The Three “Močile” Lakes in Hinje
To the south of the village of Hinje, all amateurs of nature will be delighted to discover three small lakes. At the foot of the hill, a spring comes rushing to the surface from the marly soils, filling up a small lake. The surplus of water then flows over to the small downstream lakes. The spring does not run dry even in the driest months, which is probably where the place got its name: “močiti” in Slovenian means “to wet”.
In the past, these puddles and ponds were, in addition to rainwater, the only important natural sources of water for the locals who used it for livestock watering, laundry, and other household needs when they ran out of rainwater. Many a child also learned how to swim in these bodies of water. Nowadays, these lakes that were resurrected from oblivion by the locals a couple of years ago are a natural value, as well as a memory of times past, and illustrate the importance of water collection on otherwise porous karstic soil. The locals from Suha krajina were particularly frugal in this regard, since water resources were extremely rare in these parts. The area around the lake boasts a nicely maintained footpath with benches where you can relax and benefit from an authentic touch with both animate and inanimate nature. Pleasant refreshments are also offered during the summer.
Did you know? The locals used to call these small lakes “puddles” or “ponds”. Ponds are small natural or man-made hollows. They were made and used in order to provide water to landscapes where water was scarce above ground. They mainly used this water for livestock watering, laundry, and other household needs. Water was pouring into the ponds from the sides or from the bottom, while puddles were used to collect rainwater. Therefore, the “močile” from Hinje could also be called the “Hinje ponds”.
In the summer, wells and rare karst springs dry up very often in Suha krajina. The spring in the vicinity of the village of Hinje is one of the rare springs that never dries up, not even during the driest months.
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