- Place
- Žagarė Eldership, Joniškis District Municipality
- Region
- Žagarė Regional Park
- Type
- a recreation area beside Žvelgaičiai Lake in Žagarė Regional Park
- Address
- P. Cvirka Street, Žagarė, Joniškis District
- Coordinates
- 56.35139, 23.22557
- Visit duration
- 1-3 hours; allow longer if you walk the full Žagarė esker trail
- Best time
- from late spring to autumn, after checking seasonal facilities and trail conditions
Prie pušyno Recreation Area, Žagarė Pine Grove
“Prie pušyno” is a recreation area beside Žvelgaičiai Lake
The “Prie pušyno” Recreation Area lies in the recreational zone of Žagarė Regional Park beside Žvelgaičiai Lake, near P. Cvirka Street in Žagarė. The approximately 2.7-hectare site is intended for lakeside rest, picnics, and active leisure, with the Žagarė esker trail landscape around it.
The name can be misleading: “Prie pušyno” is not only a wild pine-grove clearing. It is a specific recreation area with visitor infrastructure, a lakeshore, and access to the Žagarė esker route. This page describes that leisure site, not all of Žagarė Forest or the whole regional park.
Žagarė Regional Park protects the Švėtė valley and Žagarė Forest landscapes, their ecosystems, and cultural heritage. The recreation area is one place where this protected landscape meets the needs of families, walkers, and visitors spending time beside the water.
The recreation area offers several kinds of leisure space
Official Žagarė Regional Park descriptions present “Prie pušyno” as the largest recreation area in the zone beside Žvelgaičiai Lake. They describe a children’s play area, sandy shore, shelters, information boards, basketball and beach-volleyball courts.
The site descriptions also list a dock, observation tower, fire pits, tables, benches, toilets, changing cabins, and a car park. This is useful planning information, but timber structures, equipment, and access can change over time.
On arrival, follow the signs currently in place: they show which fire pits, sports areas, shore sections, and sanitary facilities are open that day. Do not use a closed or visibly unsafe structure simply because it appears in an older description.
The recreation area is a stop on the Žagarė esker trail
The Žagarė esker trail circles Žvelgaičiai Lake and crosses a long, narrow ridge formed by glacial deposits. The official park page gives the route around the lake as 3.6 km, while the full trail from Žvelgaitis Hillfort is about 5 km.
The “Prie pušyno” Recreation Area is described as one of the trail stops, so it works as more than a standalone picnic spot. Along the route, visitors can see Žvelgaitis Hillfort, the Švėtė valley, remnants of the old dam, Meilės Island, and traces of a former water mill.
The official trail start is listed on S. Daukanto Street in Žagarė at 56.357639, 23.231169. The coordinate 56.35139, 23.22557 on this page marks the recreation-area access, so it is not the same point as the main trailhead or Žvelgaitis Hillfort.
Beside the water, separate leisure from guaranteed swimming
The “Prie pušyno” Recreation Area is beside Žvelgaičiai Lake and has visitor facilities, but a maintained shore should not automatically be treated as a guaranteed bathing site. Water conditions, shore depth, silt or vegetation, and supervision arrangements can change.
Before entering the water, check the signs on site, current local information, and the weather. Children should never be left alone beside the lake, dock, or reeds, and visitors should not step onto a dock if it looks unstable, slippery, or closed.
The Žagarė esker is part of the Natura 2000 network, so visitors should not damage vegetation, disturb birds, or drive where vehicles are prohibited. Recreation infrastructure is intended to concentrate use in the places provided for it.
A tidy stop helps preserve the quiet of the Žagarė esker
Visit “Prie pušyno” when you want to combine a short lakeside break with a walk on the Žagarė esker. A family outing may stay within the recreation spaces, while walkers can choose the full 3.6 km circuit around Žvelgaičiai Lake.
After rain, the esker trail, grass, wooden steps, and shore can be slippery. Wear shoes with good grip, carry water, and set clear boundaries for children and pets near the tower, play equipment, and water.
Light fires only in installed fire pits, take litter away or use the provided containers, do not damage shelters, and do not leave food for animals. Quiet use keeps the recreation area welcoming and protects the Žagarė esker landscape.
