 | Lake Ladoga is Europe's largest lake, stretching over one hundred miles from north to south and over fifty miles from east to west. The island of Valaam in the north of the lake is the home to this monastery. It is an ideal place for such an institution, being separated from the nearest towns by a fifty-mile stretch of water. The whole island is covered in coniferous forest, which the monks are not allowed to chop down, using only fallen trees for their fires. There are many small chapels scattered around the island, which is a lovely place to walk in during the summer. |
