The picturesque lake Rici is located on the border between Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus and it is included into the Silene Nature Park. The lake has many trenches and it is rather deep (39,7 m deep) and not very polluted since it is located in an isolated area. The east side of the lake extends into a long peninsula, which is covered with forests. The lake bed and shores are sandy and with stones. The lake bed is covered with dunes and sapropel. Riču lake is one of 10 Latvian deepest lakes and one of the largest according to the volume of water (124.4 mil. km ²). The lake has 9 islands, but they are located in the territory of Belarus.
Tourists believe that the great value of the Silene Nature Park is Perkule Scarp – a steep shore of Ricu Lake – is an inspiring creation of nature. The scarp gives a view of a large deep lake with unbelievably transparent water, which is practically untouched by human activities. Several species of protected plants are encountered on the lakeshores that create a fabulous landscape: the black stork, the black kite and the lesser spotted eagle.
There is a recreation place set up for visitors. There are also opportunities for mushroom and berry picking in the area.
Lake Rici is located in the border zone! Visitors are required to take a personal identification document and a special pass.
Legend “The devil’s bridge over Rici Lake”
Once in the night time the devil wanted to cross Rici lake. He could not walk round it because there were a lot of villages on the shores of the lake. The devil had either to drag himself along the lake or to make a bridge. As soon as the devil stepped into the lake, he was already completely wet. So the devil had no other choices but to make a bridge. The devil immediately started to bring stones. The bridge was built till the middle of the lake. The devil could not continue to work because a cock, unfortunately, started to sign. The devil immediately disappeared. The bridge remained till nowadays, but it has subsided into the ground and it is not possible to see it. The place of the bridge can be seen because at this place was a seed and this seed place was overgrown with reeds.
LFK 935, 32297; Julia Churishka Ilukste, Demene, 1938.