Let's discover the place where the 11.000 years old valley meets the short mountain stream; where the ancients oaks and lianas create the real Lithuanian jungles. The valley of Asveja Regional Park is one of the most exciting natural monuments in the park. Being the legacy of the glacial period, this valley together with the mountain stream Jurkiškis is the unique place in whole Lithuania.
Finding the canyon
In purpose to discover the valley of the park, the Jurkiškis Stream Cognitive Path is established. The walkway helps to explore these natural monuments together with the views of the old Lithuanian forests. The forest which surrounds the valley is rich in oak trees, which are the most loved in my country; from the ancient times, the oaks in Lithuania were considered sacred. The cognitive path is quite short - the wooden trail lasts for 1,5 kilometers. Together with the short bridges, stairs, and information stands, the path is a very informative and entertaining experience.
It can be quite challenging to find the Jurkiškis Stream and a path following its valley, as a deep forest surrounds it all the way along its flow. The trail is located next to Dubingiai town, around 60 km from Vilnius. From the Dubingiai town, look for a brown sign with the name "Jurkiškio upelio pažintinis takas". The valley is located only 4 km from this sign, with the road going through the old villages and forests.
A legacy from the glacier period
The Jurkiškis Stream is a very short, just 1,2-kilometer long mountain brook. In Lithuania, we do not have the actual high mountains, but the rapid water flow and high altitude differences in Jurkiškis Valley, create the image of a real mountain stream. Even though very short, the stream reaches the depth of the amazing 18 meters in its lower flow, engraved in the hilly landscape. Another amazing sight are the two lakes connected by this stream - Suoselis and Asveja, with the altitude difference of 14.5 - 15 m.
Asveja Regional Park
The Asveja Regional Park is the neighbor of Labanoras Regional Park, located near Molėtai town. The Asveja Regional Park covers an area of 122,08 square meters. Sixty-percent of the park's land is covered by forest, and 17 % of the land is dotted with lakes. Also, the park is famous for its unique swamps and ancient mounds. The highlight of the park, besides the Jurkiškis Valley, is Asveja Lake. It is the largest lake in Asveja Regional Park with the length from northwest to southeast being astonishing 22.1 kilometers. This lake is home for many unique and rare birds species.
If you visit the Asveja Regional Park, you will discover this unique type of mountain stream in Lithuania, together with its valley. By following the path of Jurkiškis Stream cognitive walkway, you will immerse in a truly unique experience - exploring the unique several thousand-year-old Lithuanian forests and natural landscapes.
Jurkiškis Stream Valley, Dubingiai
Jurkiškis River Trail, Jurkiškio upl., 33253, Lithuania
Asveja Regional Park
3H27+GH Čistabora, Molėtai District Municipality, LithuaniaThe author
Monika Grinevičiūtė
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