This educational trail doesn’t lose popularity year-round – in winter, the views are fabulous.

Just before the trip, I thought about getting interested, and who came up with the idea to commemorate the day of the swamps in winter? Turns out, no one specifically planned it. Fifty years ago, an international Ramsar treaty was signed on that day, under which the nations of the world pledged to protect wetlands on their territories. After Lithuania ratified the convention in 1993, seven territories were included in the Ramsar list. These are the Čepkeliai, Kamanai, Viešvilė, Žuvintas reserves, the Nemunas Delta Regional Park, the Girutiškis Swamp and the Adutiškis – Svyla – Birvėtai Wetland Complex. Maybe on February 2 next year I will visit one of these areas, and this year I am going to the Ilgelis swamp, through which the Varnikai nature trail has been built.

This is the closest cognitive trail through Vilnius through the swamp, so the lack of visitors doesn’t really complain. Even at this moment, when the thickness of the snow reaches close to 40 centimeters, the trail passes in the best possible way. The people walking melted the snow, forming a swarm of melting snow along the entire route. I walk it like a rail, no need to look for signs or markings. During any lateral movement, the foot makes sense in the snow up to the knees. There is no temptation to deviate to one side, although the SFE does not seem to oppose such mistakes. It would seem like what you already have, but at that moment it is not relevant to read information stands. Almost everything of value is covered in snow. Even the Piliškės and Bevardis lakes, which have yet to be closed, are hidden under a solid blanket of white snow. However, visitors who have cleared snow and ice from information booths read them even in winter. The Varnikai Cognitive Trail is popular throughout the year.

I walk through the wooden gates built at the beginning of the trail, which, like a fantasy movie portal, teleport directly to the mysterious world of swamps. Immediately the snow-covered trees, whose branches have fallen from the snow, convey the winter beauty of the forest better than any other. And even better than at other times of the year, here you can see the silhouettes of the oaks that are written in one of the information booths. Here the trail is straight as a rope and goes down a bit, but through the snow it is even difficult to understand where the ground ends and the cladding of the wooden boards begins. Only when the height of the pines approaches the height of man does it become evident that the swamp begins.

If the heated berries, sunflowers, and lizards hit the trail are more important to the winter beauty of the forest, wait for spring. Then, on the next part of the trail, the high swamp with lakes reveals all its beauty. It will hardly be possible to experience such silence and dazzling whiteness that can now be enjoyed without sharing with anyone.

The part of the trail that passed through the swamp ends. Further on, the Varnikai Nature Trail winds through a shady forest between the hills and the swamp until it reaches the forest path. Drive to the beginning of the trail, counting on the bark type typographer along the way and showing the rectangular ravine left by the glacier. Those 4 kilometers of winter views didn’t last long and at the same time it was the first visit to the swamp in such a snowy winter. Make it a bit late, but I did mention Wetlands Day where it was scheduled.