, avoiding fallen trees, backtracking out of reed beds and negotiating families of ducks who would NOT give way.  This stream took us past farms and holiday cottages with little jetties and out into a wide shallow lake; quite the slime and swan fest spot. 

After gathering to learn about the park from guide Lineus, we eased our way through the reeds into another much larger lake, paddling across its smooth surface dotted with yellow and pink waterlilies and iridescent dragonflies.  We took a break from paddling and walked up Ladakalnis Hill, crested by a small oak, ringed with deliberately placed stones (it’s another wedding commitment thing!).  The view was simply stunning and we could quite understand its place in Lithuanian folk tradition.  Our paddling journey continued to the end of Lake Linkmenas, where our guide had a further surprise for us – an old castle mound.  A wooden fort of some importance had once stood on this site and its exposure in recent years by archaeologists and civic minded locals is an amazing story.  After surviving both the paddle and the hill fort’s challenging stairs, we celebrated with another custom - a swig of a life-infusing local beverage!  The day was topped off back at the guesthouse with a cleansing sweat in a sauna, a whisking with birch leaves for good measure and for some, a swim in the lake with man-eating swans.

(Apologies to Lineus, whose name I’ve most likely misinterpreted and spelled incorrectly.  Also, we’ve been able to include photos of the kayak trip with many thanks to Sanni who had the only waterproof camera.  GS did not take her camera or mobile phone knowing that this act would undoubtedly result in either a dunking or the heaven’s to open and fill the kayak.  Thus we arrived back dry but without photos!)

This family is running from hissing attack swans, who now had their eyes on me! Their patch is at the bottom of our homestay garden.  Who needs guard dogs?