8 points
1 km
2.5 hours
Accompanied by the Scent of Sawdust
The other path to the lake is laid with wood chips and sawdust, an unusual solution for a footpath. This surface gives off a sweet woody aroma in both dry and wet weather, turning the walk into an aromatherapy session. The surrounding forests that supply these chips and sawdust are mostly birch and aspen woods mixed with larch and spruce, typical of the Ussuri River valley. Fluffy squirrels and quick chipmunks constantly scurry through the treetops; you can spot them by their distinctive chattering and red tails. Above the trail, nuthatches, great tits, and spotted woodpeckers call to one another, the woodpeckers giving themselves away with their drumming. And in the undergrowth, among the ferns and wild rosemary, voles and shrews rustle about; they hide in the fallen needles and leaves but sometimes flash right by the trail. Along the way you come to a birch bridge of logs and planks spanning a hollow. A stream from the lake may once have flowed here, washing out the ground and muddying people's shoes, but now the stream is no obstacle. In this damp hollow, in spring and early summer, you can hear a chorus of tree frogs and moor frogs, and under the bridge you often see traces of water voles or muskrats, which favor the marshy patches. The bridge reliably keeps your shoes clean, and the route stays dry and tidy in any weather. All that's left is to walk, breathe in the scent of wood, and enjoy yourself. And though the walk is short, it offers a full encounter with Far Eastern nature, from the resinous breath of the forest to the voices of its feathered and furry inhabitants.