Our little paradise in Aukstaitija National Park

Sunset lights on our place

So here we are, in the land of hills, lakes and forests, Lithuania's first national park (five in all), established in 1974, Aukstaitija National Park (A.N.P.). A true excitment envelops us when we first reach the place we will live in for seven months. And this spot goes beyond our expectancies. Overlooking Lake Lusiai, our comfy little apartment will provide us all the quietness we could hope, with beautiful nature all around.

Lake Lusiai is one of the 126 lakes of A.N.P. Scattered among the woods and , these lakes are often interconnected by rivulets and streams. The largest of them is lake Dringis - 721 ha. The Tauragnas is the deepest lake in Lithuania - 60 m. Over 70 % of Aukstaitija's territory is pine stands. Some of the pine trees are over 200 years old. The woods, marshes and meadows of the Aukstaitija National Park abound in rare plant species, including a number of plants that are listed in the Red Data Book of Lithuania and are protected as endangered species. The lakes and rivers, too, are rich in wildlife, from Canadian mink to a variety of birds that can bring quite a few exciting moments to a devoted birdwatcher. There is so much to explore here!

Totems above the lake

The parks territory covers an area of 30 thousand hectares and embraces some 80 settlements and villages, some of which have retained not only their old original layout but also archaic wooden farm buildings and other structures. The Paluse village, which is a tourism centre of the Aukstaitija National Park, was first mentioned in written sources in 1651. It still boasts an octagonal wooden church dating back to 1757.

Our flat is a 20-minutes walk from the headquarters of the Park. Along the way, we can admire some fifteen wooden scultpures, standing up like totems above the lake. They were carved in 1977 by a group of folk artists. Some of them were inspired by stories about devils (the devil seems to be pursuing us since Kaunas, cf. "first impressions in Kaunas").

Burial mounds

During our first days, we got the chance to discover burial mounds in the forest near the village. During almost the whole Middle Age period, between the 5th and the 13th century, people used to bury their deads, covering them with a small hill of dirt. Today, despite some illegal excavations, it is still possible to see quite a lot of them in the forest near Paluse. If you see a hill, possibly surrounded by some kind of small staves, it is most likely someone was buried there, hundreds of years ago. Actually, perhaps not someone, but a few people, or even a horse, if it had a great value.

In Paluse, near the beautiful wooden church, you can find a reconstitution of a burial mound, cut in halves, with the exhibit of a squeleton. Good to get a better idea of the Middle Age customs.

From the 5th until the 13th century, people in Lithuania and Eastern Europe
used to bury their deads in burial mounds

Botanikas Takas / Botanical Trail / Sentier botanique

Asta the biologist gives some plant explanations to Florence

Hardly fifteen minutes from our place starts the very diverse botanical trail. Diverse in terms of landscapes and plant species. More than 150 of them are presented on this 3,5 km long trail, nine of them being included on the Lithuanian Red List (this list identifies endangered species).

Edmundas shows us the work of a beaver