EYE OF NATURE – LAKE THAT NEVER FREEZES

Imagine a lake with so clear water that you can see fish swimming. Or simply, just imagine a lake – just like that, as in your imagination, it is located in Romania and is called Ochiul Beiului (translated Beg’s Eye).

It is one of the most beautiful Romanian lakes, surrounded by green forest, in the wild area of ​​Caras-Severin district, in southwestern Romania. It is located in the national park “Cheile Nerei-Beusnita” and is one of the main tourist attractions of the area.

The most interesting thing about the 3.6-meter-deep lake is that its water does not freeze even at extremely low temperatures during the winter, due to the source that permanently supplies the lake with water.

This lake that seems to have been transformed from a fairy tale into real life has also inspired several legends. One of them is a love story that ended tragically. Legend has it that the son of a famous Turkish fugitive fell in love with a shepherd’s daughter in that area. Beg did not agree with their love, so he decided to kill the young girl. Full of sorrow and grief, the bey’s son shed so many tears that he filled this lake which today bears his name and has the color of his eyes. Overwhelmed with pain and anger, the young man also decided to take his life.

That is why it is said that the bey’s son turned into Lake Ochiul Beiului, and the young girl into the Beusnita River.

Another legend says that on the night of Sanziena – the celebration of summer in Romania, fairies gather around the lake, dance, bathe and enchant men with their charm.

You can reach this lake only on foot, through the forest.

Cheile Nerei – Beusnita National Park is located in the south of Mount Aninei, Caras-Severin district. While there, you may want to see some of its other tourist attractions, such as the waterfalls of Beusnita, Bigar and Susara and Lake Dracula (Devil’s Lake).

Another interesting thing about this lake is that it has a constant temperature between 4 and 8 degrees Celsius. Many migratory birds come here every year like gray herons or wild ducks. It is located at an altitude of 310 meters, with a diameter of 15 meters. It has the shape of an oval crater or an eye, which is why it took the name that adorns it.

A tourist attraction in neighboring Romania that few people know about, and it is certainly worth attention and mention. Wonders of the world are everywhere near us, we just need a little more search for them.