Osveisky Landscape Reserve. Osveiskoe Lake.

There is still no consensus on the origin of the lake's name. There are many opinions, but all that is known for certain is that at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, the lake and the place near it were called Osveya. The coastline of Osveya is 33.4 km long, the line is smooth, without bays and inlets. The shores of the lake are low, swampy in the north, and a swampy area approaches the lake from the west. Depths of up to two and a half meters occupy more than 70% of the lake area. A significant area of the bottom is covered with clay silt and sapropel. The Vydrinka River and 16 other watercourses flow into Osveya. In the northwestern part of the lake there is an island with an area of 4.85 km2, in ancient times called the Dunai or Du.

A tour of the lake is conducted by boat. During the tour, a radio device is connected so that tourists can hear stories about the history of the lake and the island during a boat trip. The boat is operated by Igor Romanyuk, director of the republican Osveya Landscape Reserve. He also conducts the tour.

In the 19th century, Du Island had a village of 14 courtyards, which were referred to as Ostrov village. It was famous for its fruit and berry crops, and even now, here and there on the island there are feral apple trees, pears, and cherry plums. 

During the war, the Nazis did not spare the islanders either. Those who did not manage to hide in the swamps were burned. In Soviet times, one of the most successful collective farms, Osveisky, operated on the island. However, the island subsequently fell into disrepair, and its territory was recognized as a nature reserve.

There is a migratory island on the lake, called the "host" by locals, which reduces the area of the water surface, creating problems for fishermen and the existence of some rare bird species. It's called ghost Island in another way. Its area is one and a half hectares. Gray alder and birch trees grow on it. He has been drifting on Lake Osveya for a long time, and it is a very beautiful sight.

Floating islands are the highlight of the reserve. There is a legend about the underground life of the lake. There is some connection between Osveya Lake and the Latvian Lake Rese (50 km from here). The waves here rise up to one and a half meters, so excursions are always made possible by the weather. One of the features of these places is birdwatching (bird watching). Armed with binoculars, you can watch birds and get exclusive shots of geese, swans, cranes, cormorants.

For fishermen, the lake is a real paradise. All kinds of fish live in it, with the exception of trout, eel, catfish and walleye. Fishing on the lake is free. A pontoon pier has been erected for disembarking tourists, as the lake shore is very high. From it you can admire the surrounding views. There are many flowers on the island and the plants smell delicious. In addition to boat trips, other activities are offered here. You can rent a wooden gazebo with a barbecue and free fish soup. You can rent a sap board, four-person catamarans, kayaks, rowing boats, inflatable boats for fishermen. 

Guided cycling trips to iconic places are also offered. There are also hiking trips. You can also buy fish here, which costs twice as much as on the market.

Osveya Lake is called the planet of water lilies, home to birds, and a mecca for fish and tourists. If you want to discover a new and unexplored route, then this is Osveya!!!