Magical Beauty of Ovan Lake
Ovan Lake is suitable for fishing, swimming and riding boats in summer while in fall it hosts migratory birds such as swan, goose and duck.
The picturesque Alamut Valley, in which the beautiful Ovan Lake flows, is among the natural attractions of Qazvin province, which brings in a large number of tourists every year.
Alamut is situated northeast of the city of Qazvin and extends over 886 square kilometers. The mountainous region is bound by Mazandaran in the north, Qazvin and Taleqan Mount in the south and east as well as Tarom-e Sofla in the west, Iran view website reported.
Most Enchanting
Alamut is a popular tourist spot due to its unique natural attractions and climatic diversity.
Because of the heavy seasonal rainfall and snowfall in the winters, which at times reaches a few meters, it has numerous water resources. However, Ovan Lake is among the most enchanting in the region and known for its magical beauty.
Surrounded by Avan, Darbon, Zavardasht and Zarabad villages, the lake is located 1,800 meters above sea-level. The deepest section of the lake is 7.5 meters and extends over 70,000 square meters. It is fed by springs on the bed of the lake and annual precipitations. The excess water of the lake forms a small river which irrigates farmlands in the villages of Kooshk and Aayeen. Most residents of these two villages either breed livestock or work their land.
Ovan Lake is suitable for fishing, swimming and riding boats in summer while in fall it hosts migratory birds such as swan, goose and duck. In winter, the lake can be used for sports such as skiing and ice skating.
Flora and Fauna
Various plants such as Geramineae, acanthus and licorice grow in the area. Geramineae, which was called Poaceae in the past, has about 6,000 different species and is found in large meadows. The fauna of this region include wild goat, panther, brown bear, fox, jackal, wolf, boar, eagle, wild cat, owl, frog, turtle and lobster.
Unfortunately, the wild goats are on the verge of extinction due to excessive hunting. The lake is also a habitat for fish species like trout.
Other Attractions
Since the lake is surrounded by mountains, almost no light from the nearby cities is reflected in its sky.
From a distance, one can only see a few light-bulbs shining in the village, which makes it an ideal place for observing stars and photographing the sky.
However, Ovan is not suitable for observing stars in winters when most access roads are closed due to heavy snowfalls.
The area is also suitable for camping. But if you wish to build a fire, you should bring firewood from the adjacent village. No firewood is found near the lake, which one may need for lighting up a fire due to the extreme cold in winter.
other links:
Masouleh village, Gilan: Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery:Damavand Peak,Tehran
Photo Galley:Kish Island,South of Iran
