By the late July we, my Moscow friend Vladimir, his family and I have advantage of being at lakes. This time, as against the last year's summer, (on which you can see in archived Diversions) we visited lake Borovno, some 60 km north of Valday town.

The lake lies on hilly area amidst primeval forests. There is a complex cascade of blue lakes divided by stream water, partially dammed to provide local villages with hydro-power. Multiple coves, shoals and woody islets are in galore, which we were investigating aboard a rubber boat. Many wetlands and forests border the lake, abounded in blueberry we picked and cranberry which was still unripe.

And, after a late meal (what a bliss!) to midnight we were sitting around campfire looking at the starry sky, amazing of the silence around so we begun to hum old melodies.

That part of the lake where we encamped is quiet and shallow, overgrown by inland water plants with beauty flowers. Pictured here my friend's bitch named Beauty met me foretasting when I came from a village burden with food.

Here one may get a pleasure to angle for pike and perch. This is quite possible even from ashore using a long spinning rod.

Water in the cove is colored brown due to inflow from swamps, it is not frightful to boil, but we preferred to gather it from a clear spring about 2 km off the camp.

The site lies conveniently to attain from St. Petersburg city: either by Moscow train (about 3.5 hours to Okulovka) or by car, some 250 km driving the main road towards Moscow to the small town Krestcy, then passing left about 50 km to Okulovka and then 13 km by a local road to the Borovno village. Notably is, we were driving from Valday straight on, through a wilderness by local narrow roads unpaved which can be almost impassable by most of fall and rainy summer time.

Remember, travelers should mean well, be nature-friendly since the Valday area is National Park strongly preserved for the future generation. You should encamp where permitted, observe fireplace and clean your camping prior to depart.

Hydrosphere © 1990 — 2005 Vladimir A. Shutov
Design by Timothy (Azs) Shutov © 2001