Yelnia: breath in, breath out

Last year, we got overwhelmed with the pandemic that suddenly disrupted our daily routines, closed borders and made many common things just impossible. It seemed that the world held its breath – people spent months lying low watching frightening news on TV and waiting for daily COVID statistics. Everyone got tired of fear, isolation and depression, and gradually people regained their taste for adventures and positive impressions.

Probably, many Belarusians will remember this period as the time when they discovered their native land for themselves. Lacking opportunities for traveling abroad, they started searching for adventures here, in their own country. They found a lot of thrilling routes, surprising facts and breathtaking beauty, filled their memory, digital archives and social media with innumerable pictures and, it seemed to me, felt a little bit happier.

One of obvious trends of the season is visiting remarkable natural sites. On the one hand, it is a chance to enjoy the pleasure of traveling avoiding crowded places. On the other hand, the great healing and consoling power of nature is a tested and reliable means against anxiety and spleen.

And this time, I invite you to mysterious Yelnia bog – the place that impresses even the one who starts reading about it, without mentioning those who once saw it firsthand.

Yelnia is the largest upland bog in Belarus and Europe’s fifth large one. Its total area is about 250 square kilometers. It emerged about 9 thousand years ago, and its ecological system stayed almost intact. Yelnia is recognized a Ramsar wetland, a key botanical and ornithological territory of international importance, since it’s home to rare plants and animals, including those typical for tundra. Thus, this place plays an extremely important role in preservation of landscape and biological diversity in Europe.

Yelnia is a complex of bogs and more than 100 lakes of different size, depth and chemical composition. Interestingly, the central part of the bog with its big lakes is 7 meters higher than the periphery and rises about 130-140 meters above the sea level.

Yelnia is an especially important for migrant birds. Every year, during their season migrations, endless thousands of grey cranes stop here. Birdwatchers from different countries arrive to Yelnia to observe this impressive phenomenon. And, certainly, Belarusian bogs are not by chance poetically called “the lungs of Europe”. The sphagnum growing here in abundance absorbs tones of carbon dioxide emitting oxygen instead. At the same time, the bog accumulates millions of liters of water from rains and melted snow and then gradually gives it back to the land and air serving as a huge air conditioner regulating the climate of the whole region.

And still, no guidebooks or information articles will help you imagine the power of impression you will get here. Having got to know that I was going to Yelnia, a friend of mine said: “Congratulations! Welcome to the club of Yelnia-addicted!” Soon after that I understood what she meant.

The bog opens before your eyes not at once. Firstly, you should leave your car and walk about a kilometer by the clapper bridge leading you through thick and wet wood. Then, you will cross the canal filled with dark water in the shadow of bowing trees. Take a minute to get your breath back – and follow to the beginning of the longest and widest wetland eco-path of Europe! Its decking of oak and aspen is constructed entirely by hand, since no machines can be delivered here.

At the beginning, the path winds through thicket of young birches, and you can’t see what is ahead. But soon, the trees start to thin out and you find yourself in the vast space covered with moss. At the beginning, it seemed that it was dry enough beneath your feet. Now, you see that the soil and sphagnum are sopping. Sometimes, a board shakes and caves under your foot, and water comes from under it. At the beginning, it may frighten you but… stop, breath in, breath out and walk along! Soon, you will get used to the path and will start looking around.

Yelnia impresses with its strange landscapes: endless plain is covered with moss with bushy pines and birches. Winds drives heavy clouds in the sky. In the sunrays, the local nature looks bright and friendly. Take this moment to examine all the details closely! At the beginning, it seemed to you that everything here is more or less green. However, at the second glance, you will notice the beauty of textures and structures, the richness of colors and tints – from blood-red to purple, from ochre to jade green. Here is blossoming heather, and here are beads of cranberries that have just started getting red and ripe. Take a deep breath and enjoy the smell of water, heather honey and wild rosemary. Do you feel it?

The sun hides behind thick clouds, several raindrops fall on the wooden path. Suddenly, the bright landscape becomes monochrome, gloomy and dangerous. As you get farer from the edge of the bog, mirrors of water are seen more and more often. In the sun, they sparkle silver and blue. But under heavy rain clouds, the water looks like liquid tin. And all of a sudden, you realize one more detail disturbing your unconscious: it is unusually, absolutely quiet here. There are no noisemakers miles away, and the soft cover of moss seems to absorb all the waves and vibrations of the surrounding world. They say, it is really noisy here in autumn, when thousands of birds stop here for rest before flying south. But now, everything is silent.

You walk along and finally, find yourself on the edge of a large lake with numerous small islands with one or two trees on each. You can touch the water – it is quite warm and brown, like strong tea. However, you can swim here and even drink this water that slightly smells grasses and peat. This is the final point of the path. You can take a seat, look at the landscape changing its mood depending on light and shadows, listen to your breath and your thoughts. Now, you have got acquainted with Yelnia and looked into its eyes. “Yelnia addicted” – do you remember? I am sure, leaving it, you will dream of coming back, to the place where the “lungs of Europe” are breathing. Either I do.

Sincerely yours,

Volha Blazhevich