An entry from World Nomads mentioning lake Baikal

The undoubted highlight of my trip to Irkutsk, however, was my visit to lake Baikal. It is absolutely vast and extraordinarily beautiful. I got the bus to Listvyanka and spent the day walking in the little valleys of hamlets and along the shoreside, and swimming in the lake. The valleys were so picturesque with little wooden houses winding higgeldy-piggeldy uo the wooded hillsides, the lake glistening and glinting through the trees below. The lake itself stretches further than the eyes can see and the water is as clear as its reputation. I'd been worried that it wouldn't have lived up to my expectations but no, it was wonderful. Its just a pity I didn't have time to head up to Olkhun Island as its meant to be the most scenic but I really enjoyed what I saw. The hot hot weather helped of course, and although the water was freezing at first you soon got used to it. All thse years as a kid swimming in Scottish waters maybe served as good training! Its so clear and banks so quickly you don't have to venture far from the shore to swim easily.