​

Hello travellers,

Have you ever hiked in a nature reserve?

I heard a long time ago about this beautiful place in Romania, where I did a hike there that I want to share with you, it's called Lake Ochiul Beiului.(Beiului eye)

What is this lake?

It is one of the most sought-after tourist attractions in Caras-Severin County, Lake Ochiul Beiului, a protected monument of nature, fed by an underground spring, almost unreal in colour.

About Ochiul Beiului,

Lake Ochiul Beiului is located in an impressively wild area of the Cheile Nerei - Beusnita National Park, at an altitude of 310 meters.

The shape of the lake is that of a crater with a depth of 3.6 meters, and the water is so clean that the trout swimming in it can be admired in all their splendor, being considered the most fantastic place in Romania.

Interestingly, this lake never freezes, with the water temperature remaining constant throughout the year at between 4 and 8 degrees Celsius.

Ochiul Bei and Beusnita Waterfall (I'll do another blog about this waterfall) are two important sights in this fascinating world of legends.

The transparency of the water, in which the pine forest and the sky are mirrored, the turquoise colour of the lake, almost surreal, make this a fairytale place.

It is said in the area that if everyone passed by Lake Ochiul Beiului at least once a year, it would be much healthier.

Why is it worth visiting?

This wonderful place is worth visiting for the following reasons:

• is one of Romania's magic places and attractions;
• is a hidden gem in the woods;
• Legend has it that visiting the lake chases away depression;
• the way to the lake is not so easy, but when you get there all the effort is worth it;

Location

In the Anina Mountains, in the locality of Sasca Montana and the Cheile Nerei reserve - here you will find Ochiul Beiului, Caras-Severin county.

The trail to the lake is an easy one through the woods on an almost flat path, and if you do the trail in summer it's a great thing to take a walk in the shade.

Legend of the lake,

One of the local legends says that the lake was formed after the son of a famous king who ruled the area fell in love with a shepherd's daughter while hunting hundreds of years ago.

According to the legend, the Turkish beiul, named Beg, fell madly in love with a young local girl, whom he kidnapped and imprisoned in the Great Tower of the Nerei Gorge.

But during the night, with the help of a rope woven from her own dress, the girl manages to escape and run away, coming to the base of the cliff in the Nerei Valley.

This didn't sit well with the bei, which is why he ordered the girl killed.

Out of such bitterness, the son of the beiului shed so many tears that he filled the lake that today bears his name and the colour of the young man's eyes.

Desperate that the girl could no longer be brought back to life, the son of the bearded man ended his life in the same place.

In fact, the lake is shaped like an oval crater, or eye, about 20 metres in diameter.

It is also said that the girl turned into a river - Beusnita River, and the young man into a lake - Lake Ochiul Beiului.

The hike to get to the lake area was amazing, in the following I will share with you some photos taken on the way to the lake, enjoy them.

Conclusion,
Nature is full of undiscovered landscapes, why not try this experience once.

Thank you for following my article today, and I hope you enjoyed my little hike to Lake Ochiul Beiului in Romania, if you ever have the chance to visit, don't miss the opportunity.

See you in the next post.