Mohos Peat Bog – Saint Ana Lake (ROSCI0248) Natura 2000 site includes two natural reserves: the Mohos Peat Bog and Saint Ana Lake.
About the Mohos Peat Bog
There is a double crater in the middle of Ciomad Mountains. At an altitude of 100 meters above the crater of Saint Ana Lake, bordered by the Lake’s Edge, at 1050 meters there is located a filled, peat crater in nearly 80 hectares. The receding erosion of the Red Water and the drainage works carried out at the beginning of the last century in 1908, accelerated the cessation of a forty-meter-high waterfall on the northern edge of the peat bog.
The twin crater is surrounded by the legend of Saint Ana Lake:
“Long time ago, at the place of the lake, a high mountain stared at the sky and a castle stood on top of the mountain. In front of it there was another castle on top of the Puturosu Cave. Two brothers possessed the castles, but they competed forever, only agreeing to mortify the people. Once upon a time, the lord of the castle won a beautiful gold chariot and six magnificent horses. He went to his brother to boast with them. He promised to give him his castle, all his possessions, if he came to Puturosu Cave with six better horses.
– I’m coming with twelve! – said his brother. Then he sent his servants, to bring up the most beautiful girls of the countryside into the castle. He chose the twelve most beautiful of them. The most beautiful girl was Ana. He grabbed them on the chariot and start hitting them with the whip. The blood spilled on Ana’s back and she cursed the lord to open the earth beneath him.
The curse conceived. The earth shook, thundered and the tower collapsed. A large lake become in the place of the castle and twelve swans swam in the lake. They swam to the shore, shook themselves and changed into girls again. Eleven went back to their village, but Ana stayed on the shore, she built a chapel and lived here in silent prayer. The story went far away and many pilgrims go to the lakeside chapel. The people named the lake after the sacred girl, Saint Ana’s Lake.”
“Long time ago, at the place of the lake, a high mountain stared at the sky and a castle stood on top of the mountain. In front of it there was another castle on top of the Puturosu Cave. Two brothers possessed the castles, but they competed forever, only agreeing to mortify the people. Once upon a time, the lord of the castle won a beautiful gold chariot and six magnificent horses. He went to his brother to boast with them. He promised to give him his castle, all his possessions, if he came to Puturosu Cave with six better horses.
– I’m coming with twelve! – said his brother. Then he sent his servants, to bring up the most beautiful girls of the countryside into the castle. He chose the twelve most beautiful of them. The most beautiful girl was Ana. He grabbed them on the chariot and start hitting them with the whip. The blood spilled on Ana’s back and she cursed the lord to open the earth beneath him.
The curse conceived. The earth shook, thundered and the tower collapsed. A large lake become in the place of the castle and twelve swans swam in the lake. They swam to the shore, shook themselves and changed into girls again. Eleven went back to their village, but Ana stayed on the shore, she built a chapel and lived here in silent prayer. The story went far away and many pilgrims go to the lakeside chapel. The people named the lake after the sacred girl, Saint Ana’s Lake.”
The Mohos peat bog is famous not only in the Carpathian Basin, but it is one of the most picturesque peat in the world. The more than 11 meters thick raised bog has a slope towards the east, northeast, as the rain falls or snow melts they indicate the sliding direction of the peat moss. The central part is typical of the tundra. Glittering lake pearls, extended mostly on the western, more humid parts of the peat, enrich the peat bog.
“Beside the prevailing peat moss, the vegetation is composed only by a few floral species that have adapted to the extremely poor environment. The bog is surrounded by woody vegetation of varying width and variety. In the southern part we can find the black alder, which combine with the cranberry forest, the blueberry in the north and east side of the bog. The middle of the peat is characterized by the peat moss and the Eriophorum vaginatum (hare’s-tail cottongrass). The dominant tree of the peat bog is the forest pine, of which dimension is becoming thinner as we move towards the inside of the bog, as the increasingly thick layer of peat moss inhibits growth and development” (Ibolya Jánosi).
“Beside the prevailing peat moss, the vegetation is composed only by a few floral species that have adapted to the extremely poor environment. The bog is surrounded by woody vegetation of varying width and variety. In the southern part we can find the black alder, which combine with the cranberry forest, the blueberry in the north and east side of the bog. The middle of the peat is characterized by the peat moss and the Eriophorum vaginatum (hare’s-tail cottongrass). The dominant tree of the peat bog is the forest pine, of which dimension is becoming thinner as we move towards the inside of the bog, as the increasingly thick layer of peat moss inhibits growth and development” (Ibolya Jánosi).
On the shores of the acidic lake pearls, we encounter with a small, barely noticeable insecticidal plant, the round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) and with a slightly larger, oblong leaved sundew, from the same family (Drosera obovata). The leaves of the common sundew are arranged in a basal rosette. The plant feeds on insects, which are attracted to the glistening drops of mucilage, loaded with a sugary substance, covering its leaves. It has evolved this carnivorous behavior in response to its habitat, which is usually poor in nutrients or is so acidic that nutrient availability is severely decreased. The plant uses enzymes to dissolve the insects which become stuck to the glandular tentacles and extract ammonia from their bodies. The ammonia replaces the nitrogen that other plants absorb from the soil, and plants that are placed in a high-nitrogen environment rely less upon nitrogen from captured insects.
The botanists consider the bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), the bog-rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), the pod grass (Scheuchzeria palustris), the tufted loosestrife (Lysimachia thyrsiflora) and the round-leaved sundew (Drosera sp.) as the remnant of the ice age of the peat.
The peat is supplied with water exclusively from the precipitation. Droughty periods have a negative impact on the wildlife of the mire. Because of this, very often the pine trees are destroyed by insect attacks.
In the young crater under Lake Mohos, the birth of Saint Ana Lake can be estimated to ten thousand years ago. At the bottom of the crater, the rocks were transformed at this point by the effect of ascending gases, clay minerals formed, from which a water barrier layer was formed. The clay layer at the bottom of the crater captured the rainwater and formed the crater.
The botanists consider the bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), the bog-rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), the pod grass (Scheuchzeria palustris), the tufted loosestrife (Lysimachia thyrsiflora) and the round-leaved sundew (Drosera sp.) as the remnant of the ice age of the peat.
The peat is supplied with water exclusively from the precipitation. Droughty periods have a negative impact on the wildlife of the mire. Because of this, very often the pine trees are destroyed by insect attacks.
In the young crater under Lake Mohos, the birth of Saint Ana Lake can be estimated to ten thousand years ago. At the bottom of the crater, the rocks were transformed at this point by the effect of ascending gases, clay minerals formed, from which a water barrier layer was formed. The clay layer at the bottom of the crater captured the rainwater and formed the crater.
About the route
The Mohos peat bog is located 55 km from Miercurea – Ciuc, 48 km from Sfântu Gheorghe and 33 km from Târgu Secuiesc. The peat bog can be reached by the DN12 national road (Miercurea – Ciuc – Sfântu Gheorghe), from which we land on the county road of Bixad village. From the direction of Târgu Secuiesc you can reach the peat bog from the DN113 national road.
The best-known hiking trail to Mohos peat bog is starting from Băile Tușnad and it is a 5.2 km long hiking trail marked by a red cross and can be done in 1.5 hours. From Lăzărești village to the north, following the red, then the blue cross, the distance to the Mohos peat bog is approx. 10 km, which can be done within 3 hours of walking.
The Mohos peat bog is located 55 km from Miercurea – Ciuc, 48 km from Sfântu Gheorghe and 33 km from Târgu Secuiesc. The peat bog can be reached by the DN12 national road (Miercurea – Ciuc – Sfântu Gheorghe), from which we land on the county road of Bixad village. From the direction of Târgu Secuiesc you can reach the peat bog from the DN113 national road.
The best-known hiking trail to Mohos peat bog is starting from Băile Tușnad and it is a 5.2 km long hiking trail marked by a red cross and can be done in 1.5 hours. From Lăzărești village to the north, following the red, then the blue cross, the distance to the Mohos peat bog is approx. 10 km, which can be done within 3 hours of walking.
From Băile Tușnad:
The route starts from the back of the Tușnad Hotel and passes by the Mikes and Apor springs and arrives at the edge of the forest. Here the paved road ends and the route goes on a well-beaten forest path. After about 10 minutes of walk, the path marked with red cross and the red do, bifurcate. The road marked with the red cross leads to the Mohos peat bog and to Mohos Peat Bog – Saint Ana Lake Natura 2000 site.
This is a wonderful tour in the woods. It is recommended to start at 9-10 am in the morning, so there is plenty of time to rest in the Mohos wilderness, eat kürtőskalács (traditional Hungarian scone) and visit the Mohos peat bog. At the beginning of the route, it is worth filling your bottle from, the waters of Mikes and Apor springs. First there is no significant fluctuation in the level of the route, but later, leaving the signpost, the ascent starts, followed by the serpentine stage. At the end of the serpentine road, you can see a signboard with a table in front of it, where you can rest and then go to the right according to the sign of the board. The route is straight and eventually leads to a pasture from here you can see the Mohos peat bog, the Saint Ana shelter and the parking. Here is the saddle which separates the two craters and it is accessible by car from Bixad village.
The tour of the Mohos peat bog can be done in an organized tour with a guide. You can find information about the periodically organized group visits at the information point, situated next to the road.
The route starts from the back of the Tușnad Hotel and passes by the Mikes and Apor springs and arrives at the edge of the forest. Here the paved road ends and the route goes on a well-beaten forest path. After about 10 minutes of walk, the path marked with red cross and the red do, bifurcate. The road marked with the red cross leads to the Mohos peat bog and to Mohos Peat Bog – Saint Ana Lake Natura 2000 site.
This is a wonderful tour in the woods. It is recommended to start at 9-10 am in the morning, so there is plenty of time to rest in the Mohos wilderness, eat kürtőskalács (traditional Hungarian scone) and visit the Mohos peat bog. At the beginning of the route, it is worth filling your bottle from, the waters of Mikes and Apor springs. First there is no significant fluctuation in the level of the route, but later, leaving the signpost, the ascent starts, followed by the serpentine stage. At the end of the serpentine road, you can see a signboard with a table in front of it, where you can rest and then go to the right according to the sign of the board. The route is straight and eventually leads to a pasture from here you can see the Mohos peat bog, the Saint Ana shelter and the parking. Here is the saddle which separates the two craters and it is accessible by car from Bixad village.
The tour of the Mohos peat bog can be done in an organized tour with a guide. You can find information about the periodically organized group visits at the information point, situated next to the road.
Băile Tușnad / Tusnad Hotel (700 m) – Saint Ana Shelter (1065 m) – Mohos Peat Bog (1050 m) – Tusnad Bath / Tusnad Hotel (700 m) – hiking route:
Marking: red cross until the edge of the volcanic crater (shelter).
Duration to the peat bog: 1.5 hours (1 hour walk, 30 minutes rest). The time spent there depends on the group, it can take several hours.
Duration back to town: 1-1.5 hours. You can get back to the city on several routes, but the best-known is on which we arrived, the route marked with the red cross. You can find here other information about return paths.
Length: 5.2 km.
Slope: 6.7%.
Marking: red cross until the edge of the volcanic crater (shelter).
Duration to the peat bog: 1.5 hours (1 hour walk, 30 minutes rest). The time spent there depends on the group, it can take several hours.
Duration back to town: 1-1.5 hours. You can get back to the city on several routes, but the best-known is on which we arrived, the route marked with the red cross. You can find here other information about return paths.
Length: 5.2 km.
Slope: 6.7%.
The route has medium difficulty, available in all seasons, although it may become dangerous during winter, due to possible snow slides (small avalanches). It is recommended for tourists with a good physical condition.
Source:
ACCENT GeoEcological Organization database
Jánisi Cs., Berszán J., Péter É., Szabó Á. 2018. Barangolás a Szent Anna-tó környékén. EKE-bakancs sorozat, 7. kötet. Kiadta az Erdélyi Kárpát Egyesület és az Erdélyi Gyopár.