Hi,
At work, we talked about different places where I could go with my kids on a trip during my vacation. I already had some ideas and had chosen places I definitely wanted to visit with them. A colleague who loves to travel and enjoys hiking, just like me, suggested a place I didn't know about. She advised us to go see Lake Úhorná. We followed her advice and set off on the trip.
We’re driving through a very beautiful valley shaped by the Hnilčík stream. I really like this route. We don’t often travel this way, so all three of us are enjoying it. I’m enjoying the drive, my son is excited by the cars passing by, and my daughter is admiring the scenery.
After almost an hour of driving, we arrive. The parking lot is full, and we struggle to find a spot. I didn’t expect this place to be so popular.
When we reach the dam, we see people enjoying summer here. There are several people in the water and on land with boats and kayaks. Some are already engaging in sports, while others are preparing to enter the water. And we head off to play on the playground behind the dam. Typical.
They don’t play long on the playground. We’re in a new place and need to explore the surroundings. They can play at home, after all. So, we take a walk along a path that runs along the lake. Trees line the path, and besides the beautiful lake, there’s also a lovely forest.
There’s also a small stream flowing here. So we decide to search for treasures hidden in the water. And we actually find one.
My daughter is carefully sifting through stones, washing them when she suddenly yells. I rush over to her to see what happened. As she crouched by the water, this frog jumped onto her back.
This beautiful brown frog came to check out what we were doing in his water. Since I managed to get a nice photo of him, we’ll write a bit about him.
This species is widespread across Europe and Asia. People often confuse it with the common toad. The main difference is that the frog has longer hind legs, wet skin, and can jump. My daughter can confirm that jumping is something he does well.
There are three developmental stages: tadpole, juvenile, and adult. The photo shows an adult.
We examined the frog from every angle, then found a spot by the water to dip our feet and invent another fun game. But first, let’s learn a bit about this place.
The lake was built in the 18th century and served as a water reservoir for mining equipment. Beneath the lake, there’s even a 35-meter-long tunnel. It’s constructed from quarried stone without any binding material. It’s one of the oldest waterworks in eastern Slovakia.
We came up with a game, and it didn’t take much thinking. A few minutes after we spread out a blanket and my kids entered the water, curious ducks swam over to us. My kids loved how the ducks swam around them.
I think we all had plenty of experiences today, and we can happily head home.
Thank you