“This school year’s project was on Health and the Environment. We spent our final weekend in Szentes, where we visited the eco-tourist base, considered to be the largest thermal lake in Central Europe, which was opened to tourists and nature lovers in 2021. The prevailing wind direction is north-west, making it a paradise for surfers and supers. The lake system, covering one hundred and forty hectares, was established in 1982 and has become a site for many important waterfowl species, with almost 200 protected species of birds to be heard during the tour. The lake system has also been important for years as a migration and nesting site for highly protected bird species. The centre of the base is a recreation centre, where the reed maze begins and a nature trail leads between the two lakes. We set off along the reed maze, balancing on the nature-infested planks, trying to find the exit of the “natural maze”. Our hike was supported by information boards and a tourist map. Of the nearly 20 kilometres of hiking trails, the enthusiastic group took the shorter route, which was nearly 7 km. Returning to the Community Centre for lunch, we had a quiz game put together by Balázs Nagy, based on the information we had heard during our morning adventure. Saturday’s meeting brought the group members closer together once again, and we had a useful, fun, learning day together. Visiting the eco-tourist base and walking trail at the Thermal Lake, we again increased our knowledge of the local area of Szentes.” Márta Őzéné Törőcsik, mentor
“Today we visited the Thermal Lake of Szentes. The labyrinth of reeds was going to be exciting, so after a briefing by our mentor, Márti, we went into the labyrinth and tried to find the exit. Leaving behind the overgrown, sometimes barely passable sections, we emerged from the labyrinth after a few stings of nettles. We then followed the yellow tourist signs for our hike, which was over 6 km. We got to know the wildlife of the area, identifying some plant species with the help of our phone app. We ended the project day with an exciting quiz game at the Community Centre.” Zalán Mácsai, Rajmund Mezei, Gábor Illés, Dániel Forgó, Szentes Group 2