Lake Maricheika

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Lake Maricheyka is one of the most picturesque alpine lakes in the Carpathians of glacial origin, located on the northeastern slope of Mount Shuryn, in the Chornohora massif, within the Verkhovyna district of Ivano-Frankivsk region. It is part of the Carpathian National Nature Park. One of the highest mountains in the Carpathian region, Mount Pip Ivan Chornohirsky, can be seen not far from the lake, its height reaches 2028 meters.

The lake is 88 meters long, 45 meters wide, and 1510 meters above sea level. Maricheika is the second largest lake in Chornohora. As early as 1880, T. Wisniewski pointed out that its maximum depth reached two meters. The current shallowing of the reservoir to 0.8 m (in pits with bottom springs up to 1.1 m) is associated with the destruction of the moraine by the waters of the stream flowing out of the lake. The basin is elongated. The shores are low, covered partly with subalpine meadows, partly with sedge thickets, and surrounded by spruce and mountain pine forests. It is fed by underground and partially atmospheric waters. The water is fresh and clean. The bottom is flat, muddy. Despite its shallow depth, you can swim in it.

A stream flows out of the lake and enters the Pohorilets River (the left tributary of the Shybenyi, the Black Cheremosh basin). There are also several springs near the lake. The nearest settlement is the village of Yavirnyk. From above, the lake resembles an elongated drop of dew frozen in a dense coniferous forest.

There are several parking lots near Lake Maricheika. Many tourists, having reached Lake Maricheika, stay here overnight and there is a simple explanation for this - the lake looks especially romantic at dawn.

Високогірне озеро Маріче́йка 1510 метрів

Lake Maricheika attracted the attention of tourists already in the early twentieth century: the route from Burkut to Mount Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi passed by it. The famous Ukrainian mathematician Volodymyr Levytskyi wrote about his first trip to Chornohora in the second half of 1904: "On the way to the midday east of Pop Ivan we pass a mountain lake, one of those that are numerous in Chornohora (but not as beautiful as the one near Turkul), then we find good spring water and soon stand in the beautiful weather on the top of Pop Ivan. We rest for a while on this impressive mountain and enjoy the majestic view in all directions of the world, far, far away in the Rodnianski Alps..."

The landscapes of the lake are pleasing to the eye of every tourist. The shores of the lake are decorated with a forest of spruce and mountain pine. It is one of the largest alpine lakes in the Ukrainian Carpathians in terms of area. The name of the lake is preceded by a legend.

The legend of the lake

It all happened in ancient times. Back then, the evil enemies of the Tatars flew like a black crow into our green land. They destroyed villages, killed people, and the survivors fled to the mountains to save themselves. But the enemies found out that the Hutsuls were hiding somewhere in the dense forests and moved in a horde after them.
Maricheika, the young wife of the shepherd Ivan, saw the enemies and whispered to her beloved:
- "Ivan, my dear! Hurry up and run to our people, warn them! And I'll try to hold them off.
- I cannot leave you.
- Remember, dear, how many of us are there in the mountains. Fathers and mothers, old and young. All our people. They're in danger. Go!
And Ivan left. And proud Maricheika stood in the way of the enemies. They captured her... She was ordered:
- "Take her to your Hutsuls. Otherwise you will die!
They walked until nightfall. Maricheika led them to such wild places that they could not get out. The enemies were furious and attacked her with sabers... The earth trembled, a terrible wind blew, and thunder rolled. Stones flew into the sky, mountains moved, and a lake was formed. In it, the enemies found their deaths. Since then, the forest has been called the Maiden's Forest in honor of the brave girl, and the lake is called Maricheika...

Along Lake Maricheika there is a trail, one of the most interesting not only in the Carpathian National Park, but in the entire Carpathians. The natural scenery is incredibly beautiful. A trip to the lake will be a pleasant vacation for all tourists and eco-tourism enthusiasts in particular.

Високогірне озеро Марічейка висота 1510 метрів

There are several hiking trails that pass by Lake Maricheika. One of them leads to Lake Shybene and Mount Pip Ivan, past Lake Maricheika. The starting point is the mouth of the Shybene stream (13 km long, vertical ascent, 1170 m uphill). From the mouth of the Shybeny you need to walk west to Cheremosh for 4 km along a road that is open to car traffic, then to the dam of one of the largest Carpathian lakes - Shybeny. It is a natural lake adapted for collecting water (which was used for rafting wood in darabas on the Cheremosh River). The lake is located at an altitude of 1024 m, is 850 m long and 200 m wide, and is 25 m deep near the gateway. After exploring the lake, you need to go back one and a half kilometers, the road will lead to the mouth, which is on the left side of Pohorilets. Then you can follow the ridge to the Vesnarka meadow, under Mount Shuryn. Here you need to turn right, walk along the ravine to the northeast, then to the northwest, and the road will lead to Lake Maricheika (located 5 km from the beginning of the ascent). Behind the lake is the Maricheika meadow, and if you head west, you can reach the area between the Shuryn and Pip Ivan mountains. From here you can climb to the top.

You can also get to Maricheika from Verkhovyna (the journey will take about two hours). This road is considered one of the most interesting in the Carpathians and has scientific and educational value. It starts from the estate of the Vysokohirske Forestry and then goes along the slopes of the Chornohora ridge through an ecologically clean natural area. On its way, you can find unique landscapes of the alpine and subalpine zones. The world of flora impresses with endemic and rare plants listed in the Red Book - quassinia, Linnaeus fern, blueberries, Heifel saffron, St. John's wort. If you are lucky, you can meet representatives of the local fauna - spotted salamander, Carpathian newt, snow mink, squirrel, grouse, white-backed woodpecker, hare, fox, wild boar, roe deer, deer.

The area around the lake has a considerable area, which is enough for a large group (even 30 people can stay here without any problems). Three kilometers from the lake, in the Vesnarka meadow, there is a stable and several kolybas. One of them is closed for the winter, because shepherds live here during the warm season. The closed kolyba has a stove and two rooms: a living room and a room where cheese is stored. There are also regular and two-level sunbeds. The room is generally warm and can accommodate up to 10 people. They started closing the kolyba a few years ago, after a devastating fire. Another kolyba was uninhabitable as of May 2014.

Not far from the kolyba, almost 30 meters away, there is a permanent spring. It crosses the main trail on the tourist route. There are also several springs around Maricheika, some of which flow from the lake itself. The lake water is clean, but you should not drink it without boiling it first.

To climb to Lake Maricheika from Shybenne, you need to have an identity document (the best option is a passport). Without it, tourists are not allowed to pass the checkpoint. The road is marked and well trampled. The length of the road from the Shybenne checkpoint to Lake Maricheyka is 9 km (one way). If the weather is favorable and tourists have the appropriate physical training, they can get there in 3 hours.

The ascent is very steep in places, with a considerable gain in altitude: near the checkpoint, the height reaches about 850 meters, and to reach Maricheika, you will have to climb up to 1510 meters. However, if your goal is the Chornohora ridge, this height will only be the beginning - four and a half kilometers from the lake is the Pip Ivan mountain (2028 m high), from which the hike along Chornohora up to Hoverla (2061 m high) will seem like an easy walk.

You can walk to Maricheyka or go by bicycle, ATV or UAZ. Cyclists should remember that the ascent will be difficult, but the descent will be unforgettable. This route is designed for trained and experienced cyclists.

The area around the lake is partially swampy, so it is not possible to rest directly on the shores. Most of the coastal zone is overgrown with reeds, which are growing every year. Anyone who wants to swim in the reservoir should remember that it is shallow, with a slippery bottom and very cold water. Lake Maricheika is considered a good place for recreation, and it is quite easy to get to. In addition, there is a road that runs almost across the lake, where you can drive to Pip Ivan. The atmosphere of this unique natural lake attraction is worth admiring in person.

You can get from Verkhovyna to Maricheika by bus. The journey will take an average of one and a half hours. Buses run from Shybenne to Verkhovyna twice a day. However, tourists most often use taxis, so they hire cars or minivans in the direction of Shybenne. It is worth remembering that the road to Shybene is not easy, so not every driver will agree to take you to your destination. There are several routes to Lake Maricheika, the most convenient one starts from the village of Shybene. The distance from the Shybene checkpoint to Lake Maricheika is 9 kilometers. You can overcome it in about 3 hours (with a good level of physical fitness and in favorable weather). The trail is well marked.