Lacul Roshu is a natural storage lake at 980 m altitude, near Bicaz, at approximately 26 km from Gheorgheni city (Harghita County), on the national road 12C, in the resort with the same name.
The lake has the form of letter "L". It's about 10 m deep and has 2830 m circumference.
The lake was formed in the summer of 1837 when, after some abundant rains, a great quantity of rocks and debris slided from the Northern side of the Killer Rock, blocking the Bicajel river. The water have accumulated and formed a natural storage lake. The magic of the lake is amplified by a lot of truncks of the old fir trees, which come out from the water passing through the image of Little Suhard mountain reflected in the lake's water. The name Lacu Rosu - Red Lake - comes from the reddish alluvial soil brought in the lake by its main tributary rivers. The lake is unfortunately in danger because of the great quantity of alluviaal transported by the same tributary rivers: Rosu, Licas, Oii (sheep's river), Suhard and Ghilcos (Killer).
The local tradition keeps two legends about the lake origin:
It is said that in old times, in Lazarea village, was living a very beautiful girl with the name Estera. One day she went to the fair in Gheorgheni. Here she met a handsome and strong lad, so strong that he was able to fight with a bear. They fell in love immediately and the lad asked her to be his bride. But the wedding did not take place because the lad was taken to army. The girl waited for him. In the evenings, when she went for water to the spring, she sang so sad that even the mountains were touched. In a Sunday afternoon Estera was seen by a thief. The thief lifted her and ran away as quickly as he could, up on the Little Suhard mountain were he was living. He promised Estera gold and silver only to love him, but the girl didn't want to hear that. The thief lost his patience and forced her to marry him. He cried to the mountains, begging for help. A big rain with thunders and lightnings had started, wiping off all in its way and a part of the mountain came down.
The girl and the thief remained behind the rocks. After that the water from the mountain were gathered here forming the lake (Red Lake or The Killer).
The second legend says: On the meadow between the mountains was a sheepfold. The shepherds, seeing a storm was coming, have tried to shelter, but the Killer Mountain crushed down and buried them together with the sheep.
Flowers we met on our way to Suhard Mountain
Meadow on the way to Suhard Mountain
Suhard Mountain from the bottom...long way up, but a very beautiful trek...
