The owner of the farm located next to 18 lakes: “When we opened, everyone looked at us like strangers”

Stirnelės viensėdis, which operates in the Molėtai district, an old man of Mindūnai, received its first clients in 2006. Located in the Labanoras Regional Park, in an area of ​​10 hectares, the property is intended for families seeking privacy and quiet rest. In a radius of 4 kilometers, including 18 lakes of various sizes. The closest is Lake Stirniai. From the farm to it, approximately a kilometer of forest path, which can be overcome on foot. And so that the walk is not prolonged, it is recommended to ride a bicycle, which is provided free of charge at the farm.

The Stirnel arroyo stream flows through the farm, where you can kayak to Lake Stirniai itself. It is not possible to dig a pond on the territory of the farm, where tourists can cool off on hot summer days; the rules of the special protection zone apply in the reserve.

“When we opened up and announced that our place would be focused on the rest of a quiet family, everyone looked at us like weirdos. After all, farms win from ball festivals, ”Raimonda recalled while playing with her own compote.

80 percent. clients – guests from Israel

During the summer, up to 80 percent. The farm guests are tourists from Israel: Russian-speaking Litvaks from Vilnius or Šiauliai.

“The Jews stay with us for 2-3 weeks. Large families: 3 to 6 children. Those children of Israel grow up on the asphalt without seeing the grass, so it is good that they come here. And the climate is favorable. It has passed a decade since the guests from Israel discovered us ”, assured the host.

When asked how the quarantine adjusted the flow of tourists, it was open: There were no Jews left, but Lithuanian families liked the farm. If there are foreigners this season, only those who have raised families with Lithuanians.

“It just came to our attention then. There were fewer foreigners, we worked with Lithuanians. We are very satisfied, everything is fine. There were mixed families: a foreigner married to a Lithuanian or a foreigner married to a Lithuanian. They visit Lithuania, they visit relatives, they come to rest with us. But these are regular customers who visit Lithuania every two years. These and the children who grow up later attract us ”, stressed Raimonda.

There were fewer foreigners, we worked with Lithuanians. We are very satisfied, everything is fine.

This year is good, he said, also because the season has come a long way. The Meidai family began renting the house as soon as they were allowed to, in April. During the quarantine, Lithuanians moved to this corner of nature to work remotely. They wanted everyone, according to the interlocutor, to leave the city.

“This year there were more families, fewer groups. Family vacations all summer. Pets are also allowed. There are many children and dogs with us, in other words, a lot of gossip. This is our house. Rent our cabins for a week or ten days, but not for a few days. We work all year, employment is high, there are only a few days off, which we dedicate to cleaning, ”said the interlocutor, who and two of her husband take care of the entire territory of the farm.

Some have tried rural tourism for the first time

Asked if there is calm about the future, about the possibility of repeated strict quarantines, Raimonda assured that he felt a little anxiety.

“I am concerned about what will happen in the future, what will happen with the restrictions. There are no equal years, you always have to adapt, feel the changes, anticipate them. Then there are the good seasons. We also faced a lot of competition. When the quarantine of This year, there was a lot of anxiety, we did not know if we would do it well, but the people were very benevolent, they complied with the demands themselves. We took longer breaks, of 24 hours, between the departure of some vacationers and the arrival of others. No we wanted to risk our own health or the health of our guests, ”Raimonda revealed.

According to her, the guest is sacred. There was also a clientele this year, who visited the house for the first time, out of curiosity, because there was no other option where to go. Most of these “newbies” adapted to the joys of rural tourism, but there were also those who did not understand what was happening here.

“We raised prices a little this year. Not because of the virus, because of the high employment. Perhaps 5 percent. They rose to 10 percent. In July, during the peak,” admitted the owner of the property.

Organize walks in the Labanoras forest

Raimonda’s husband is Gediminas Meidus, a fourth generation girl born and raised here. This is a man who has devoted an extraordinary amount of time to the Labanoras forests. 10 years ago, he officially retired from this activity, but it so happened that after walking, according to Raimonda, in circles, the spouse returned to what he adored: the guests of the farm began to organize tourist tours in the Labanoras Regional Park.

Journalists were also offered to try a shortened version of such trips. It is a pity that as soon as he entered the dens of the forest, he was greeted by a picture – a heap of garbage was translated.

“We try to show as little as possible how Labanoras has been destroyed, but you will inevitably see it,” says Raimonda.

Gediminas is open and does not give a story about the park only in positive colors; during the walk he also talks about various pains in the forest.

Following Gediminas, listening to their stories, you can grab a handful of blueberries or blueberries – there are many in the Labanoras forest.

You can also choose herbal teas. After taking a hike, you can also visit the miraculously beautiful forest lakes, where a wide variety of fish and rare species of waterfowl fly. The forest guide will familiarize you with the natural resources of the Labanoras forest, the way of life of the trees, will teach you to count your years, you will be able to embrace pine trees, which reach the age of several hundred years.

On September 5, at 10-15, during the “Open days in the village” campaign, visitors to the farm are invited to one of those cognitive walks, the distance of which will reach about 10 km, the time is 4 -5 hours. Entertainment is paid.

The journalists’ tour of the farms was organized by the Lithuanian Rural Tourism Association. The content of the article is not affected.