The most dangerous sections of the road to Lake Ritsa. Abkhazia. "Stone Bag" - a gorge in the Yupsharsky canyon. Cliff and observation deck "Farewell, Motherland"
Preface. Both my husband and I, having returned from this dizzyingly beautiful trip, were disappointed with the photos. Maybe it came from my inability to build a frame correctly, to find the right point for photographing, or maybe from the fact that photography is not able to convey the totality of sensations that you experience while in the mountains. The ears are filled with the sounds of nature - the creak of centuries-old trees, the noise of a stormy mountain river; eyes sometimes cannot believe what they see - the mountains are so beautiful and we are insignificant in comparison with them; at the same time you inhale the air, filled to the brim with oxygen and the smell of fresh water, snow, fallen leaves, moisture ...
But it turned out what happened. I hope you will enjoy.
1. Starting point. Hotel "Alex" in Gagra. Good rooms, outdoor pool. The sauna and indoor small pool are very popular with local jigits. Apparently there are no alternatives.
Of the minuses - in the indoor pool it smells of smoke and beer (although you can attribute this to my too sensitive sense of smell :))
3. First stop on the way to the lake. On the opposite bank of the Bzyb there are wild horses. Zhenya says that after the war they divorced here in countless numbers.
4. It seems that they noticed me, despite the sound of the river:) While I was running after the telephoto, two of them galloped away.
PS. The color of the river is natural.
6. Much in Abkhazia can be called abandoned. Abandoned houses (there were a lot of them along the way), bridges that have not been used for a long time, hidden from human eyes behind dense thickets of shrubs and trees.
7. Everything is covered with mold and evokes the feeling of a catastrophe that happened long ago.
9. Stop. It seems to be used sometimes - judging by the garbage bag carefully placed in the bin.
10. Trees ... You can look at them endlessly - huge, lost their leaves, covered with evergreen moss, they sleep in anticipation of spring.
11. There are also quite functional bridges.
A billboard near the road offers not only to shoot from the bridge at living moving targets, but also to cross the river on a bungee.
It is not clear, though, whether it is necessary to shoot at those who decide to test the bungee, or there is a specially trained "target" for this purpose.
12. These are either "maiden's tears" or "men's". There are two waterfalls, and I photographed only one. I don't remember which one :)
13. Blue lake. I don't think the name needs to be explained :)
14. No comment. As long as there are people taking pictures with exhausted and chipped wild animals and birds, this business will flourish. And animals die.
17. The road to the lake becomes very narrow in places, almost single-lane. On one side of the road a mountain rises, on the other side a cliff terrifies with its depth.
18. First snow! (for us - the first)))
19. It cost us a lot of work to persuade Nina to go further :)
20. A typical photograph of a tourist. The goal is to capture yourself against the backdrop of the beauties of nature.
22. Observation deck, popularly nicknamed "Farewell, Motherland!"
I don't know exactly why. Maybe because of the deepest cliff under it. Or maybe not..
23. View from the observation deck on the right:
24. And if you look to the left, then far, far below you will see the road along which we were driving. See vooooo there, in the lower right corner:
25. Lake Ritsa.
In sunny weather, the photos, of course, would have turned out better ... But there were almost no tourists - this is very pleasing :)
From Wikipedia:
It is located at an altitude of 950 m above sea level in the Bzyb river basin, in a deeply wooded gorge of the Lashpsy and Yupshara rivers, east of the Gagra Range. The mountains surrounding the lake have a height of 2200-3200 meters. Area - 1.27 km², length - 2.5 km, width - from 270 to 870 meters. The average depth is 63 m, the greatest is 131 m.
26. And the lake was formed about 250 years ago. Young at all.
27. Finally snow! A lot of snow!
28. I also got it :)
29. The most popular mountain transport. The older the year of manufacture, the louder the engine roars.
30. We climbed a small hill near the lake, where the heartbreaking sounds of pop music were not heard.
The menus in the cafe are the same and do not shine with variety.
The food is harsh, as is life.
Hominy (porridge made from cornmeal with cheese), freshly caught trout cooked on a fire (overeating !!!), akud (a bean dish - I love it), strong tea with lemon and "mountain" (homemade, hard and salty) cheese.
31. Zhenya saw a cartridge case near the cafe in the snow.
From AK (correctly spelled?), as the local boy said. He said that you can negotiate with the owner of the cafe and shoot.
Yes, little has changed in Abkhazia.
32. On the way back. The lower we went down, the harder it rained.
Automobile tunnels, of course, are not lit. But the longest, as a rule, are with cut slits through which the sun's rays enter. Or they don’t get if the weather is cloudy :)
33. Ahead - the so-called "stone bag" - the road is clamped on both sides by the foothills of the mountains.
34. "Stone bag": the ride is both interesting and creepy.
35. Having gone down, under a downpour, we still looked at the ruins of the Bzyb temple of the 10th century. Cows grazed there, slowly crushing flowering daisies and dandelions with their hooves.
But that's another story - I'll show it in the next post.
Hopefully we'll see more snow this winter...
Per day!
There are many natural attractions in the vicinity of the Gagra resort. One of the most attractive objects not only of Gagra, but of the entire Black Sea coast of the Caucasus is alpine lake Ritsa.
The road to Lake Ritsa
The first road linking the coastal highway with the pearl of the mountains was built in 1936.
The road to Lake Ritsa goes past the settlements of the Gagra resort, turns left from the highway and enters the picturesque Bzyb gorge, where the current is squeezed by high rocks. The current of the Bzyb slows down, its channel expands, and it flows into the sea in two arms.
Bzyb village
In front of the mouth of the gorge is the ancient village of Bzyb. Its antiquity is evidenced by the ruins of the fortress, which are clearly visible on the rock hanging over the highway.
swell(in translation means "river gorge") is one of the most beautiful and turbulent rivers of the Western Caucasus. It originates from the eternal snows of the southern slope of the Main Caucasian Range at an altitude of 2300 meters, runs down the slopes of the mountains, densely overgrown with forests, and receives many tributaries. The total length of the river is 101 kilometers.
Vacationers and tourists will find many interesting places on the way to Lake Ritsa. In the vicinity of the village of Bzyb, there are state farm lands where tobacco, corn, and citrus fruits are cultivated. Behind the village, in the forest clearings, numerous apiaries are visible everywhere. The history of beekeeping in Abkhazia goes back to ancient times.
Even the ancient Greek writers Xenophon (4th century BC) and Strabo (1st century BC) noted the great development of this branch of the economy among the ancestors of modern Abkhazians. Honey and wax have always been an important branch of the Abkhazian economy, finding constant demand in overseas trade markets.
As a rule, bees were bred by local Abkhazian tribes that inhabited the foothill zone and river gorges. But especially favorable conditions for beekeeping have developed in the gorge of the Bzyb River. The abundance of vegetation, wild-growing honey plants in meadows and clearings allows the population of the republic to receive large incomes from beekeeping even now.
But the secret lies not only in the region's honey plants. Gray local mountain bee is bred here Abkhazian woman. won world fame for its high productivity, peacefulness and other valuable qualities. In particular, the Abkhazian woman is famous for her large radius of flight and a long, up to 7 millimeters, proboscis that allows her to collect nectar, even if it is deep in the calyx. Its honey is incomparable with the honey of other bees in its exceptional taste and healing qualities. Over the past decades, the Abkhazian woman has been cultivated in the United States, in a number of Western European countries and other parts of the world.
Waterfalls Maiden's and Men's Tears
Having traveled a short distance from the village of Bzyb, tourists will suddenly see a rainbow. Thin streams of crystal water, as if protruding from a stone, pour from somewhere above. That is how it is. This fabulous waterfall, formed by melt water filtering through the thickness of limestone rocks, has a poetic name "Girl's Tears".
A beautiful legend sings of this natural phenomenon.
“A long time ago,” the old people say, “only one family lived in these places. The only daughter, a beauty named Amra, went to the banks of the Bzyb to graze goats, and sang songs that reached her lover, who lived in the mountains. The girl was so good and her songs were so good that the heart of the mermaid who lived in the waters of the Bzyb flared up with jealousy. One day, unable to bear the beauty of Amra. a mermaid climbed a rock and wanted to throw the girl down. The beautiful Amra wept bitterly. Her girlish tears flowed down the rock and reached the river. At the call for help, the god of water rose from the river. He called menacingly to the envious mermaid. And she turned to stone from fear. But in memory of the salvation of Amra, springs still ooze from under the rock ...
And Amra's lover, Adgur. while hunting in the mountains at that time, he suddenly felt pain in his heart. He realized that some kind of misfortune threatened his beloved, and that he could not help her ... The warrior's stingy tears fell on the stone ... "
And now, as if confirming an ancient legend, further after a few kilometers, beyond blue lake, which has yet to be reached, ooze from the stone rare, stingy men's tears...
Not far from the "Girl's Tears", on the left bank of the river, there is a grotto. Here, in 1937, archaeologist L.N. Solovyov discovered objects more than 4,000 years old.
A kilometer away, to the left of a small clearing, is a cave called Barrier. During the rainy season, an underground river flows over its threshold. In the dry season, you can get into it. This is a rather large cave with an underground lake.
Cars go on and on. To the right of the road rises a dark green wall of trees unusual for these places. These are the Himalayan cedars that have found their second home in the Caucasian land. Cedar was planted in 1938 and has already become a shady grove. Many pets migrated from here to the streets, parks and squares of Abkhazia. This tree is widely used for landscaping coastal cities, reaches a height of 50 meters, its wood is used in shipbuilding, piles, parquet are made from it, expensive furniture is trimmed with it.
Above the cedar grove, a high hill rises to the sky, on top of which, in the midst of a dense deciduous forest, an ancient watchtower rises - Hasanta Abaa. The tower is surrounded by a powerful wall one and a half meters thick. This fortification was apparently erected about 700 years ago. In the Middle Ages, the Hasant-Abaa tower blocked the path of the enemy. which usually moved along the road from the Sancharsky, Daursky and Adzybsky passes. If the enemy managed to break past the tower, he was detained by the garrison of the Bzyb fortress located below.
In those days, its owners were practically invulnerable. And now it's not so easy to climb this hill! A slightly noticeable trail starts from the left bank of the Bzyb River. But before getting on this trail, tourists will have to cross the river at the 10th kilometer and only then climb the slopes of the hill. But all their efforts will be rewarded a hundredfold. From the platform on which the tower stands, a magnificent panorama of the gorge and the surrounding mountains opens. The inside of the tower can be accessed via a ladder...
Its surface is completely calm, although it is clear that right next to it a full-flowing mountain stream noisily pours into it from under the rock. Blue lake of karst origin. It is small: its area is only 180 square meters, but the depth reaches 76 m. Sapphire is an almost exact comparison. The lake is blue, a surprisingly bright color that does not fade or darken even in the most inclement weather.
An ancient legend tells:
“Where the Blue Lake is now, in ancient times there was a cave in which a hundred-year-old elder lived - Zhrei. His snow-white beard hung almost to the ground, and his unusually blue eyes radiated wisdom and kindness. This wise man in the past was a famous hunter. Having grown old, he moved away from people in order to be closer to nature and settled in a cave. Local hunters often came to him for advice, for his knowledge of mountain paths, the habits of animals and the possibilities of shooting them. For his useful advice, the hunters considered it their duty, returning home, to leave him one skin of a dead animal and part of the meat.
Once, in inclement weather, strangers turned up in these places and asked for an overnight stay in a cave with an old man. He hospitably received them. Having treated them, the hermit showed them a place to sleep, laying out the skins of dead animals for them. Seeing a large number of skins of bison, bears, deer, roe deer, martens, the greedy guests decided to take possession of them. After killing the owner, they hastily began to put the skins in bags. Almost all the skins had already been collected when an unexpectedly powerful flow of water blocked the exit from the cave. The perpetrators were trapped. This is how the Blue Lake, or the Lake of the Abkhazian Elder, was formed, the waters of which resemble the blueness of the eyes of an old man, whose body remained at the bottom, and open eyes gave an unusual color to the waters of the lake.
This is how the legend explains it. But in fact, according to experts, the bottom of the lake is covered with deposits of the lapis lazuli mineral, and the water is absolutely transparent.
The average water temperature in the lake is plus 7 degrees and only on the hottest days it rises to plus 10 degrees. The lake does not freeze all year round, but you would be in vain to pull out fishing rods from covers, even if you are an inveterate fisherman: there is no fish here. But nearby, in the river Bzyb, there is plenty of it. The Blue Lake is fed by the waters of an underground river starting on the slopes of a high mountain. Ahtsykh.
Gega river
The Bzyb is getting narrower and busier, where it takes in the waters of one of its tributaries - the Gega. White-foaming cascades of the Gagra massif falling from the heights. The length of the river is 26 km. Gega originates on the northeastern slope of the Tepe-Bashi ridge at an altitude of 2420 m above sea level.
Gorge swell higher Gega not mastered. Silence reigns here, there are no roads and settlements, this section of the gorge is extremely wild and beautiful: rocky cliffs alternate with slopes undermined by dense forest.
Cars cross the river, and now Bzyb is left behind, and the road deepens into the valley Gega. It winds its way through a deep gorge. The slopes are densely covered with coniferous and deciduous forests. There are a lot of oak and linden, hornbeam and maple. Dense maple wood is consumed as a carpentry material, and musical instruments are made from it. Maple is found here up to an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. Caught in the gorges and yew - mahogany. Extremely dense yellow-red yew wood is used to make high-quality furniture. Here, an inquisitive tourist can see a strawberry tree. In addition to this place, it is found in Abkhazia only on the steep banks of the village of Myussera. In ancient times, the strawberry tree also grew in other regions of Abkhazia and beyond. This is evidenced by the remains found by paleobotanists in the fossil flora of the Black Sea region. They were first discovered by the famous botanist Professor A. A. Kolakovsky in the river basin Kodor.
Away from the road laid along the Geg, deep and narrow gorges are visible. Huge fragments of rocks pile up in them, evergreen thickets of boxwood stretch upward. The boxwood tree is often referred to as the Caucasian palm or diamond tree. Its wood is highly valued. It grows extremely slowly and by the age of 500 rarely reaches the height of a five-year-old cedar. The export of boxwood from the Caucasian gorges began in ancient times. Shuttles for looms, woodcut clichés, various decorations and art products were made from boxwood. There is evidence that some of the wooden decorations of the Notre Dame Cathedral are made of Caucasian boxwood. According to medieval writers, the Abkhaz boxwood in Europe was sold at retail, almost per gram.
Local merchants at the beginning of the 19th century tried to develop the Bzyb forests. So, it is known that one of them harvested pine for Turkish ships in Bzyb. Somewhat later, large Russian capitalists became interested in the Bzyb forests.
Following them, foreign capitalists also extended their tentacles here. The Belgian joint-stock company already in 1893 was negotiating with the tsarist government on the transfer to the company for the development of the forest. With the permission of the tsarist authorities, the Belgians have already begun to survey the forests, but, fortunately, the revolution prevented them from destroying the national property.
Now the Bzyb forests are carefully protected by the state, logging for industrial purposes is not allowed.
Yupshara river
Suddenly, a giant stone wall crosses the road. There seems to be no way forward. But the stone recedes before the man. Cars rush under its arches. The cliffs are closing in again. Gega remains to the left, Yupshara, flowing from Lake Ritsa, hurries towards Gega. The length of the river is relatively small - 11 km. Now, if you continue along the Gega riverbed, you can reach the famous Geg waterfall and the Circassian meadow.
The road to the Ritsu now leads us along the river bank Yupshara, By Yupshar gorge. This is one of the most picturesque places in the Caucasus, famous for its unique beauty. The length of the gorge is 8 km. The path is getting steeper. Mountains are closing sharply. It gets noticeably darker. Green and reddish mosses hang from steep half-kilometer cornices. The most picturesque and majestic section of the path begins - the Yupsharsky canyon. Apparently, its beginning was laid by a giant fissure that parted the rocks, which was subsequently washed away by the Yupshara River.
But now the sun floods everything around. The Yupshar gates have been passed. Now the road goes over the canyon at a dizzying height. In the ears, tingling begins, hearing becomes dull - this is affected by a sharp decrease in atmospheric pressure.
Finally, when the height reaches a thousand meters, tourists have a view of Lake Ritsa. He was surrounded by high mountains - Agepsta(3263 m), Acetuc(2542 m) and Pshegishkha(2222 m). The wooded slopes are reflected in the emerald mirror of the water. Agepsta and Atsetuk are covered with forest, and the steep Pshegishkha is lifeless and naked. Scientists drew attention to such a difference in the appearance of the mountains surrounding Ritsu. This helped them solve the riddle of Ritsa's origin. Apparently, powerful tectonic shifts occurred relatively recently in this area. As a result of these shifts, part of the valley of the Lashupse River, which now flows into the Ritsa from the northeast, sank, while uplift of the earth's crust occurred in the zone of the Pshegishkha ridge. The shifts caused grand collapses of the northeastern slope of the ridge. Thus, this marvelous mountain lake was born at an altitude of 926 meters above sea level.
Legend of Lake Ritsa
Without a doubt, this catastrophe occurred in the memory of the ancient inhabitants of Abkhazia. Thunderous avalanches, crumbling and heaving mountains were reflected and refracted in their own way in the poetic work of the Abkhaz people. Abkhazians tell many legends about Lake Ritsa. Here is one of those legends.
“It was so long ago that even the thousand-year-old boxwood, even the turbulent Bzyb River, do not remember how Lake Ritsa appeared. But a shepherd found out about this, who climbed into the mountains in search of a good pasture for his sheep. He was also told this legend by a sonorous, talkative stream. The shepherd retold this legend to his children, the children to his grandchildren, those to their great-grandchildren...
Once upon a time in the mountains of Abkhazia, in the place where Lake Ritsa lies, there was a valley through which a wide river flowed. She carried her waters to the sea and was so calm that even a child could bathe in her fearlessly.
Juicy pastures stretched along the banks of the river, on which the girl Ritsa grazed her herd. She was so beautiful that even the crimson mountain tulips could not compete with the color of her lips, the sea could not outshine the blueness and sparkle of her eyes, and the snows on the peaks seemed black compared to the whiteness of her face. Her braids were like long writhing snakes, black as agate.
Ritsa had three brothers: the elder Agepsta, the middle Atsetuk and the younger Pshegishkha. The brothers spent whole days wandering in the mountains and hunting for swift-footed goitered gazelles. In the evening they returned to Ritsa and sat down by the fire. Ritsa fried meat, and the brothers sang songs.
The mountains listened to these songs and, falling asleep, wrapped themselves in thick fog.
One day the brothers said goodbye to their sister and went far into the mountains for prey. A hot day passed, the mountains were painted with the crimson of the sunset, and the brothers did not return. Ritsa waited for them for a long time, then gathered the herd not far from the river and, without lighting a fire, lay down on the bank. She closed her eyes and sang a song. Her voice flowed so smoothly and beautifully, was filled with such charm that the night birds stopped calling to each other and the streams stopped their run. All nature listened to the voice of Ritsa.
Heard this song two forest robbers - the brothers Gega and Yupshara. The elder turned to the younger: “Go, Yupshara, find out who sings in the valley? Who has such a charming voice?
He whipped Yupshar's horse and rushed off, without looking at the road, in the direction from which Ritsa's song was heard. He stopped his horse at a cliff and saw a girl lying on the river bank. Yupshara froze. He had never met such a beauty. Animal passion flared up in an evil heart. He rushed to Ritsu and grabbed her in his arms. Ritsa began to cry for help and thrashed in his arms.
I saw this mountain falcon. Spreading his wings, he flew like an arrow to the brothers and told them about what was threatening their sister. Anger burned in the hearts of the brothers. They rushed headlong, hoping to rescue their sister.
But it was already too late... Yupshara did not let Ritsu out of his embrace. Then Pshagnsha raised his heroic shield and threw it at the rapist and missed. The shield fell across the river and blocked the current. Water rushed to the shore.
Ritsa saw that a huge lake was spilling at her feet. Anguish filled her heart. The girl could not endure the shame, she cried out sadly and threw herself into the lake...
Yupshara felt the icy touch of the waves and fled. The brothers rushed in pursuit of him and overtook him. Agepsta seized him with a mighty hand and threw him into the lake. But the water boiled, threw Yupshara over the shield of Pshegishkha and carried it into the sea.
Yupshara clung in vain to the bushes bent over by the banks, uprooting them. Could not save him and Gega, who ran after him along the shore ...
And the three brothers, overwhelmed with grief, turned to stone, turned into high mountains. They still stand above the clear water of the lake, guarding Ritsa's eternal sleep.
The surface area of the lake is 0.67 sq. km, or 132 ha. Its greatest length is 1704 meters, the greatest width is 447 meters, and the greatest depth is 115 meters. The length of the coastline is 4.29 kilometers.
The lake is fed by water Lashupse and small streams that are born at the foothills of Mount Atsetuk. The banks of the Ritsa are indented, in some places they represent an inaccessible cliff. The water of Ritsa is of many shades of dark green. This is due to the fact that in different places it has a different degree of transparency. Trout is found in abundance in the Rietz, which can be tasted in the restaurant on the shore. There is also a hotel-boarding house with a restaurant, and on the opposite bank in the hollow there is a barbecue and apatsha (national restaurant), where barbecue, hominy with cheese, smoked meat, fresh trout caught in the lake are served at the table.
In the vicinity of Lake Ritsa, lovers of mountain tourism will find many attractions. Lake Malaya Ritsa, lying 300 meters above Bolshoy. Its greatest length is 234 meters, width - 130 meters, depth - 80 meters. Malaya Ritsa is difficult to access, but a tourist who gets to the lake will be rewarded with a charming view.
From Bolshaya Ritsa tourists go to Avadhar mineral springs located at an altitude of 1650-1700 meters above sea level. On this section of the path (18 km), tourists see harsh mountain peaks and endless forests, which are home to many wild animals.
The car goes along the steep slope of Ryhva mountain. Tourists have a magnificent panorama of the gorge and mountains covered with beech forest. This is the central section of the Ritsa-Avadkhara Reserve, founded in 1930. Here, as in other places of the reserve, there is a brown Caucasian bear. In spring, after hibernation, bears descend to river valleys, and in summer they rise closer to alpine meadows.
Wild boars are also found in the Bzyb forests. Sometimes they rise from the bottom of the mountains to a height of more than 2500 meters above sea level. Often wild boars descend into the valleys.
Among the predators living in the reserve, one should also name wolves, foxes, jackals. The Black Sea wolf is small in stature, its coat is light gray in color. Wolves also rise to alpine meadows in summer and sometimes attack livestock. Before sunset, the furious barking of jackals spreads through the reserve - they are going to hunt.
Wild Caucasian cats weighing up to 8 kg are also found in the Bzyb forests; and in the valley of the rivers Lashupsa and Avadhara there is a marten. But among the 25 species of the fauna of the reserve, the inhabitants of the highlands are of particular interest: aurochs, roe deer and Caucasian chamois.
The king of the Ritsa-Avadkhara Reserve is called the noble Caucasian deer, which, unfortunately, is almost completely exterminated in the Caucasus. Deer are preserved in the reserve in the amount of three dozen specimens.
There are many birds here too. Among them there are rare, not found in other places of Transcaucasia.
Having examined the central part of the reserve, we find ourselves in a river valley protected by mountain ranges from the northern winds. Avadhara. This valley is considered one of the most remarkable beauty places in the Caucasus. But it is interesting not only for its landscapes: in its bowels there are huge reserves of healing mineral water.
A well-known Abkhazian balneologist Professor A. L. Grigolia did a great job of identifying the local healing springs. One of the sources he studied, Ritsa No. 4, has a flow rate of up to 6,000 liters per day. According to its physico-chemical composition and medicinal properties, the water of the Avadkhara springs resembles the well-known mineral waters "Borjomi" and the French "Vichy".
Everyone who has ever been to Abkhazia knows about its pearl -. But today I want to talk about the sights that you can see on the way to the lake.
The road to Lake Ritsa begins with the so-called Ritsa turn 15 km from Gagra. The road, about 40 km long, runs along the Bzyb River. It is completely paved and can be easily driven by a car. There is no public transport on this route, only taxis.
Wine cellar in Abkhazia
Wine tasting in Abkhazia is not uncommon, but it is on the popular Ritsa route that the largest number of Abkhaz wine cellars is concentrated. As a rule, these cellars are named after the name of the winemaker's family.
Of all, I liked the wine cellar of the Ashuba family the most. I definitely recommend trying the Alexandra wine, named after the youngest granddaughter of the head of the family.
Buying wine on tap or in sealed bottles is everyone's business. But, I want to note that it is not always possible to bring draft wine to the house. It may sour or deteriorate.
Honey yard in Abkhazia
The next stop on the way to Lake Ritsa is Honey Yard. As well as wine cellars, there are several honey yards.
You will be given a short tour, told about the bees and allowed to try local products (which include not only honey, royal jelly and honeycombs, but also chacha with mead). Also, there is often a "plate trick", the so-called "genetic code of honey". I will not reveal its essence to you - it is better to see in reality.
I can’t say anything about the quality of honey at the Honey Yard - I have never purchased it. But, in my opinion, it is better to purchase such products not on popular tourist routes, but from local residents. I can advise a family that has been engaged in honey for several years and keeps its apiary in the mountains.
Waterfall Maiden's Tears in Abkhazia
The next stop on the route to Lake Ritsa is Maiden's Tears waterfall. It is impossible to pass by without noticing it. From afar you can see a rock motley with multi-colored ribbons from which small streams of crystal clear water flow down.
It is difficult to call it a waterfall in the usual sense for us. Mountain waters from alpine meadows make their way through the rocks, forming thin streams of water that look like tears. In summer, the waterfall becomes completely shallow - you can see rare drops that, shimmering in the sun, form a rainbow.
A beautiful but sad legend is associated with the waterfall.
Once upon a time, a young shepherd girl named Amra was in love with the mountain spirit Adgur. The Wicked Witch envied the pure love of young people, lured the girl to a rock and over the cliff demanded her to give up her love. Amra called for help Adgur, but he was too far away and did not hear the cries of his beloved. Then the Witch threw the girl off the cliff, and since then her tears have been dripping in that place: as a sign of strong and tragic love.
In addition, it is believed that if you tie a ribbon here and make a wish, it will surely come true. Ribbons can be purchased here, from local merchants. Whether a wish will come true or not depends only on the faith of the guesser.
They also say: if an unmarried girl washes herself with water from a waterfall, then there will be a wedding soon.
I washed. The wedding took place three months later - though not mine.))
Suspension bridge across the river Bzyb, Abkhazia
Near the Maiden's Tears waterfall, there is another attraction - a suspension bridge across the Bzyb River.
Bzyb is a mountain river in Abkhazia, about 110 km long. The suspension bridge has a rather flimsy appearance and causes concern among many tourists. However, this is in vain: it is built of metal and boards, and is very strong. On the bridge you can make beautiful romantic photos.
There is also a hanging bungee over the river.
Immediately after entering the territory of the Ritsa Reserve (at the checkpoint you will need to pay an environmental fee - 350 ₽), you drive up to the Blue Lake.
This lake of karst origin has become famous for its unusual blue color, regardless of the season and weather conditions. The area of the lake is 180 square meters, the water temperature here is constantly kept at around 9 degrees. Scientists and locals often argue about the depth of the lake. The numbers differ, from 40 to 70 meters - and many even believe that the lake is bottomless.
As with other natural attractions, a folk legend is associated with the Blue Lake in Abkhazia.
Once upon a time, a wise old man with a long white beard and sky-blue eyes lived on the site of the lake. And everyone who came to him was met with hospitality inherent in Abkhazia. In gratitude for the Soviets and lodging for the night, people brought meat and skins of dead animals as a gift to the elder. One day strangers came to the elder. He met them, fed them and put them to bed. The wanderers envied the richness of the old man's skins and killed him for profit. When they began to collect the loot, streams of water suddenly collapsed from everywhere and flooded the cave. And somewhere at the bottom of the blue lake, the murdered old man rests and illuminates the lake with the color of his eyes.
The area around the lake is ennobled for tourists: there is a small market with homemade wine, souvenirs and other products. Various statues, information boards. And the Abkhaz "entrepreneurs" will gladly offer you to take memorable photos with animals and in national clothes.
Yupsharsky canyon or stone bag
Yupsharsky Canyon in Abkhazia is another famous natural attraction. The canyon got its name in honor of the Yupshara River, which flows nearby. The Yupshar Gorge was formed in ancient times: during earthquakes, the rock cracked, forming a narrow passage. The length of the canyon is about 8 km, but the place called the Yupsharsky Gate or the Stone Bag attracts tourists the most.
A small section of the canyon where the rocks approach each other at a distance of 20 meters. From below, only a narrow strip of sky is visible, and even in July the sun's rays do not reach the bottom of the canyon (hence the name "Stone Bag"). Due to the shade and cool slopes of the mountain, this place is overgrown with boxwood and moss, which makes the canyon even more charming. we will make a stop at the Man's Tears waterfall. Cascades of water begin their fall from the cliff so high that if you stand under the waterfall, it is impossible to see its beginning.
According to legend, after the death of Amra, Adgur wept from grief - and in the place where his tears fell, a waterfall of Men's Tears formed.
It is also customary to tie ribbons for love and good luck. Near the waterfall there is a bridge from which you can reach the water tufts.
Cliff and observation deck "Farewell, Motherland"
The road to Lake Ritsa in this place is very narrow, on the one hand there are high rocks, and on the other there is the famous cliff "Farewell, Motherland". The height of the cliff is about 300 meters. There is also an observation deck of the same name, which is a small platform.
Many legends are connected with the origin of the name of this place.
According to one version, a bus with captured Germans who were building a road to Ritsu fell off this cliff. And one of the prisoners of war managed to shout "Farewell, Motherland."
This legend seems unbelievable to me. After all, no matter how beautiful Abkhazia was, it was not a homeland for captured Germans. According to another version, a bus with the military fell off this cliff, which was leaving at night from the shelling. Whether this is true or not, no one knows. But we can definitely say that the view from the cliff "farewell, Motherland" is fascinating. However, in recent years, fewer sightseeing buses stop at this place for security reasons and negligent tourists.
Bird's Beak Waterfall
The last attraction on the territory of the Ritsa National Park today is the Bird's Beak waterfall. It is located just above Lake Ritsa and, as a rule, is not included in the excursion tour to the lake itself. If you wish, you can climb to it from the lake on your own.
The water here is clean, drinkable and slightly mineralized. Many tourists collect it in bottles. Near the waterfall there is a small observation deck, which offers a gorgeous view of Lake Ritsa.
The road to Lake Ritsa and the sights of the Ritsa Reserve on the map of Abkhazia
Below you will find a map and the road to Lake Ritsa, starting from the Ritsa turn, as well as all the sights that we talked about in today's article.
I want to remind you that all the sights, starting with the Blue Lake, are located on the territory of the Ritsa National Park, entry to the territory is paid - 350 rubles. If you are traveling with a guided tour, the entrance ticket is usually included in the price.
You can buy an excursion to Lake Ritsa
We will talk about other places near Lake Ritsa (Geksky waterfall, Molochny waterfall, Stalin's dacha) separately in the following articles.
Hi all! Today I will talk about a classic Abkhazian excursion, namely a trip to Lake Ritsa. If you have not seen Ritsu, then you have not been to Abkhazia.
Perhaps it is worth immediately revealing all the cards and telling that this is not the first time I have been in Abkhazia. About 7-8 years ago, two years in a row, we quite consciously chose "light" abroad instead of the cramped beaches of the Black Sea coast of Russia. Then Abkhazia simply fascinated and conquered me.
In 2006, we went to Lake Ritsa first of all. This year I acted as a guide, because one way or another I knew the most interesting points of the route. Of course, you can always choose a standard tour and not particularly bother. But we are not looking for easy ways, besides, we were in Abkhazia.
Especially for independent travelers, I threw in an approximate map of the main attractions. If you think that a trip to Ritsa is limited only to viewing the beautiful mountain lake, then you are deeply mistaken. Feel free to book a whole day for the trip.
All points on the map are shown schematically, only in order not to miss different interesting things. I see no point in leaving the exact coordinates, because in Abkhazia there is a rule - if you see a crowd of people, then you should stop and look around. There is definitely something here!
Waypoints:
Green - Maiden's Tears Waterfall
Brown - Blue Lake
Blue - Confluence of the Bzyb and Yupshara rivers
Blue - Geg waterfall
Yellow - Yupsharsky Canyon
Gray - waterfall "Men's tears"
Orange - Lake Ritsa
Red - Milk Falls
Violet - Birdfall
And one more map, but closer to Ritsa Park.
There is only one road to Ritsu, so it's hard to miss. It doesn’t matter where you are coming from, from Gagra or New Athos, you reach the big interchange of the E97 highway (on Google maps) and rush to the mountains.
The mountain kingdom begins almost immediately. Breathtaking views of the Caucasus Mountains open from the road, on the right we will be constantly accompanied by the mountain river Bzyb, which originates among the snowy slopes of the Main Caucasus. Along the way, here and there there are announcements about the possibility of rafting on the river. That's where the adrenaline and extreme. Of course with a quiet and smooth can not be compared. By the way, for those who are rather tired of the sea (and there are some!) I recommend diversifying your vacation and just coming to the Bzyb shore to cool off a bit and swim in the cool water.
First stop - Waterfall "Girl's Tears". On the left side of the road, a motley rock immediately attracts attention. Upon closer inspection, it is clear that these are ribbons that tourists tie as a keepsake, making their simple and not simple desires. It is hard to see in the photo - small droplets flow down the mountain like tears and fall down, forming a waterfall.
Abkhazia is the Country of the Soul, so my photo essay will be incomplete without tales and legends of the local people. This is its own special and slightly quivering part of the culture of the Republic.
“A long time ago, the beautiful Amra lived in these places. She herded goats high in the mountains and sang beautiful songs. And she had a lover - Adgur, who reciprocated her love. The evil mermaid envied the lovers and she decided to destroy Amra by throwing her off a cliff. The poor girl called Adgur for help, but he was far away and could not help her. But the cry of the girl was heard by the god of water, came to her aid and turned the mermaid into stone. Along with the mermaid, Amra was also petrified. Since then, in the place where the beautiful Amra cried and called for help, the streams of the Maiden's Tears waterfall now run.
The site offers beautiful views of the mountains and the Bzyb River.
And we're moving on. I did not mark the next point on the route. If you wish, you can stop near the hanging bridge and take a walk along it. A little further there is another bridge, more extreme and not so pretty.
Another stop in front of Blue Lake. Well, we could not resist the temptation to go down to the river. Here it is - a popular water tourism route. The color of the water in Bzyb is amazing - milky blue.
I found on the Internet two translations of the name of the river: “river bank / river gorge” and furious. Personally, I prefer the second option.
We drive up to blue lake. This is the second (after Maiden's Tears) tourist stop, so people are apparently invisible at a small lake. The lake fully justifies its name.
A haze rises over the lake. It's hot outside, and the water is piercingly cold. Not suitable for swimming at all, about +10°C At first glance, it may seem that the water in the lake is cloudy. In fact, it is very deep and the sun's rays do not penetrate to the very bottom. Some sources claim that the depth of the lake is 76 meters. It's hard for me to even imagine such depth. This is neither more nor less than 3 nine-story houses. Ahem….. The lake is fed by an underground river. An interesting fact is that fish do not live here, aquatic plants do not grow, and even plankton does not live here.
Of course, there is a legend associated with the lake among the people. This is Abkhazia! I'll give you a short recap - A long time ago, a kind old man lived in a cave, a well-known hunter in the past. People respected him and came to him for advice. One day, strangers came to him and, coveting the beautiful skins of animals, killed the old man. But before they even took a step, a powerful stream of water flooded the cave. Since then, the lake has existed, resembling the blue eyes of a good old man with its color.
They all have some sad legends, already longing rolls over. My personal recommendation is to stop by the lake on the way back. Toward evening there will be fewer tourist people and it will be possible to approach the lake in a more relaxed atmosphere.
In theory, the next tourist stop is the Yupshar Gorge or "Stone Bag". However, we accidentally decided to stop at an old bridge and then such an amazing sight opened up to us - the Yupshara River flows into the Bzyb. The water line clearly divides the flows.
It is impossible to observe all this from afar and we go down to the water. Yupshara got very dirty somewhere in the mountains J.
Once again, I note for myself that a trip by car gives a certain freedom of action. Impressed by the two rivers, we once again stop on the banks of the Bzyb (slightly higher from the confluence) and now we see a slightly fabulous picture - rocks, lush greenery, incredible-colored water and a light “smoke” rising above the river.
Well, we arrived at the Yupshar Gorge. It is quite long, about 8 km. The narrowest place is the Yupshar Gate. Two powerful rocks rise high up and very clearly make it clear what kind of insect you really are.
I don't have any good photos from this trip that can capture the full power of the gorge, so I'll do a little trick and attach photos from my first trip. Believe me, nothing has changed there.
The Yupshara River makes its way along the bottom of the gorge. Please note that it is blue, not gray-brown at all.
If you don’t rush headlong and make the right stops, then you can capture just such a beautiful panorama from the observation deck. Down there is the Stone Bag.
If you are planning a trip to Geg waterfall, then, it is important not to miss the landmark. As soon as you meet a tunnel on your way, this means only one thing - you are at the beginning of the path to Gega. To the left of the road there are UAZs with Abkhaz guys who, for 1,700 rubles. (back and forth) will take you to the Gegsky waterfall. But here, on the contrary, I advise you to first go to the waterfall, and then continue your route to Ritsa. On the way back, you can already get tired and just lazy. Do not even think about climbing among the rocks and stones in your own car. Feel free to load into the UAZ, just do not forget to close your eyes. You will be driven at incredible speed right along the edge of the cliff. And if you are a thrill seeker, then be sure to look down. There, far below, along the gorge, another mountain river with a difficult character rushes - the Gega. Beauties!
Just next to the UAZ parking lot, it flows into the Yupshara and again we can observe the confluence of two streams - the dirty brown Yupshara and the sky-blue Gega.
We must admit that this year we did not reach the Gegsky waterfall. However, I have a great opportunity to go back 8 years and show the waterfall in all its glory.
To estimate the size of a natural miracle, it is probably worth attaching such a photo. The water flow seems to cut the rock and breaks out. In the foreground - me, in the background - small figures of people. The height of the waterfall is about 55 meters. The water is ice cold even in summer.
It was here, at the Gegsky Falls, that the scene from the movie “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson” was filmed, or rather, the fight between Holmes and Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls.
On the way to Ritsu we come across another waterfall - Men's Tears. Here it is a mean man's tear.
The legend of this waterfall brings us back to the beautiful Amra and her beloved Adgur:
“... And Amra's beloved Adgur, while hunting in the mountains at that time, suddenly felt pain in his heart. He realized that some kind of misfortune threatened his beloved and that he could not help her .... Mean tears fell on the stone .... "
Well, everything, then only Ritsa! At the entrance to the Ritsa Reserve, you need to pay an environmental fee or simply buy a ticket for 350 rubles. You can leave your car in the parking lot, although it is located quite far on the right bank of the lake.
A moment ... and before us opens a calm, greenish expanse of the lake, bordered on all sides by mountain slopes. The tops of the mountains are hidden in the clouds.
Photos cannot convey the full scale of Ritsa, you need to see it with your own eyes.
The lake is quite young, about three hundred years old. If you do not pay attention to the legends and turn to science, then the origin of Ritsa is explained by a huge failure in the karst voids. As a result of the collapse, a huge dam was formed. The depth of the lake is 130 meters. The water is clean, flocks of fish hunt near the shore in search of a fishing hook. By the way, trout is found in Ritsa.
If you wish, you can rent a catamaran or a boat and sail away from the coast. Near the lake there are several cafes where you can have a barbecue or taste river trout.
It's too early to go back, so we go in search of the Milky Falls. The road leads us along the right bank of the Ritsa further into the mountains. Asphalt is present purely nominally, in some places it is badly broken. Basically, off-road vehicles drive along this route, which take tourists on excursions to the Seven Lakes or to alpine meadows. After a while there will be a fork, the road down and the sign "Stalin's Dacha". It is on this sign that you need to go to the Milky Waterfall. But we decided to take another look at Ritsu, only now from an excellent observation deck. We move on without turning anywhere. As soon as you see a waterfall on the right side, then you have arrived. This is Birdfall. Eight years ago it was possible to get closer to him. This year, the waterfall is surrounded by a net and traces of collapse are visible. Apparently unsafe.
Well, this is perhaps the best panorama overlooking the mountain lake.
Our workhorse 🙂
Now we go back and turn to Stalin's dacha. The Milky Waterfall gets its name from its purely visual effect. The water is highly mineralized, this foams and turns white.
If you wish, you can look at Stalin's dacha and see how our political leader rested.
I hope my short photo report will be useful for travelers who want to visit Ritsa.
Are you planning a big trip to the Land of the Soul? Then I recommend a big
Small and proud Abkhazia is a small republic on the Black Sea coast. Sunny Land invites those wishing not only to relax, but also to make exciting trips around the republic. One of the most attractive places for tourists is Lake Ritsa. The path to it lies through the Stone Bag gorge in Abkhazia. This is the second name of the Yupshar Canyon - a place where the mountains amaze with their beauty and grandeur.
Natural landmark on the way to Ritsu
For those who make excursions in the Republic of Abkhazia, "Stone Bag" may seem like a strange name, but, having driven closer to the place, one can understand its origin. The gorge is a stretch of road sandwiched between rocks. Its length is 8 km, and the distance between the rocks on this segment of the path varies from 20 to 30 meters. The height of the mountains reaches 500 meters. People are breathtaking from the beauty of the "Stone Bag", but at the same time, a person feels like only a grain of sand among the stone greatness. In some places, rocks hang over the road. The narrowest section at the exit of the gorge is called the Yupshar Gate. The span between the rocks here is only 20 meters, so it feels like you are about to find yourself in a real bag of stone.
The slopes of the mountains are covered with perennial boxwoods, reddish moss and lichens, in some places there are creepers. The light penetrates the gorge for only 2-3 hours a day, the rest of the day there is twilight and coolness. Along the bottom of the gorge of the Republic of Abkhazia "Stone Bag" flows the river Yupshara with surprisingly clear water. It flows from Lake Ritsa, on the way it absorbs the waters of the Gega River, and then flows into the Bzyb. Not far from the Yupshar gorge, the Gega flows through a karst gorge and forms in which the height of the falling stream is about 70 meters.
Observation deck with the sad name "Farewell, Motherland"
On Lake Ritsa there was one of Stalin's dachas. From the documents preserved in the archives of the FSB of Russia, it is known that in the period from 1933 to 1939 the head of state made several trips to the lake for recreation. During the Patriotic War in 1942, the steep walls of the gorge of the Republic of Abkhazia "Stone Bag" were mined with the help of boreholes. Mining work was carried out by an engineering platoon of the internal troops of the Sukhum division. This was done in order to block the road to Lake Ritsa and the village of Bzybta, which is located next to it, if the German troops manage to break through from the Sancharsky pass.
After the retreat of the Nazi army in 1943, the gorge was cleared of mines. This fact is not very well known, but, according to one version, from a narrow road, on one side of which a high rock rises, and on the other there is a bottomless abyss, a bus with Soviet soldiers fell off serving a section of the road in the Yupsharsky gorge. Now an observation deck with the sad name "Farewell, Motherland" is equipped here. It offers a beautiful panorama of the surrounding mountains.
kiss stone
At the entrance to the gorge (Abkhazia, "Stone Bag") lies a huge stone, which is called the Kissing Stone. Climbing it is very difficult, but, according to local legend, a couple who climbs on it and kisses will be happy all their lives. Many tourists take pictures against the background of the stone. Next to it there is a parking lot with shops and a large number of stuffed animals, there are also potted palm trees. The enterprising local population offers to take a photo for memory in the national costume of a highlander with a dagger, an old pistol or a saber.
The Legend of Maiden's Tears Waterfall
In addition to the Gegsky cascade, there are 4 more waterfalls on the road leading to the Yupsharskaya gorge. The most popular among tourists are the Maiden's Tears and Men's Tears waterfalls.
Stretched for several meters. It is difficult to call it a waterfall, because it is a karst crevice, located high above the road, from which water flows in small streams. At the entrance to it, a rock attracts attention, along which special ropes are stretched. On these ropes and on the branches of trees, tourists cling to colored bows and make cherished wishes.
Waterfall Maiden's Tears is located in front of the entrance to the gorge "Stone Bag" (Abkhazia). The legend says that a beautiful girl Amra lived in the mountains a long time ago. She pastured goats, sang songs, and the young man Adgur fell in love with her. The wicked witch envied the lovers and wanted to kill the girl. She decided to throw her off a high cliff, the girl began to cry and began to call for Adgur's help, but he did not hear her cries. But the God of water heard them. He decided to save the girl and turned the witch into stone. Together with the witch, the girl also became a stone. Since then, from the place where Amra cried, the tears of the beauty flow down in drops.
Waterfall Men's Tears
Behind the "Stone Bag" gorge, Abkhazia (photo in the article), a waterfall of Men's Tears is visible. A jet of water flows down from the mountains, spray from the waterfall falls directly onto the road.
The legend links the two waterfalls together. The distance between the water cascades is 20 km. According to legend, the young man Adgur hunted high in the mountains and did not hear the cries of his beloved, but he understood in his heart that trouble had come. He realized that he could not help the girl, and men's tears fell to the ground. When he found out about her fate, at the place where his tear fell, a waterfall formed, called Men's Tears. At its foot there are souvenir tents, and tourists tie colorful ribbons to the trees.
