Girvas Volcano is an amazing mystery of Karelian nature. Ancient volcano girvas in karelia

Karelia is a country of lakes and rivers. A place of calm and silence. It is not customary to talk about volcanoes here. They are not here in the usual way. And there are no earthquakes. But still, one volcano in Karelia deserves attention - Girvas volcano. Do not panic - the volcano has long gone out and does not pose a danger. This is perhaps the oldest attraction Karelia.

ancient volcano Girvas in Karelia is one of the most beautiful sights. Photo — Ilya Danilov.

The track "Kola", it is also "Murmanka". 100 km from Petrozavodsk to the north. Kondopozhsky district, turn left to the village of Girvas and five kilometers along the road. Habitual, typical Karelia. Only here, among these ordinary Karelian pines, an amazing natural landmark is hidden. Ancient volcano Girvas and waterfall, exceeding the famous Kivach in power and strength. And if you can look at the volcano all the snowless season, then the waterfall reveals its secret only once a year. However, first things first.

He lived so long ago that it is even difficult to imagine - 3-1.5 billion years ago. He was active, then faded, and in parallel with this formed the local landscape, superimposing his lava flows on an even more ancient foundation. And today, the Girvas volcano is surrounded by lava layers, the thickness of which is about a hundred meters. In the canyon, all this, by the way, can be seen. For example, the vent, the explosion tube and the side slope of the left cone. The mouth of the volcano is elongated to the northeast. Well, the lava itself spread as much as a thousand square meters. So the lava field is quite huge.

Photograph of the ancient Girvas volcano in the early 20th century. Photo: Prokudin-Gorsky, processing and storage: B. Gotchatsky, National Library USA.

is an object of unique beauty. Here is solidified lava, and rocks, And sand dunes, and thick pine forests. In one place converged different eras, different eras. Here antiquity itself borders on our world.

It is all the more interesting that the volcano was discovered not so long ago - in the 60s of the last century, when the construction of a hydroelectric power station began here. During the construction process, the water level in the river dropped significantly, opening up an amazing canyon.

Thanks to the Suna River. It is her waters that fall on Kivach. She keeps many secrets not only on the waterfall sung by poets. It is on the Sun that two other once most famous Karelian padunas are located - Girvas and Poor threshold.

Poor threshold in Karelia - one of the 3 waterfalls of the Suna River

Once these waterfalls were considered the pearls of the Olonets region. Two powerful streams fell from a height of 10 meters. A little lower, the flow overcame two more smaller thresholds. Overall Height cascade was 15 meters.

But man came and turned nature back. In the 30s of the last century, two hydroelectric power plants were built on the Suna - Kondopoga and Palyeozerskaya. The dam drained the old riverbed. Girvas waterfall ceased to exist. Kivach also became smaller. People received electricity, Karelia lost the greatest natural water monuments, gaining at the same time a new one in the form of a volcano.

But to replace the old waterfall in Girvas a new one came - designed for a planned discharge of water. Yes, such that the Kivach field seems like child's play. But here's the trouble - the famous Girvas Padun comes to life no more than once a year - and then for a week or two, when the water in the reservoir rises especially high, and the Paleozerskaya hydroelectric power station cannot cope with the powerful flow. At the same moment, the Poor threshold, which lies downstream, comes to life. The water riot continues for two weeks. And then again the waterfall falls asleep, like a dragon from ancient fairy tales.

The author of these lines managed to attend the awakening of the waterfall in the spring of 2016. The spectacle is fantastic. Tons of water fall into the abyss. One threshold, the second threshold, the third threshold - there is no end to the elements. Many tourists specifically plan their trips for the opening of the gateways of the Paleozerskaya hydroelectric power station. The leaders of the hydroelectric power station are sympathetic to the desire of lovers to admire the waterfall and announce this spectacle in advance.

But today Girvas famous not only for the volcano and the waterfall. Here passes summer festival off-road sport with the same name - "Girvas". Athletes on ATVs, off-road vehicles and homemade cars first overcome sand dunes, and then rocks and frozen lava of an ancient volcano. They fall, rise, overcome water obstacles, stones - in general, both sports and art.

And Girvas was chosen by filmmakers. Filming took place here two years ago. new version the legendary film "The Dawns Here Are Quiet". Remember those moments when foreman Vaskov with his beautiful fighters guarded the Fritz? In film ancient volcano Girvas with its lavas and stone flows is shown from all sides.

IN last years the corresponding infrastructure has also appeared here - there is parking, toilets, places for garbage, benches and tables for a bivouac. Today, the ancient volcano Girvas and the waterfall of the same name rightfully bear the title of one of the main natural monuments. Karelia. In our company you can always order.

The text was written by Evgeny Belyanchikov, especially for the Golden Ring of Karelia. The material uses photographs of Alexander Shishov, Vitaly Tarakanov, Evgeny Belyanchikov.

Anton ★★★★★

(19-09-2018)

Girvas is worth seeing. Only you don’t have to pay for it, the locals simply breed naive tourists. Instructions for a free inspection can be easily found on the Internet, just type in the search: How to see the Girvas volcano for free.

The park is not bad, but half is not available for inspection: for example, the rocks indicated at the entrance are visible only from the territory of the hydroelectric power station, for which the move is ordered. I did not see any signs of a volcano, and there were no special differences between this threshold and similar ones, for example, on Janisjoki. If you go from the village towards the Kola highway, then a kilometer from the sign there is a road to the right into the forest, leading to a wild analogue with an abandoned spillway.

Konstantin ★★★★★

(9-08-2016)

Were on August 2nd. A tourist site with a parking lot, a ticket office, a toilet, a cafe and a souvenir shop has now been designed by the road. The ticket is 100 rubles per person, however, I didn’t understand for what exactly: for visiting the waterfall or for parking, because. tickets were not checked at the entrance to the waterfall. Frankly, it’s not a pity for money - it’s clearly become cleaner and more well-groomed here.
And as for the waterfall itself, we were extremely lucky: a spillway was carried out, this is an enchanting spectacle, cooler than Kivach. It’s just that it’s inconvenient to slide down the slope to the lower viewpoint. ... continuation src="/jpg/plus.gif">

Maybe they'll think of making a ladder.

★★★★★

(7-08-2016)

Were in Girvas on August 3-5. heap positive emotions! We hit the spillway - Kivach is not even close! The spectacle is amazing! No one took the money, they parked the car behind the hydrostation and calmly entered the park. Everywhere clean and tidy! We crawled along the canyon (rift) for a long time! A lot of impressions, emotions, photos! The only negative is that we could hardly find places for tents. And I highly recommend staying here!

Were in August 2015. The water was just flowing! The spectacle is unforgettable. A powerful stream of water, the noise of which is heard hundreds of meters away. The car was left in front of the dam, then on foot. We walked along the waterfall almost to the beginning of the canal. Pleased with the absence of tourists and the cleanliness around, though there is a slight "trodden". Very a nice place. By the way, if 50 meters behind the dam turn right onto the forest road and drive forward 1-2 km, then they open amazing views to the channel!

They don't take it here tourist groups, therefore, it is not crowded here, but on the rocks you can see “hello” to descendants. Rocky place around Girvas volcanic origin, millions of years ago there was a volcano crater. During the construction of a hydrodam on the Suna River, its course was artificially changed. Water is sometimes drained into the former channel, but this happens very rarely, so it is almost always dry and incredibly beautiful. This place is also called a stone waterfall. We passed part of the channel along its bottom and felt like grains of sand. ... continuation src="/jpg/plus.gif">

Indelible impression! Girvas, viva!

I got lucky in August 2015. Just in time for the spill! The spectacle is amazing! They tried to drive 100 rubles from the nose into the parking lot, this angered me (there is only one car). I drove 50m further, to the forest road and along the path we went to the stream. There is no garbage, but there are boletus :-)
I really liked the threshold and of course the abandoned runway 2500m long. Of course, they need to be taken out to separate sights of Girvas.

We arrived at 8.30. And two at once. Alas, for viewing (hydroelectric power station from below, i.e. spillway), now they will take 100.00, and no one really knows when the opening takes place. But, from 9.00 o'clock, we were taken for no money. A bag of shungite, costs 80.00, for water filtration, who knows. In Petrozavodsk, it reaches 300.00.
It looks, of course, good, in the sense of approaches to the stones, but there is still a lot of garbage if you turn into the woods next to it. It seems that the seizure of money from tourists is quite justified, but unpleasant, a fact.

Oleg Morozov ★★★★☆

(6-08-2015)

We were on the 20th of July, no one collected any money.

Michael ★★★★★

(19-12-2014)

If you are lucky, then everywhere around, and especially in the forest, you will find a surprisingly thick and incomparable coniferous smell. It can also happen with the release of water from the dam. We were twice: in 2012 we were lucky, in 2014 - not so much. But this place is definitely worth a look.

Antip ★★★★★

(9-09-2013)

Yes, the photo is not a crater, but a fault (canyon). The views from the crater are not worse.
Advice on how to find both.
So, having left Kola in the direction of Girvas, you drive to the village and along it. There will be a right turn - do not go there. And then it will be like a square with shops with a pronounced right turn and a weaker road straight ahead.
If straight - it's to the fault, you can stop on the left after the dam.
If to the right - you reach 2 branches of the hydroelectric power station - just between them you need to rest against the fence and along the path to the left - there ... continued src="/jpg/plus.gif">

and a crater.

Konstantin ★★★★☆

(30-07-2013)

How natural monument- Very beautiful. Unfortunately, the spillway was closed, and a timid stream oozed over the stones. I note that on the approach paths it is very littered with uncultured people, and on the paths of the slope it is very slippery after the rain. Honestly, it would be better to cultivate and take money for the entrance a la Kivach.

Have been here twice. The first time there was not much water and we were and crawled over the stones, both along the top and along the channel. It is really worth visiting here as one of the points of acquaintance with Karelia. The amount of stone is amazing, it's amazing how trees can grow on such a monolith.

The dam is rarely opened, and the sight is probably fantastic, given the elevation difference and the landscape. We were at the blocked dam, but received a lot of positive impressions. It is worth climbing from top to bottom, it is very beautiful and interesting - mini-falls, streams, various rocks, a variety of shapes and colors of stone ... We crawled over the stones for an hour and a half, if not more. It is not difficult to find - if you are driving from Kondopoga, then in the village you reach the "square" with several shops, and turn right from it, in the direction of the hydroelectric power station. ...

I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered this place.

Girvas volcano, in fact, not only I discovered for myself, but also the builders of the hydroelectric station, which was built on the site of the Girvas waterfall. The waterfall can now be seen only when the dam is opened, then, by the way, waterfall Kivach becomes stronger and fuller.

Most time Girvas is just the same volcano, not a waterfall. From the waterfall you can see only a small stream flowing down.

And the lakes that accumulate at the bottom of the volcano can only remind of its power.

The Girvas volcano, as you understand, was formed before ice age. Then in Karelia the mountains were higher, but it was in this place that lava flowed, which later, together with the mountains, was ironed out by a glacier.

Now in the Girvas canyon you can see frozen lava flows and this is amazing, since you can literally touch one of the oldest volcanoes with your hand.

I read that the place supposedly has some kind of special energy, because the paleovolcano is not just like that. And this is one of the places of power in Karelia. But I didn’t feel anything esoteric, except admiration. Perhaps you just need to stay here longer, and we were already in the evening and in a hurry to return home before dark.

You can transfer the scale if you put a number of little men next to it. For example, this is how the depth of the canyon becomes clearer.

How to get to Girvas volcano

The easiest way, again, is to travel around Karelia by car. The coordinates of the waterfall and volcano Girvas are as follows: 62°28′29″ N sh.33°40′54″ E d. If you navigate without a navigator, then you need to turn off the R-21 "Kola" highway at 514 kilometers and drive 7 kilometers to the village of Girvas.

I advise everyone to add the Girvas point when planning to your route in Karelia. Well, or you can use my ready)

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Volcano Girvas

Scientists who analyzed the rocks in the area of ​​activity of the volcano are sure that the Girvas volcano was one of powerful volcanoes Earth. It shook the surface for several kilometers, the landscape changed in seconds, and now you can walk along the volcano without fear...

The word "volcano" evokes certain associations. First of all, it is a large cone-shaped object with a crater-shaped top. Girvas Volcano is not affected by these ideas. For 3 billion years, the forces of nature have been carefully removing all the results of the work of the Girvas volcano, which before that had been spewing lava for one billion years. Giant figures even on a planetary scale, given that the age of the Earth is about 6 billion years. The remains of the volcano's vent can be seen even now, it stretches for 50 m. In addition to the vent, the explosion pipe and the side layer of the volcanic apparatus are visible. It's like watching a volcano through a section or looking inside a complex mechanism.

However, it is far from the geological value that delights people who find themselves in the territory where the volcano hosted. First of all, the hearts of the guests of Karelia are conquered by the picturesqueness of these ancient monoliths, which have long been occupied by the approaching taiga. Many old coniferous trees have chosen sandy soils between the rocks. These deposits have been left here since ancient glaciation. The volcano was discovered several decades ago, but volcanologists are still interested in it, finding new features, making new discoveries. Girvas is an interesting book for them, and the more carefully you read it, the more interesting details it will tell.

Maybe no one would have known that the giant was active here, if not for the traces of lava rivers that were found in the former bed of the Suna. After the construction of the dam, the river exposed its bottom with petrified streams. The crater and debris of the volcano are completely destroyed. In this pile of rocks, it is simply impossible to guess the outlines of the volcano. Now it's very significant geological monument, which is not bypassed by any introductory geological expedition, and tourists are happy to honor this place with attention. There is a sense of transience here in a special way. In the past, the lava field was equal to 1 thousand square meters. km, which demonstrates the complexity of the volcanic structure.

In the stone conglomerates of the Girvas volcano, there are magmatic fragments in the form of pillars and balls, as well as whole “bombs”, inside of which gas voids are formed. If you take a position on the elevated bank of the river, then the lava tongue is clearly visible. The volcano itself is surrounded by a thick, several hundred meters thick layer of lava.

How to get to Girvas volcano

Tourists who plan to visit Girvas should definitely go to the waterfall located on the Suna River, 37 km from the volcano. Despite the change in the course of the river, the name of the volcano still looks majestic. The lacy frills of its water stream impress with their size and beauty. The volcano went out or maybe just fell asleep, because no one can predict what awaits our planet in the future. Look at this giant, frozen in the middle of a magical Karelian nature, definitely worth it.

The R-21 road, along which motorists get to Karelia, leads to the village of Girvas, a sign will warn about this. At the end of the village - turn right and after 2 km you will see the bridge and the structure of the hydroelectric power station. Behind the bridge is a place where you can leave your car. Next, you should go down a well-visible path.

Source: rus-globus.ru

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