Lake Valdayskoye

Lake Valdayskoye, Lake Valdai (Russian: Валдайское озеро, озеро Валдай) is a freshwater lake, located in the center of Valdaysky District of Novgorod Oblast in Russia, in the middle of the Valdai Hills. It is one of the biggest lakes in Novgorod Oblast. The area of the lake (without islands) is 19.7 square kilometres (7.6 sq mi),[3] and the area of its basin is 97.2 square kilometres (37.5 sq mi). The average depth of Lake Valdayskoye is 12 metres (39 ft) (the deepest point is 60 metres (200 ft)). The lake freezes up in early December and stays icebound until early May. The lake is located in the center of Valdaysky National Park.

Valdai Lake
Aerial view of Lake Valdayskoye
Valdai Lake
LocationValdai Hills, Novgorod Oblast
Coordinates57°59′N 33°18′E
Catchment area97.2 square kilometres (37.5 sq mi)[1]
Basin countriesRussia
Surface area19.7 square kilometres (7.6 sq mi)[1]
Average depth12 m (39 ft)[2]
Max. depth60 m (200 ft)[2]
SettlementsValday

The town of Valday is located on the southwestern shore of the lake. One of the islands is occupied by the Valday Iversky Monastery. Besides Valday, there are also several villages all around the lake. The lake is connected to a smaller lake, Lake Uzhin, by an anabranch. Lake Uzhin is the source of the Valdayka River, which belongs to the river basin the Msta River and thus to the Baltic Sea basin.

The lake has almost a round shape with a large bay appended to it from the northwest. There are several islands on the lake, the biggest of which is Rudnev Island. It is connected to the lake coast in the south and to Iversky Monastery in the north.

Lake Valdayskoye is located in the center of Valdai Hills, and is surrounded by many lakes. Many of these lakes drain into Lake Valdayskoye or into the Valdayka. The basion of the lake comprises all of the northeastern part of Valdaysky District.

The lake is a popular tourist destination, with many recreation facilities on its shores. In particular, the first meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club was held on the lake.

The lake is navigable. There is a cruiser ship running between the town of Valday and the Iversky Monastery.

References

Media related to Valdai Lake at Wikimedia Commons

  1. Водохранилище Валдайское (Валдай, вдхр Валдайское) (in Russian). State Water Register of Russia. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  2. Валдайское озеро. Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
  3. Darby; Richard Brookes; William Darby (1827). Darby's Universal Gazetteer: Or, A New Geographical Dictionary ... Original from the New York Public Library: Bennett & Walton. p. 837.
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