Caucasus - Black Sea coast

But the Eastern Caucasus is usually left outside attention of tourists. Meanwhile, the area with its treeless, sun-scorched planes, overgrown with wild forest deep canyons, black, are composed of shale or haired snow peaks, the area populated by distinct peoples of different language groups that have retained some features of ancient culture, is extremely interesting for tourists. Mountainous villages in Dagestan, and Tusheti Khevsurs-Democracy situated high on the slopes above the forest, amid the chaos of mountain ranges. Crowded houses are built on top of each other so that the flat roof of the lower court is for the top. Located on opposite slopes of the gorges of the village connected to each other just a thin ribbon bridge, re-cast at a height of several tens of meters above the rapids of mountain rivers, roaring at the bottom of the abyss. Resting in the blue sky, towering menacingly over auls monumental tower - mute witnesses of the past. Khevsureti located in the western part of the Eastern Caucasus and occupies the highlands between the Grozny area to the north and the Georgian Military Highway to the west and south, forming the northern outskirts of the Georgian SSR. Main Caucasian ridge divides Hevsu-retiyu into two parts - north and south. North is located in the upper reaches of Assa and Argun, and south - in the pool Hevsurskoy Aragvi. North Khevsureti bounded on the east, snow, or Pirikitelskim, ridge, over which stands a series of sharp peaks, blindingly radiant with eternal snows.

On the Limits of the Lada

Famous Zhigulevskie mountains, Lada, located 60 km from the Kuibyshev, up the Volga, constitute the northern part of the Samara Bend. Volga, aspiring to the south, encountering along the way a strong ridge of limestone, turns east and go around it, continues on his way to the south. Bending (bend), which forms here the Volga, was named Samara Luka. Most often Samara Luka do not mean a bend of the Volga, and the terrain, like the peninsula, it concluded. The length of the bows - about 100 km, width - about 30 km. Zhigulevskie mountains - a wonderful corner of our country's most picturesque place on the Volga, which is of great scientific value. Here, an extraordinary variety of terrain, rocks, soil, flora and fauna. Lada pulled a solid chain. They are covered with forest. On the tops and slopes - rocky forbidding cliffs, and gray stones of bizarre forms and shapes, many ridges, smooth convex stone 'foreheads, covered with moss and lichen. Early in the morning you can watch spectacular. Distant mountains are not visible: they tightened a thick blanket of fog. The sun rises higher, the fog gradually dissipated, and wraps just thins the base of the mountains. A top, completely cleansed from the fog, drenched in sunshine, as if floating in the air. By noon, the fog remains only in deep canyons. "Earthly steam" the locals call it. If you look at the bottom Lada, from the Volga, they have the form of this mountainous country. But when you look at the neighborhood from the tops of the mountains becomes immediately clear that this is a continuous ridge, smooth plateau, dissected by gullies, which cut off a steep ledge over the Volga River in its northern part and gradually decreases to the south.

In paramonovskom ravine

And here we are in Paramonovskom ravine. It struck us that went many places in the Moscow region, its beauty, its endless distances of; here grandiose glacier plow plowed a huge hollow, leaving about a souvenir placer granitic moraines. His greatness, too, obliges. No, not the number of kilometers traveled will be proud of the trip participants, not for a romantic overnight stay in tents, we came into this "wilderness", and ashes of fires, we note our way! We have begun a campaign of "trefoil", a place where three rivers merge - Iksha, Volgusha and Yakhroma. Here is the first object - cognitive, and we can not just watch the rare geographical phenomenon, standing there a minute or two. The Plan does not provide for a narrow problem a detailed study of the rivers with the plotting, but to determine their speed in different sections, to take water samples for further analysis at the school - is not geography in practice or not to have the practice of the future hydrology and geology? The fastest of the three rivers, the most turbulent and alluring - Volgusha. Her overgrown shore and went against the flow tourists. Soon loop trails broke off: apparently rotted support bridges, and a raging torrent after a long rain scattered the logs, stuck among the trees near the water, washed clean handrails. "Yes, here it is not just repairing smell - thought each. - Well, it's more fun! "Work enough - and have to drive into the bottom of Coke, and shore support to align.

Around Lake Cahul (Reni - Dolinskoye - Limanskoe - Etulia - Nagorno - Orlovka - Reni)

The trip starts from Renee. Our first stop can be done in Dolinsky. At its center is a small park, planted by the pioneers. Overnight envisaged in Limanskoe. From coast estuary spectacular views located on the opposite shore of the lake village Nagornoe. It can be reached by ferry, which departs every half hour or two. A few kilometers from the Liman - Etulia village, alongside a narrow strip along the coast. The main population of his - Gagauzia ("eider" in Bulgarian means "beak", "narrow" - "truth." Gagauz "- truthfully speaking mouth). The origin of the Gagauz not determined. Believe that they represent an independent nation. A community of some household characteristics with the Bulgarians was the result of the neighborhood with them for many years. Some ethnologists believe that the Gagauz people - descendants of Turks or scratch (one of the Turkic peoples, who came in ancient times to the lower reaches of the Danube from the depths of Asia). In the Russian chronicles of this nation is known as "black hoods. Gagauz people passed through the Black Sea steppes after Pechenegs. Orthodox faith embraced by the Slavs. "Black Hoods" were closely connected with the Kiev prince, and even at one time carried the guard service at the Vladimir Monomakh. Gagauz village distinguish right buildings, surrounded by fields and vineyards. Houses are built of sticks, smeared with clay, or adobe (the Local "lampach"), whitewashed, and sometimes painted decorations.

Vilkovo

Vilkovo founded in the middle of the XVIII century. First settled here, the Don Cossacks, the participants in the uprising Kondraty Bulavin. Since 1879, the city belonged to Romania. Before the October Revolution was regarded as the capital of anglers Danube region. Advantageous geographical position, vast fish resources of the region here have attracted an army of merchants and fishermen. They cared little about the growth of the city. On the whole town was one elementary school in which studied forty children, and thirty taverns where fishermen returning from sea after a hard day, kept the money. During the Soviet period Vilkovo appearance has changed. Construction of new fish farm shops, put into effect a power station. The plant has several powerful refrigerators, and motor-fishing - the station - large and medium-seiner. Local fishermen joined the collective farms served by motor-fishing station. Proper use of fish resources Danube region attracts much attention. With this purpose in a laboratory of the Hydrobiological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. For working fishermen are good conditions. On all the islands near the place of catch to establish a point of reception of fish. Departing on fishing, the fishermen for a week and never returned to the city and live on islands, where special home-built residences, shops. The two islands are primary schools. From the marine station in the city is one of the most beautiful streets - Port. In 1949, it erected a monument to the sailors who died during the liberation Vilkovo during the Great Patriotic War.

Around the lakes and Yalpuh Kugurluy (on foot or waterway)

In Novoselskoe in a picturesque location on the banks of the river is inter-collective farm summer camp. Go Novoselskoe - Smooth - The basin is one day. The village is surrounded by a Plavni. From the estuary to it are wide stairs, covered with light-green vineyards and lush trees. Coast estuary sand, the water is clean and bright. The village is situated in a valley basin of the lake Yalpuh (hence the name of it). Founded it in 1808 during the relocation of the Bulgarians, Gagauz and other people who had fled from the oppression of the Turks. Day's rest to be done in Bolgrad - the district center of Odessa region with a population of more than sixteen thousand people. Founded in 1821 in honor of the liberation from Turkish rule in 1838, is built temple of the Holy Transfiguration, reminiscent of the architecture of St. Isaac's Cathedral in Leningrad. A popular place for recreation for the citizens of the city - spread out on the lake Yalpuh park them. Pushkin, where during his stay in Bessarabia used to walk a great poet. In 1949, close to the park was erected a monument to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. From Bolgrad can make a bus tour to the location of eighteen kilometers from the city monument of outstanding Russian commander Marshal Rumyantsev Transdanubia. Under his command of Russian troops in 1770, defeated the superior forces of the Turkish troops in the famous battle Katulsky. On-site Katulsky battle near Vulcanesti, was later erected a monument. It is made of stone in Rakushechnoye Dorian style in the form of columns, set on a square plinth.

Annals of the iron edge »

Stand in the town square, gun, they almost hide the orange pieces of the sun - nasturtium. Sisters of guns, a monument to Russian arms - well, in the park Bulgarian town of Pleven. Even before fame Chrysostom. In 1833, Pavel Anosov got here damask. He damask, which is kept secret and lost East. Blades of Chrysostom considered the best in the world not only for strength, but also for beauty. They were decorated with skillful engravers Ivanka lionfish - Ivan Bushuyev, bazhovskogo hero tale. Blade with his winged horses, and now stored in Zlatoust Museum. Hawthorns, Yuzhakov, Serovikov - a galaxy of artists on the metal work here. Engravers and now makes a wonderful engraving on metal. Chrysostom was the center of the mountain region - the iron edge, and his story - the chronicle of the Urals. Perhaps, the first terrestrial steelmakers will appear here. Ptolemy in the second century, knew that the mountains Norosskih since then called the Southern Urals, has long been out iron and copper. Celtic bronze from the Urals were found in Norway and the Angara. At one time, about twenty-five mines in Zlatoust Mining District was opened on the spot "miraculous mine." Also found the earliest ironworks furnace. XVIII century - the dawn of world fame of the Urals. With a light hand of Peter the Great grew up here works like mushrooms after rain. Came here merchants tysjachniki: Demidov, Stroganoff, Mosolov - and became millionaires. They knew how to turn iron into gold. Were bought for pennies in Bashkir huge forest cottage.

Settlement Tatarbunary

So the Emperor Trojan, who commanded the Roman army was forced to strengthen the conquered territory. On his orders the slaves had poured defensive shaft, went down in history as the "Lower Trojans shaft. On the outskirts of the village the remains of the shaft. Tatarbunary village, a destination route, situated on the river Kagalnik. Believe that it is based Tatars who settled here in the XVI century. Its name is translated into Russian as well Tatar "," Tatar-key (in Tatarbunary there are three fountains-key). With Tatarbunary associated broke out in 1924 famously Tatarbunary revolt against the oppression of the Romanian boyars. It embraced a large territory Izmailschiny. The rebels proclaimed Soviet power and raised the red flag, reyavshee over the city for three days. Against the rebels were thrown into large military units. The massacre was brutal. In Tatarbunary sixty-nine burned houses, killed one hundred and nine of the peasants. Total in the district killed two thousand peasants. Dozens of villages were razed to the ground. Tatarbunary known, and other exploits. During World War II near the village of eight heroes of the gunners were unequal battle with a whole regiment of the Nazis. The artillerymen had fallen hero's death, killing more than four hundred fascists. Killed in that battle, and the battery commander, Senior Lieutenant Ivan M. Barinov, who was posthumously awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union. In Tatarbunary is a mass grave of heroes. Tatarbunary today - it's an urban type, a major regional center of the Odessa region of Ukraine.

Song of Miass Valley

V power line is Turgojak. Long can be described by a lake, but in my opinion, it is beautiful and Ridha and Teletskoje. Shard of the sky, reduction in the frame of forests. Giant spring, since water is as cold and transparent. The closer to the Miass, the more you meet people with backpacks. Still, here Ilmensky reserve. Miass valley in the last century was in full swing second Klondike. In the year to Miass mines namyvali to five hundred pounds of gold. In 1842, land Syut H. Kean opened the largest in the world of all known nugget, weighing 35.7 kilos. By the end of the last century, gold-bearing sands are poorer, but zolotopromyvochnye dredge and are now working on the Miass River. On all roads of the country are working truck with the trademark "Ural". From the east valley Miass shield Ilmeno - the most eastern Urals, it terrestrial geological museum. How many "museum" of precious and semiprecious stones, beryl, amazonite, garnet, crystal! Even Mias-sky train station is built of miasskita, which is almost nowhere else found. Our "Odyssey" ended on a fir. It, however, no one ate - is one of the lakes lake necklaces Zauralye: Chebarkul Kisegach, Sunukul, Al-Ghazi, Uvildy. Beautiful place. Holiday home, summer camp, summer residence. Last night could not sleep. In the light of torches catching crabs. The fishery is much primitive, but more successful than fishing. The sun greeted the song. Behind us lay kilometers traveled 55-th parallel. How many of them still, the parallels and meridians!

Stone bowl

In the stone bowl to go through the village or Shiryaevo, or from the picturesque village of Petroleum Solar Glade narrow path among the dense old forest. The latter is especially attractive in spring when the cherry blossoms: if you go for a fragrant garden, decorated with white caps of colors, and do not feel up the hill, the path is invisible, easy and enjoyable. Here you are facing the forest cordon "Deck", nestled among high mountains, at the foot of one of them, where they beat three sources of stone bowls, "deck". Behind the house, closer to the Stone ravine, a large steel barrel. To her from the mountain along the ravine runs a wooden trough in which escapes from the first source here pure tinkling stream of water. On the sunny glades are entering into a gloomy gully, where the sun's rays illuminate only the tops of trees. And below is cold and damp, the grass, despite the midday, copious dew. And soon, even walking on the track, you just do not get wet from the waist up. The farther go, the muffled covert, the higher and more beautiful grass. High brush blue bells bend under the weight of their flowers and thick stems of wild rose mallow, blue chicory ... And when you get to the arbor of overhanging whip hop when wade between the giant stalks bear horns, and fancies that are about to meet from the thick bush comes out and the owner of the Deaf forests - Toptygin. Around - a huge stone slabs and loose gravel. But suddenly the chute turns sharply to the left, the ravine widens, and before you open a spectacle that does not happen to see everyone in your life - an underground source comes from the bowels of the mountain to the surface.

Spring, Zhuravleva pit Light Lake

Permanent water bodies in the Zhiguli very little. One of the deepest - Spring Lake - is located near the former tar plant. The path to it passes through the village of Tar on a country road. Ahead of young shoots lime which has risen on the site cut down forests. Turn left on very recent felling. Go here is not easy - among the stumps, bumps on a raspberry bush and her constant companion nettle, stumbling into strings of barbed blackberry and hops, clinging to the bushes of wild rose, jumping or going around the fallen, already rotten tree trunks. The trail always leads down the slope - the slope of the ravine hop, sometimes displays a narrow path, barely visible among the tall grass. In some places there are young Osinki. Ends cutting begins woodlands, old wood - linden, aspen, oak, birch. Appear funnel. One of them is 5-6 meters deep and about 5-6 m in diameter. Water in the cup there. Begins a steep descent down the slope hop ravine. Tourists coming to a dense, almost impenetrable thickets of linden wood. That breakthrough, opening the way to the lake, but it can not go on. There's mud, the liquid, squelchy, something completely impassable, Carr. Throughout numerous hoof prints of elk. And that's more accessible approach to the lake. He closed the ring around the thick forest. Despite the bright sunny day, the water in the lake seems dark - the sun's rays do not penetrate here. On the slope of the ravine hop cleared the wind and the water in the lake fixed - it does not wind up and around.

Shuryshkarsky district - an exotic and modern

Customs and traditions Khanty most persistent were precisely in the area of ??adult male: they can see women hantyek with herbal braids and clothes of reindeer fur, decorated with colorful cloth, a kind of national holidays. But the most interesting thing is that tourists can watch the Ob North - it's fishing. Receptions her favorite places are preserved, nu have changed gear: there nylon net, fishing boats equipped with motors. Signs of modernity in the area of ??adult male can be found everywhere. In the village of Gorki is fishery. On-site blackened log gers series of sparkling newness homes. In large villages - nursing and hospitals. From the windows of many post offices are heard a squeaky voice radios.

Path to Meschera

Around here in the great bend of the Oka giant green triangle stretches Mescherskaya hand, aimed spearheaded the suburbs of Moscow. From north to south it is cut in half the chain of Great Lakes and of blue snake river Pra. According to these places and passes our boat trip: art. Tasino - River Buzha - Klepskovskie Lake - Klepiki city - the river Pra - Brykin Bor - Kochemary. Gazing at this little green spot, located in some kind of 150 - 200 km from Moscow, as if trying to see what lies ahead. But what could tell small-scale tourist map on which all can freely Meschera cover palm?

Zhigulevskie caves

You go ahead and every now and then stumble on large blocks of stone rolled down the slopes of the ravine. Passed about 1,5 km, climb up the ravine. There, about twenty meters from the bottom of the ravine, as if scattered light gray huge stones. Come a little more, and to the right, at a high, with thick, blackened with age, stem birch notice almost overgrown trail, which passes in subtle stone steps. Go up to him on a small platform on the slope of the ravine. That ice cave in the cold ravine. Before you - the ledge of the greyish layers of dolomite, hanging over a wall of rounded blocks of stone. These boulders look as though they were barely kept in place and may, after losing the last point of support, to fly down. On-site and on the slope of the ravine a lot of lumps, but on a stone wall a lot of dark gaping holes and crevices where these blocks once fell out. Entrance to the cave-in the form of a triangle, its width is about 1 m, height up to 0,5 m. The stones in recent years strongly seated, the outlet decreased. On slippery boulders come closer to the cave. From this it is cold. This happens even on the hottest days of summer: very recently it was ice. Get into the cave can only crawl. Soon, it expands and becomes higher - it can even sit up. Its length is about 4 m, width - about 2 m. The walls are dotted with horizontal cracks on the floor a lot of small stones. The second ice cave - on the same side of the ravine in the Cold 10 m from the first and at 4 m above it.

Ovgort on shore Syni

Synya - the largest tributary of the Ob in the adult male area. Its length over 300 km. The origins are in the area of ??mountain tundra of the eastern slopes of the Urals. Describing the great arc of the hilly, swampy terrain, Synya flows into the Ob River, against the village of New Kievat near their husbands. Level and flow regime bottom Syni depend on the level of the Ob River, which backs it up to Ovgorta. In the lower reaches Syni many litters, and low submerged islands, muddy water, mixed with the Ob. Above the village Yamgort, which ranges in cedar on the high left bank, look Syni change: the water becomes lighter, both banks are high, close to the river on both sides of creeping thick taiga. On the shores there are pebbles and large rocks - from the Urals. But only the stones and clear water give the place of birth Syni, and she still does not detect its mountainous nature, and as calm stretches to the village Tiltima - about 200 km from the mouth of Doe Tiltima reach small boats, and above it starts thresholds. The rapids on a spinning hits-Xia trout. In the most upstream Synya shallow, in line with many large stones. Forest of the Son is in its entirety: in the vicinity at the origins of larch, then spruce, birch, cedar, - but hardly recommend descent on her raft. Very much a slow flow in the middle and lower river. Impractical as chalk kayaking trip down the Son - in the summer its upper part Husbands are inaccessible, and dragged through the Urals (with Lemvy) is too large.

Ob great

The ducts present there tangled maze, in addition to all the changing from year to year and within one year depending on water levels. In this interweaving of the duct is sometimes a long time wandering not only fishing boats and motorboats, but experienced anglers on light boats. Obi Islands stretch for tens of kilometers. Here grow willow and sedges. In other years, pouring, Ob floods even the big island, and, departing, leaves on the ground thin layer of silt, which, like putty, does not pass to the seed light, air, and the grass does not germinate. High water flooding on the islands and the mouths of rivers flowing into the Ob, low meadows, forming a vast shallow lake - litters. In sors fatten the fish. With a recession of water in the first dry groove connecting the litters with the main ducts Obi, and shoals of fish, mostly young, are trapped. Rescue them from death in otshnurovaniyh sors, strip vodospusknyh ditches is charged with the duty of all collective farms to conclude contracts for the exploitation of fishing areas. In the overgrown grass sors nesting ducks. By autumn they gather in the ducts. But the main wealth Obi - fish. Here it dozens of species from different families: sturgeon, salmon, carp. Most numerous in number of species and have the greatest commercial value salmon, whitefish, inconnu, pyzhyan, Sokurov. Themselves have the same Ob fishermen in honor expiring fat "little soly" cheese. Is Obi, especially in the Ural tributaries - the North Sosva, Son, Voikar - and another great fish - tugun, or, in local, Sos'va herring.

Polar Urals

In the middle of last century in the northern Urals flew the first swallow - Expedition Hoffman. She went on the present territory of the district only for adult male Voikar and passes through the Urals, but the material collected by it in many ways changed the view of the eastern slopes of the Polar Urals. A particularly important result of research Hoffman was surveying and measuring the height of a number of corner vertices. Then the area was again a long forgotten and began attending individual travelers only at the beginning of XX century. Systematic and comprehensive study of the left bank of the adult male district began in 1925, here was sent an expedition under the leadership of BN Gorodkova. She has worked in the area between the Ob and the Polar Urals and completed a large program of geological, botanical and geodetic studies. In recent years the study region considerably intensified. Geologists working HA1 Son and Voikar, drilled wells in the hope to get to the oil Kunovat. Energy will be erected near the power station on the Ob Salekhard.

Voikar, son of the Urals

Summer Voikar - passing the path to the Ural Mountains. Near, but not simple, because unlike Syni Voikar - almost all over for real mountain river, with many shoals, with these thresholds. Most rapids area Voikar begins below the left of its tributary the Tan-yu and stretches about 50 miles, almost to the top of the village Voikar. Here, half a kilometer from the Tan-yu, is a threshold that at low water is dangerous, especially for heavy boats and rafts, as a passage for him is narrow and is sandwiched between two large stones. But in general it is quite pass as the rest of the thresholds Voikar. In the upper rapids Voikar less than the average flow. He is calm and the lower reaches, where the senses backwater from Obi. Like most of its major tributaries, Voikar ends temporary lake - litter. Sor this - a place foraging salmon, sturgeon fingerlings, - declared the reserve. Fishing is conducted only at the mouth of Voikar, where the short channel to it is connected with the Ob. Here, on the high left bank, stands the village of fishermen Khanty Ust-Voikar. In late summer, in Ust-Voikar can be seen as caught and salted herring Sos'va. Voykarsky litter is very shallow, its depth in the summer average about half a meter, and that's on the flooded meadow where a winding river. In windy weather, when, because of the waves can not see the stream flowing through the rubbish voykarskoy greenish water, it is difficult to hold a boat or a motorboat. We have to go "blueprint", ie, constantly Gaugeable depth of six and pick the channel.

By Braslav, druyke and Daugava

Beautiful, fast river Druyka, left tributary of the Daugava River, originates in the northeast corner of Drivyaty and flows through Belarus via the lake Tsno, Nespish and Iedrovo, which in combination with other lakes of the area to make a fascinating canoe trip with good fishing fishing (perch, pike, perch, even the Baltic eel) and dobychlivoy, in season, hunting for waterfowl and upland game. The route is interesting from the standpoint of proper orientation when navigating on lakes with overcoming the artificial and natural barriers to Druyke. On the shore Drivyaty operates tourist base, which can serve as a starting point for a hike. Here you can get advice on the route and to replenish food stocks in the campaign, products can be purchased in the city. The dominance of western and north-westerly winds a few difficult voyage in an open Reach all the lakes, but to avoid trouble should go in the early morning or evening hours. Forty-five minutes from the tourist center of the kayak in the river include Druyku. Shore it abundantly overgrown with reeds, over almost not noticeable. Another thirty minutes five forty-five way, and tourists get to the lake Tsno with very marshy shores. Places for parking here. In the northwest corner of the lake - flow into the next-Nespish and ... The first hurdle that must twine along the right bank. Further duct empties into the lake Nespish and allied - Voiso drifting to the northwest. The banks are high, covered with forests. Lots of good places for parking and fishing.

Circassian waterfall

At the twenty-third mile, where Gega takes Yupshara turquoise waters, and a new route. Leaving the road to Ritsu, turn left onto the bridge. The road, with a wag of a few times on the steep turns, goes up dramatically. Here the river affects the steepness of the fall. In the solid foam, forming in some places cascades, it rushes with a roar at the stone lodge their waters. The bed littered with giant boulders. After two or two and a half mile climb over, and the car goes into a flat valley with a paved road leading to logging. Another four kilometers, and you hear a strong noise. Following the path of a small hill and go into the light filled the area. With the steep limestone cliffs of the ten-horizontal slit, with a deafening noise of the mass of water falls. Halfway stream hits the brow, expanding and crashes down on tridtsatimetrovym fan. High-water stream falling from a height of about fifty meters, forms a powerful air wave. The foot of the waterfall and the nearest approach to it constitute a solid mass of rock debris. This pile was formed here as a result of the annual incidence in the spring of mighty avalanches, which is bringing down the slopes of debris of rocks. To the left of the waterfall formidable rock ledge overhangs, and deep beneath it are visible in the twilight of the niche and move. Randomly scattered huge stone blocks dressed age-old moss. Excursion to the waterfall at Gege can be combined with a trip to Lake Riza. On leaving the cars from Sochi (or Sukhumi) not later than six or seven o'clock in the morning of a summer day is enough, but infinitely more will experience if the trip to spend two days with an overnight stay at the lake.