The fact that the nature of the Ukrainian Carpathians is a truly unique sight is no secret. Wanting to enjoy the picturesque pictures open to tourists in this amazing part of the world, tourists come to the Carpathians not only from all over the country, but even from abroad. One of the most famous and outstanding corners of the Pokutsko-Bukovyna Carpathians is considered to be the Lebedin reserve tract, presenting a fabulous nature of incomparable beauty.
The Lebedin Reserve tract is part of the national park «Hutsulschina» and belongs to the Sheshora Nature Conservation Research Department.
The unique nature of the reserve is reflected in the most diverse forms of landscape — here you can see mountains, plains, meadows, forests, swamps and a lake — the most famous treasure of the whole park.
Lake Lebedin is surrounded by a mysterious halo of legends and legends, but the picturesque picture that opens up to all its guests already creates an unforgettable experience in itself. The vast water mirror, covered with green plants and bushes, as if hiding, lurks among the ancient beech forest at an altitude of 650 meters above sea level. The lake has an oval-round shape and quite large dimensions — approximately 100 by 200 meters, and its depth reaches 28 meters. The locals have believed for centuries that the lake has no bottom and that mystical creatures live in it, and its depth has given rise to another legend closer to reality.
According to the legend, in distant times, when the Tatar-Mongols were rampant everywhere, the trouble did not pass over these lands. The invaders attacked the village, plundered it and ordered one of the inhabitants to take them to a quiet and peaceful place where they could rest. However, the cunning Tatars did not trust their guide, and to make sure that he would take them to a safe place, they took his daughter captive. The Hutsul led them for a long time through the mountains and forests and brought them to a large flat meadow in the middle of the forest. Being satisfied, they let him go, but his daughter was not destined to see freedom. They did not know where the old Hutsul had really led them — only the Tartars made fires, as the ice of the mighty lake began to melt, and its waters pulled all the invaders into its dark abyss. The Hutsul’s daughter also suffered a bitter fate. Hoping to save his daughter, her father ran to the lake and tried to help her, but in the general panic he heard only her scream, and saw a swan appearing out of nowhere and flying away. Since then, neither Tatars nor swans have appeared in these places, and the lake and the surrounding area became known as Lebedin.
This legend is only one of many. Being at the shores of the lake surrounded by ancient beech forest, surrounded by the water surface from all sides, you can understand why folk legends are connected with it — this place is as if shrouded in some romantic haze, a mystery, which, probably, no one can solve. There is a special atmosphere here, but it is not only the lake that the reserve is famous for. In the Lebedin tract, in addition to the lake, you can see large and small bogs, as well as many other unique natural pictures.
The flora and fauna of these places are very rich and diverse. Near the lake grow such rare plants as spring primrose, wolfberry, beech fern, mountain arnica, medicinal belladonna, Geifel’s saffron and other plants, rich in herbs and local meadows, a total of 16 species of rare plants in the tract, 9 of which are listed in the Red Book. The animal world of this attraction of Ukraine is represented by Carpathian deer, roe deer, wild boar, salamander and other animals.
Many people who come here year after year were first holiday in Sheshory attracted by the local nature, and the protected tract of Lebedin and the lake of the same name in it are true pearls in this beautiful natural necklace.