Location of Lake Ladoga. Lake Ladoga, eastern shore, approaches to the mouth of the Olonka River. Lake Ladoga in works of art

Map coverage area:

Lake Ladoga, the Neva River, the Neva River Delta, the Neva Bay, the lake system of the Vuoksa River from the former sluice (Gremyachiy threshold) to Lake Ladoga, including Sukhodolskoye Lake, the Burnnaya River, the Vuoksi-Virtu channel and the Priozersky reach, Otradnoe, Pioneerskoye, Krasavitsa lakes, Krasnogvardeyskoye, Nakhimovskoye, Glubokoe, Pravdinskoye. Lake Ilmen, rivers Volkhov, Lovat. The cities of St. Petersburg, Kronstadt, Priozersk, Shlisselburg, Strelna, Peterhof, Lomonosov, Sosnovy Bor, Veliky Novgorod.

Additional Information

Detailed sailing directions indicating depths, fairways, dangerous obstacles, etc. for navigators/chartplotters Lowrance, Furuno, Raymarine, Humminbird are supplied on SD/CF cards and are ready for use immediately after installation.

SonarCharts™ layer available - this is a bathymetric chart that, due to the greater saturation of depth data, allows you to display improved bottom detail (depth marks, color-graded isobaths) on your chartplotter screen. It is great for finding fishing spots at any depth.
Important! SonarCharts™ layer maps are generated automatically and are not designed for navigation.

Key features of Navionics charts include shaded depth contours, wreckage, tide and current bases, port plans, actual contours and colors of buoys and other ancillary equipment to provide clear paths to harbors. There is also a choice of safety circuits.

The new X-PlainTM function translates navigation symbols into a simple and understandable language for everyone with a simple click of the cursor.

Seamless technology means fast, smooth and seamless movement from one map to another, regardless of scale. You can always increase the detail of the map by changing the scale and not worry about interference or gaps in coverage.

Compatibility

Check your equipment for compatibility with Navionics charting.

Information from the official resource http://navionics.ru

Flora and fauna

Lake Ladoga is full of life. However, the harsh Ladoga does not indulge its inhabitants. great depth, low temperature water, a small amount of dissolved nutrient salts, as well as coarse-grained bottom sediments hinder the development of flowering aquatic plants - macrophytes. But the real scourge for them is the dynamism of the water mass. Frequent and strong disturbances often do not allow macrophytes to populate the shallow coastal zone at all.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the most diverse vegetation is found in the northern - skerry - region of Ladoga, where intricately indented shores are covered from storms by a scattering of countless islands and reefs.

Terrible waves with furious force pounce on the rocky shores of these islands, facing the open Ladoga. Here, macrophytes do not grow, and in the water only long green tufts of filamentous algae, ulotrixes, attached to the rocks, sway, but deeper, in the skerries, where the destructive force of the waves weakens, the first flowering plants appear in the water.

The pioneers of overgrowth are reed, swamp, marsh horsetail. At some distance from the shore one can see single clumps of water buttercup and pierced pondweed. But plants rarely grow alone. To make it easier to endure adverse conditions, they form groupings built according to certain laws, consisting of several types of macrophytes.

On the leeward side of the islands, among the chaotic heaps of stones and fragments of rocks, small patches of aquatic plants appear with bright emerald highlights. And a little further a narrow, but already denser strip of reeds ran into the depths of the bay. As if with a patterned border, it is framed by white flowers of a water buttercup, sitting on thin branched stems, strewn with leaves dissected into the thinnest slices.

And in the thickets of reeds, oblong, slightly reddish leaves with an inflorescence of pink flowers float on the surface of the water. This is amphibious buckwheat. Spikelets peek out of the water here various kinds pondweeds, and the plants themselves are immersed in water.

But we meet the real abundance and variety of aquatic plants in the upper reaches of the bays of the skerry part of Ladoga, deeply protruding into the mainland. Gentle shores, shoals, mineral-rich muddy soils and, finally, protection from waves - what could be better for the growth of macrophytes! Here are sedge thickets, in which several dozen species of moisture-loving plants can be counted, and swamp horsetail communities that enter the water to a depth of 2 meters.

And at greater depths, plants with leaves floating on the surface of the water dominate. Shiny brownish leaves of regular oval shape leave a great impression. This is a floating pond. Near him, leaves sway like arrowheads. For this similarity, the plant itself received the name arrowhead. A little further on the water stretched the bright green laces of the leaves of the burr-reed, so named because of the appearance of its fruits, resembling a bristling hedgehog. There are also small islands of large leathery green leaves of the capsule, among which its flowers turn yellow.

Behind the strip of plants with floating leaves, which is narrow in most Ladoga bays, or may be completely absent, submerged plants begin. Here, more often than others, pierced-leaved and heterogeneous pondweeds are found. On silty soils, groups of urut and hornwort, plants with strongly dissected leaves, develop well. At the bottom there are dense bunches of Canadian elodea, or water plague, well known to us from the home aquarium, - a native of North America. It is believed that elodea owes its appearance in Europe to aquarists. In 1836, she was brought to Ireland, from where her victorious march through the waters of Europe began.

Such a picture of coastal overgrowth can be observed by slowly sailing along the coast in a boat. But in order to imagine the degree of overgrowth of the reservoir as a whole, especially such a huge one as Lake Ladoga, they carry out aerial reconnaissance. Aerial observations of aquatic vegetation on Ladoga have shown that a narrow green border of reed thickets 5-10 meters wide stretches along the coasts of numerous islands and the mainland.

An even narrower strip adjoins it. Only at the tops of bays deeply cut into the land do various groups of macrophytes develop. The width of the overgrowing strip in these places reaches 70-100 meters. The total area of ​​aquatic vegetation in the northern part of Ladoga is about 1,500 hectares.

There is almost no aquatic vegetation along the eastern and western shores of the lake. From the plane you can see how the waves wash the sand of the huge beaches of the east coast and break on the boulders of the west coast. And only behind the ridges of stones at the mouth of the Vuoksa (Burnaya) River, which flows in from the west, as well as in the strait between the island of Mantsinsari and the eastern shore of Ladoga and in the Uksunlahti Bay, dense islands of reed thickets have strengthened.

In the shallow southern bays, Ladoga receives two large tributaries - the Svir and the Volkhov. Rivers bring nutrients to the lake for living organisms. Here in the bays there are the largest communities of aquatic plants, occupying over 8,000 hectares. Branching cord-like stems of a luxuriantly developed pierced pondweed are visible in the water. Closer to the shore, thickets of pondweed give way to a green carpet with patterns of various shades. A grayish hue, belonging to the sedge plant, dominates near Ptinov Island. Along the entire southern coast, dark green islands of reeds stand out, interspersed with rather large arrays of light green thickets of reeds.

Reed is the most common plant in the world. It is very hardy and can grow in various conditions environments - in stagnant and flowing water bodies up to 2.5 meters deep, on land, in places with a high level of groundwater, on various soils, preferring, however, muddy ones. Cane has a variety of uses in the economy. Its stems are used in the pulp and paper industry to make paper and board. In the early stages of the growing season, reeds serve as pet food. Chemical analyzes showed that young shoots contain 16 percent carbohydrates, and they even have more vitamin C than a lemon. However, the exploitation of reed reserves on Ladoga is unprofitable, since their total area is a little over 100 square kilometers, and they are too scattered along the entire coast.

But the higher aquatic plants, of which there are a total of 120 species, do not exhaust the flora of Lake Ladoga. The water in it is saturated with the smallest organisms, the so-called plankton. One-celled diatoms, enclosed in shells with an amazingly thin lacy pattern, amaze with their diversity and abundance. Here, several asterionella cells formed an asterisk.

A patterned necklace is located right next to it - this is a colony of the diatom melozira, a little further you can see circles of stephanodiscus dotted with specks. It is difficult to describe the diversity of these smallest creations of nature. Indeed, only in the plankton of Ladoga, 154 species of diatoms, 126 species of greens and 76 species of blue-greens are known, not to mention representatives of other, more rarely found types of algae.

The phytoplankton of Ladoga is dominated by cosmopolitan algae widely distributed in lakes of all latitudes. They are joined by a significant number of boreal species - inhabitants of water bodies temperate zone Earth and north-alpine algae living in the northern and high mountain cold reservoirs. The combination of these groups of algae makes it possible to characterize the algal flora of Lake Ladoga as cold-loving.

The last of the groups of plant organisms that live in the lake are microbes, which are the destroyers of organic matter created by planktonic algae and higher aquatic plants (with the exception of a small group of microbes that can synthesize organic matter chemically). The latest research has shown that the waters of Ladoga are poor in bacteria.

For comparison, we take as a standard the crystal clear water of artesian wells. Here, in one cubic centimeter, you can count up to 15 thousand bacterial cells. The deep Ladoga waters contain only 60-70 thousand microorganisms, and surface layer- from 180 to 300 thousand. Only near the mouths of rivers and in places where wastewater from industrial enterprises is discharged is the number of bacteria increased.

What explains the low number of bacteria in Ladoga? Intensive reproduction of bacteria is prevented by low water temperature. The consequence of a small number of microorganisms, which are the main "cleaners", is the weak ability of Ladoga waters to self-purify. And this means that we must carefully protect Ladoga from pollution by industrial and domestic wastewater.

As a result of many years of research in Lake Ladoga, 378 species and varieties of planktonic animals were identified. More than half of the species are accounted for by extremely peculiar and very small organisms - rotifers. A quarter of the total number of species are protozoans, and 23 percent fall together on cladocerans and copepods.

In the waters of Lake Ladoga, zooplankton, like all other living creatures, is unevenly distributed. For example, a strong cut coastline in the skerry region of Ladoga creates a system of bays and coves isolated from the main reach, in which zooplankton forms characteristic of small reservoirs develop. These include the well-known species of Daphnia and Cyclops.

A large group of aquatic invertebrates lives at the bottom of the lake and is collectively called benthos. 385 species of them were found in Ladoga. Some of these organisms live in the silt, cutting through it with channels of their passages, others attach themselves to stones and boulders, but greatest variety the population of thickets of aquatic plants differs.

Four-fifths of the total number of species of bottom organisms is confined to a narrow shallow zone, and only 57 species of organisms live in the vast deep-water and cold-water zone, but this number includes relic crustaceans - animals that inhabited the ancient lake that preceded Ladoga during its connection with Baltic sea. Now they have found favorable conditions for their existence here.

At the bottom of Lake Ladoga, fauna elements that are different in origin, species and geographical distribution are combined. The first place in the composition of the benthic fauna belongs to insect larvae, which account for more than half of all species of bottom animals - 202 species. Next come worms - 66 species, water mites, or hydrocarines, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.

Bottom animals play a very important role in the reservoir, being the main food for most fish. If we mark on the map the places of the greatest development of benthos, and then mark accumulations of valuable species of commercial fish on the same map, it turns out that these areas coincide.

On Ladoga, along with its canals and lower reaches of inflowing rivers, 58 species and varieties of fish are known, including 5 species introduced by man. These include temporary aliens, which include river lamprey, Baltic sturgeon, saltwater Baltic salmon and eel; overcoming the fast current of the Neva, they occasionally enter Lake Ladoga and its tributaries.

There is even evidence that the Baltic sturgeon, before the construction of the dams, passed through the entire Svir to the southern part of Onega. The sturgeon breeds in the Ladoga rivers, then descends into the lake and can live here without going to the sea. For these reasons, Baikal and Lena sturgeons were introduced to Ladoga to restore and replenish sturgeon stocks.

There are fish in Ladoga that are unique to it. These are Ladoga lamprey, Ladoga ripus, several breeds of whitefish, Ladoga smelt, and a relic four-horned goby. But, of course, the bulk are fish that live in many freshwater reservoirs. We will only talk about widespread, commercially important or otherwise remarkable fish.

Perhaps the most valuable fish of Ladoga are salmon, of which 7 species are known. In addition to the sea salmon entering the lake, lake salmon and lake trout, or taimen, are common throughout Ladoga. These beautiful strong fish are very similar to each other, but they still have differences. Outwardly, they are expressed in the fact that numerous black spots are visible on the body of the salmon, which are especially numerous near the pectoral fins.

Unlike salmon, trout have a lighter color, fewer dark spots on the head and on the body. Both trout and salmon can weigh up to 8 kilograms, but most fish weighing 2.5 kilograms come across. For spawning, these fish go to the rivers. Not so long ago, they could rise into almost all the rivers of the Ladoga region, but now dams have been built on most of them. In addition, some rivers are polluted by the effluents of pulp and paper mills and timber rafting, and salmon and taimen do not enter them. For spawning the largest number lake salmon goes to the rivers Burnaya, Vidlitsa, Svir. Due to the sharp decline in the stocks of this fish, salmon fishing has been banned since 1960.

In many tributaries of Lake Ladoga, small in size, but beautiful in color, brook trout live.

In Lake Ladoga there are two more varieties of fish, which in general appearance resemble salmon. This is an ordinary and pit char, reaching a weight of 5-7 kilograms. The common palia is distinguished by its dark color and light spots on the sides. Pit char is lighter in color, and therefore it is also called gray char. Unlike the common char, the pit char prefers great depths. Palii are lake fish and, as a rule, do not enter rivers.

In winter, they live in deep layers of water, and after the opening of the lake, they go to underwater shoals, where they hunt for smelt. As the water temperature rises, the fish will go deeper again. Paliya breeds only in the lake, and only in its northern part.

The next representatives of the salmon family living in the waters of Ladoga are the common, or European, vendace, one of the most important commercial fish of the lake, and the Ladoga ripus, or large vendace. These are very delicate fish. Their distinguishing feature is the color of the back. Vendace has a back with a greenish shiny tint or almost black. The back of the ripus has a purple or dark blue hue.

These fish differ in size and habitat. Vendace rarely reaches a length of 20 centimeters and a weight of 90 grams, while ripus is found up to 40 centimeters long and weighing up to 1 kilogram. Vendace is distributed in large numbers in the northern half of the lake, and ripus - in the southern, where its breeding and feeding areas are located.

7 varieties of whitefish live in Ladoga - Ludoga, Ladoga Lake, Black, Valaam, Volkhov, Vuoksa and Svir. The first four varieties are typical lake ones, spending their entire lives in the lake, and the Vuoksa, Volkhov and Svirsky whitefish are lake-river ones: they breed in rivers and feed in the lake.

All whitefish reach a length of 50 centimeters or more and weigh more than 2 kilograms. The commercial value of different varieties of whitefish is not the same. Lake whitefish, with the exception of the Valaam whitefish, are widely hunted in various parts of the lake, while lake-river whitefish are quite rare.

Sig-ludoga got its name due to the fact that it keeps mainly on underwater rocky places called luds. Ludoga lives in both the northern and southern parts of the lake. In summer, it often gathers along the western, southern and eastern coasts, and migrates to the north in winter. For spawning, the ludoga comes to the southern coast of Ladoga near Ptinov Island and to the Volkhov Bay. This whitefish provides here the bulk of the commercial catch. Lake Ladoga whitefish lives mainly in the Petrokrepost Bay.

The black whitefish inhabits the northern part of the lake and is the main commercial species there. It adheres to mainland and island coasts with shallow depths.

Finally, the deepest of the whitefish is the Valaam whitefish, which lives only in the northern part of the lake at depths of up to 150 meters or more. This fish got its name in ancient times. Russian fishermen went to the Valaam archipelago, where in autumn deep-sea whitefish concentrate around the islands and between them and the northern skerries.

They caught him there until January. The fishermen returned to the mainland already on the ice. This whitefish is also known as a goiter, because when pulled from the depth to the surface, due to a sharp change in pressure, the front of the abdomen (goiter) swells in the fish.

The lake-river Vuoksinsky whitefish is distributed mainly in the northern part of Ladoga, from where it goes to spawn in the rivers of the northern and western coasts. In the 18th - early 19th centuries, there was a large whitefish fishery on the Vuoksa River, but the construction of dams reduced the stocks of the Vuoksa whitefish.

The same thing happened with the Volkhov and Svir whitefishes; The Volkhov whitefish suffered especially hard, for which the dam blocked the path to the Msta River, where it had previously spawned, putting it on the verge of extinction. Therefore, in order to restore the livestock of lake-river whitefish, work is being carried out on artificial reproduction at fish hatcheries of these valuable fish, which have excellent taste qualities.

Taking into account the geographical features of Lake Ladoga and the valuable nutritional advantages of whitefish, the famous Baikal omul and peled were introduced to Ladoga.

Probably, many have heard about the cautious and swift fish with a large dorsal fin - grayling. Grayling lives both in the lake itself, preferring its northern part, and in the tributaries of Ladoga. In the lake, the grayling adheres to the rocky coasts of the mainland and islands, where it can be seen flying up from the water after a flying insect. Grayling never gathers in flocks, even during the spawning period, and therefore it is caught in Ladoga in small quantities. Grayling has always been the dream of amateur anglers.

The main commercial fish in Lake Ladoga is smelt, which accounts for up to half of all fish caught in the reservoir. It is hardly necessary to characterize smelt - it is well known to the inhabitants of the north-west of our country.

Pike is found in all coastal thickets, but its quantity is small for such a huge reservoir as Lake Ladoga.

The greatest diversity of species is represented by the family of carp fish, which includes roach, dace, chub, ide, rudd, minnow, asp, tench, gudgeon, bleak, silver bream, bream, white-eye, blue bream, syrt, sabrefish, crucian carp and carp introduced into the lake. Most of these fish have no commercial value.
The bream lives mainly in the Volkhov and Svir bays and the Petrokrepost bay, where it spends its entire life without making distant migrations. In the north of the lake, in the bays near Priozersk, near the island of Mantsinsari and in some other shallow bays, there are flocks of bream. The bream prefers well-heated bays with silty-sandy bottoms rich in benthos and with well-developed aquatic vegetation. Like a bream, dampness is found in the southern part of Ladoga; in the northern half of the lake, it is almost never found.

A lucky angler occasionally gets hooked great traveler- eel. It breeds off the coast of Central America - in the Sargasso Sea. Then its leaf-like larvae swim for three years with the waters of the warm Gulf Stream to the shores of Europe. Here the larvae develop into young eels, which usually enter rivers and lakes on spring nights. In freshwater continental reservoirs, the fish lives 9-12 years.

Then the eel begins to migrate to the ocean, and its appearance and blood composition. Having entered the Baltic Sea, the eel moves along the coast to the west, then disappears into the depths. Atlantic Ocean so that in a few years his descendants would again make their way to European rivers and lakes on bright spring nights.

Burbot is common throughout Lake Ladoga, although here it does not reach large sizes. In autumn and winter, burbot goes to shallow waters to the mouths of rivers and islands, and in summer it goes to deep places. Burbot is a voracious predator. It feeds on fish and invertebrates and voraciously devours eggs, even its own.

Pike perch is a valuable commercial fish of Lake Ladoga. It accounts for up to 10 percent of the total catch. Pike perch is a predatory fish, feeding mainly on smelt, which it pursues throughout the lake, and places where smelt accumulates can serve as a sign that pike perch is also there. It is quite large on Ladoga - its average length is 50-60 centimeters, weight 3-4 kilograms, and sometimes fish up to a meter long and 10 kilograms in weight are caught.

Lake Ladoga abounds with perch. Smaller individuals keep near the coast, and larger ones in the open part on the moons. It can reach 40 centimeters in length and 2 kilograms of weight. In catches, perch accounts for more than one tenth of the annual production of Ladoga fish.

On sandy and small-rocky shallows throughout the lake, ruff is kept. He usually gathers in flocks. Previously, there was a ruff trade, especially in the bay of Petrokrepost and on the shallows of northern Ladoga. Live ruff was delivered to St. Petersburg and was in great demand. Currently, the mining of ruff is abandoned.

Travelers making excursions on Lake Ladoga often see seals (seals) that look out of the water not far from the sides of the ship.

The seal is the only representative of mammals permanently living in the Ladoga waters. More than 10 thousand years ago, his ancestors penetrated from the White Sea depression into the Karelian glacial sea, which later gave rise to Lake Ladoga. Animals acclimatized in the new reservoir, and now there are quite a lot of them in Ladoga. On sunny days, the seal loves to soak up the hot rays, climbing the coastal rocks or boulders. Rolling from side to side, he comically scratches himself with his flippers. Often you can observe it on a log floating on the waves.

The seal is a fish-eating predator. Often he uses the "services" of fishermen, eating valuable fish from the nets. During these raids, the animals often destroy the fishing gear, causing damage to the fishermen. In this regard, even notes with a formidable title appeared in the periodical press: "Nerpa must be destroyed!"

Let's try to answer the question - is the seal so dangerous that you need to fight it? Unfortunately, up to now the way of life of this interesting animal has not been studied at all: the places of its wintering and breeding time, the nature and areas of distribution of the seal in the lake are unknown.

Meanwhile, if we turn to the research of the staff of the Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, who study the life of the closest relative of our "Ladoga" - the Baikal seal, it turns out that the seal is a good orderly. Animals cannot keep up with healthy fish. Sick fish swim more slowly and become the prey of seals, which thus protect the fish from the epidemic.

If we knew the biology of the Ladoga seal, we could properly and rationally hunt it, especially since the skins of one-year-old seals are very highly valued in the fur market, and the meat of the animals caught could be used by Ladoga fur farms for fattening valuable fur-bearing animals.

The last animal worth mentioning is the dolphin, which occasionally comes from the Baltic to the Neva and Lake Ladoga.

When we were just going there, they scared us very much that Ladoga was supposedly harsh and unpredictable, so if we suddenly get together there, we need to prepare a will in advance and we shouldn’t count on anything good. I don’t know where these horror stories come from, but in practice, more and more people walk along Ladoga every year and some problems, if they happen, are either with ice fishermen or with hard-drinking people. In general, people walk there quietly until late autumn.

Tourists have nothing to fear there, if you observe some kind of safety and do not climb into the water in objectively bad weather.

Here I want to talk about Lake Ladoga and how we saw it. Of course, we were far from everywhere - there are many islands, but we visited the Lakeside, Lahdenpokh, Sortaval and Pitkyarantsky skerries, as well as the archipelagos.

For example, we visited:

• Mykerikkyu Island
• Yalayansari Island (Yalayansaari, Finnish Jalajansaari, Hungry Island), part of the Western Archipelago.
• Heinäsenmaa Island, part of the Western Ladoga archipelago
• Verkkosaari Island is part of the Western Archipelago.
• Vossinoisaari Island in the Western Archipelago.
• Bayevy Islands on Ladoga, which are part of the Valaam archipelago.
• Cross Island (Ristisaari), which is part of the Eastern Archipelago.
• Kheposari Island is a small island in the Ladoga skerries, located near the city of Sortavala.
• Palosaret Islands, which are located in the Lakeside skerries.

To begin with, a little background information about Lake Ladoga

Lake Ladoga is located in two regions, northern and east coast in the Republic of Karelia, and the western, southern and southeastern coast in the Leningrad region.

Ladoga is considered the largest freshwater lake in Europe. The area of ​​the lake without islands is 17.9 thousand km². At least 40 rivers and large streams flow into Lake Ladoga, and one flows out - the Neva River. The water is clean, except for areas polluted by industrial effluents.

The cities of Priozersk, Novaya Ladoga, Shlisselburg, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Lahdenpokhya are located on the shores of Lake Ladoga.

There are about 660 islands on Lake Ladoga. Of these, about 500 are concentrated in the northern part of the lake, in the so-called skerry region, as well as in the Valaam (about 50 islands, including the Bayevye islands), the Western archipelagos and the Mantsinsaari group of islands (about 40 islands). The largest islands are Riekkalansari, Mantsinsaari, Kilpola, Tulolansari and Valaam.

The most famous on Lake Ladoga are the Valaam Islands - an archipelago of about 50 islands with an area of ​​\u200b\u200babout 36 km², due to the location of the Valaam Monastery on the main island of the archipelago. Also known is the island of Konevets, on which the monastery is located.

The islands of the lake are rocky, with high, up to 60-70 m, sometimes sheer shores, covered with forest, sometimes almost bare or with sparse vegetation.

The southern and southwestern shores of the lake are overgrown with reeds and cattails for 150 km.

There are shelters and nesting places for waterfowl. There are many nesting gulls on the islands, they grow blueberries, lingonberries, and larger ones have mushrooms.

The lake is rich in freshwater fish, which go to the rivers to spawn. In Lake Ladoga live: Ladoga slingshot, salmon, trout, char, whitefish, vendace, smelt, bream, cheese, blue bream, silver bream, rudd, asp, catfish, pike perch, roach, perch, pike, burbot and others.

The only representative of pinnipeds, the Ladoga ringed seal, lives in Lake Ladoga. The number of seals in the lake is estimated at 4000-5000 animals. You can meet them both in skerries and on archipelagos, however, seals prefer low rocky islands for recreation.

The lake freezes in December (coastal part) - February (central part), opens in April - May. The central part is covered solid ice only in very severe winters.

Due to the long and strong winter cooling, the water in the lake is very cold even in summer; it warms up only in the thin upper layer and in the coastal strip. The water temperature on the surface in August is up to 24 °C in the south, 18-20 °C in the center, near the bottom about 4 °C, in winter under ice 0-2 °C.

There are an average of 62 sunny days per year. Therefore, during most of the year, days with cloudy, overcast weather and diffused lighting prevail.

The so-called "white nights" are observed over the lake, coming on May 25-26, when the sun drops below the horizon by no more than 9 °, and the evening twilight practically merges with the morning. The white nights end on July 16-17. In total, the duration of the white nights is more than 50 days.

Calms are rare. In October, storm winds with a speed of more than 20 m/s are often observed on Lake Ladoga, maximum speed wind reaches 34 m/s. Breezes are observed along the entire coast in summer on windless sunny days and clear nights. The lake breeze starts at about 9 am and lasts until 8 pm, its speed is 2-6 m/s; it extends 9-15 km inland. Fogs are observed most often in spring, late summer and autumn.

There are constant disturbances on the lake. During severe storms, the water in it "boils", and the waves are almost completely covered with foam. In the water regime, surge phenomena are characteristic (fluctuations in the water level by 50-70 cm annually, up to a maximum of 3 m), seiches (up to 3-4 m), wave height during storms up to 6 m.

Seasonal fluctuations in the water level in the lake are small due to the large area of ​​the water surface of this reservoir and due to the relatively small annual variation in the amount of water entering it.

Nevertheless, in Lake Ladoga, in any case, the water level changes regularly and this must be taken into account. In the Sortaval skerries, we somehow passed a shallow channel between the islands and went calmly in one direction in August, and in September, returning, we already began to cling to the bottom, which caused us certain troubles.

In addition, not only can the water level vary throughout the year, but there are also thirty-year (Brickner) cycles in which the water level in the lake can vary by several meters.

Here in the photo, for example, you can see what the water level is now and what it was like 20-30 years ago. Where the water oscillated, the color of the stone became lighter and the structure polished. Can you imagine how many islands then appear out of the water, then disappear during such cycles?

The northern shores, starting from Priozersk in the west to Pitkäranta in the east, are mostly high, rocky, heavily indented, form numerous peninsulas and narrow bays (fjords and skerries), as well as small islands separated by straits.

The southern shores are low, slightly indented, flooded due to the neotectonic submeridional skew of the lake. The coast here is replete with shoals, rocky reefs and banks. Walking here with a motor is inconvenient - on it, unlike north coast, algae constantly cling, which also does not add joy.

The eastern shore is not very indented, two bays protrude into it - Lunkulanlahti and Uksunlahti, fenced off from the side of the lake by one of the largest islands of Ladoga - Mantsinsaari. There are wide sandy beaches here. The west coast is even less indented. It is overgrown with dense mixed forest and shrubs, coming close to the water's edge, along which there are scatterings of boulders. Ridges of stones often go far from the capes into the lake, forming dangerous underwater shoals.

World War II fortifications on Lake Ladoga

Heinäsenmaa, Verkkosaari, Vossinoisari, Myukkerikke, Rahmansari and several other small islands - this is the Western Archipelago. The people call them Defensive because during the Winter War of 39-40, they housed all kinds of Finnish fortifications related to the Mannerheim Line. Also, on the island of Rahmansari in September 1941, very heavy battles were fought - the Finns successfully knocked out ours from there.

Heinäsenmaa Island on Lake Ladoga

Since the 1950s, Soviet test sites have been located on the islands of the Western and Eastern Archipelago, where weapons of mass destruction were tested. In particular, there are several contaminated zones on Heinäsenmaa, fenced off with barbed wire and radiation signs.

Verkkosaari island

On Verkkosaari there is neither a training ground nor a burial ground, only old Finnish positions, a couple of shooting cells and a dugout inhabited by fishermen.

Rahmansari Island

Active battles were fought on Rahmansari during the Second World War, but we did not see any artillery positions there. All that is interesting on the island is a lighthouse and landing stage.

Mykerikkyu Island

I have already read somewhere that there are allegedly really zones with radioactive contamination on Mykkerikkyu, but even though we did not have a dosimeter, these zones seemed somehow doubtful. Enthusiastically turning our heads, we dragged the catamaran closer to the shore along flat pitfalls, deciding first to see what was happening here, and then have a bite to eat and decide whether we should go further or stay here for the whole day.

Ristisaari Island

Hiking routes along Ladoga

I was asked a question like this:

• Kayaks can be collected right in Priozersk - opposite the railway station - there is a convenient beach, there boat station. In this case, from Priozersk along Vuoksa, you can go straight to Ladoga through the Tikhaya River. The Quiet River is a rapid (more precisely, a shivers) - well, under the bridge there is such a stormy place - you just have to go straight, as the current carries, and calmly slip through, but it’s very fun to walk along it, and the river itself is pleasant and pretty.
• In Priozersk, you can call a taxi, it's cheap there, and it takes half an hour to get to some Ladoga beach - the drivers know all these beaches - they will take you right to the lake. From there you can start in any direction - both to the skerries and to the archipelagos.
• By car or taxi (from Priozersk) you can get to the island of Kilpola - there is a boat station, where you can leave your cars. Well, go along Ladoga right away.

You can also land on the island of Kilpola or in the village of Tervu or the village of Hiitola (you need to go up the river to it) or near the village of Burnevo, on the beach and call a taxi there. And, of course, you can leave cities like Sortavala or Pitkyaranta (if suddenly someone gets there).

Many go to the so-called "Kocherga" - you can google where it is, but there are usually a lot of tourists there. In that area on the islands there are large flat beaches for large companies and convenient mooring. True, most likely all these beaches will be busy in July, so you have to look for less convenient places. Although, in July and August there will be people everywhere. I can't imagine where it isn't.

If we talk apart from the original question, then for a relaxed holiday it is better to go to the Priozersky, Lahdenpohsky, Sortavalsky or Pitkyarantsky skerries. And if you want to climb all sorts of Finnish fortifications and look at abandonment, then it’s better to go to the archipelagos, for example, to the island of Ristisaari, Heinäsenmaa, Myukerikkyu, etc.

The weather in July-August is usually warm and calm, there are usually no storms (only in autumn), and if there is, then just a slight wave, with a few exceptions. And in any case, in the summer there are usually no storms for more than two days in a row. You can swim, sunbathe, and generally have fun.

Border guards on Lake Ladoga

I was asked this question:

We are now thinking little trip along the skerries of Lake Ladoga. Can you tell me what pick-up and drop-off points are there, from where you can get to St. Petersburg? Is it possible to throw yourself out in the middle of the way between Priozersk and Lahdenpokhya?

We go by train to St. Petersburg and from St. Petersburg, and there we rely on electric trains or auto taxis for drop-off. Or maybe in general we can choose one place to start and end the journey, and just paddle around the area on different islands all day long, without big transitions.

How is the weather there usually in the second half of July, and are there any interesting and calm routes for five days of kayaking for a group of beginners and not so kayakers? Are there beautiful wild places for this option or only crowded ones?

And further. Are there any problems with border guards on Ladoga? We understand that the border zone passes nearby.

How to throw yourself on Lake Ladoga

1. Kayaks can be collected right in Priozersk - opposite the railway station - there is a convenient beach, there is a boat station. In this case, from Priozersk along Vuoksa, you can go straight to Ladoga through the Tikhaya River. The Quiet River is a rapid (more precisely, a shivers) - well, under the bridge there is such a stormy place - you just have to go straight, as the current carries, and calmly slip through, but it’s very fun to walk along it, and the river itself is pleasant and pretty.

2. In Priozersk, you can call a taxi, it's cheap there, and drive half an hour to some Ladoga beach - the drivers know all these beaches - they will take you right to the lake. From there you can start in any direction - both to the skerries and to the archipelagos.

3. By car or taxi (from Priozersk) you can get to the island of Kilpola - there is a boat station, where you can leave your cars. Well, go along Ladoga right away.

How to throw out (leave) from Ladoga

As for the drop, the easiest way to leave, of course, is from Priozersk, Kuznechny or Lahdenpokhya.

You can also land on the island of Kilpola or in the village of Tervu or the village of Hiitola (you need to go up the river to it) or near the village of Burnevo, on the beach and call a taxi there. And, of course, you can leave cities like Sortavala (if suddenly someone gets there).

Where to go on Ladoga on kayaks or catamarans

On Ladoga, you can go wherever you want, just along the islets - they are all interesting and beautiful.

Many go to the so-called "Kocherga" - you can google where it is, but there are usually a lot of tourists there. In that area on the islands there are large flat beaches for large companies and convenient mooring. True, most likely all these beaches will be busy in July, so you will have to look for less convenient places. Although, in July and August there will be people everywhere) I can’t imagine where it is not.

There will be almost no one on Verkkosaari or Mykerikkyu - it will be more precise, but less than in skerries. But newcomers probably will not dare to go to these islands. Yes, this is not necessary, since the next ones are also interesting. good route(if not in your own car and you don’t need to return to it) from Priozersk to Lahdenpokhya. You'll get there in five days. Well, everything is along the coast, but it will work out on the islands. From Lakhdenpokhya, you can already go home by train.

You can also go to the archipelagos - for example, Heinäsenmaa or Verkkosaari or Vossinoisaari or Mykerikkyu. True, not everyone will agree to this, perhaps, because they believe that it is far and dangerous, although we calmly walked along these routes in kayaks. And many even swam to Valaam.

Weather on Ladoga in summer (in July and August)

The weather in July-August is usually warm and calm, there are usually no storms (only in autumn), and if there is, then just a slight commotion. You can swim, sunbathe, and generally have fun.

Border guards on Ladoga

Border guards can only be met on the train to Lahdenpokhya, and even then they will only check your passport and ask where you are going. Say that there are no problems on Ladoga. But if you land in Priozersk, then there will not even be border guards, most likely. In principle, no passes or anything like that is needed on Ladoga.

By the way, just in case, I'll write about GIMS. Kayaks do not need to be registered now. And many catamarans too.

“We live in the most beautiful country in the world, and all other countries envy us!” - I am ready to subscribe to every word. And the point is not even that “we shoed a flea and pierced a caterpillar”, but that so much natural and man-made miracles that you constantly feel a sense of pride in your homeland, and this makes you feel so good at heart!

We have all the very best: the most deep lake in the world (Baikal), the most extensive forests (Siberian taiga), the coldest settlement on Earth (Oymyakon), the largest Orthodox church located in Moscow (Church of Christ the Savior)… We have a lot of things, the list is endless.

Now I want to tell you about one more “most”, about the largest lake in Europe - Ladoga. In length - more than two hundred kilometers, in width - 125 kilometers! When you stand on its shore, it seems that this is not a lake, this is the SEA! Ladoga, of course, is a national treasure not only for its impressive size, but also thanks to its clean water, unique flora and fauna, rich history ... Well, I will try to embrace the immensity and tell in summary all the most interesting and useful that I know about this miracle of nature.

How to get there

Lake Ladoga occupies a vast territory and is located in two subjects at once Russian Federation– Leningrad region (western, southern shores) and the Republic of Karelia (northern, eastern shores).

The choice of the preferred mode of transport directly depends on which shore of Lake Ladoga you are trying to get to. In principle, it can be reached by plane, train, bus, ferry, and, of course, by private car.

By plane

To St. Petersburg

The closest airport to Lake Ladoga is Pulkovo Airport, located in St. Petersburg. The distance from it to the southwestern shore of Ladoga is the most optimal way(by car) is 55 kilometers. Pulkovo is the largest air transport hub in the North-West region, which daily receives flights from many settlements in Russia and from abroad. Finding the best route from your city, I think, is not difficult. The official website of the St. Petersburg airport and other Internet resources will help you. For example, you can monitor ticket prices.

You can rent a car right in the arrivals hall (Avis, Europcar, Sixt). The price for renting an economy class car (eg Hyundai Solaris) for one day is about 2000 rubles; The longer the rental period, the more acceptable the final cost. Compare prices from different distributors.

If you are planning to continue traveling by public transport, then now is the time to decide how you intend to get to your final destination on Lake Ladoga - by rail or by bus. In the first case, you need to get, no, not to Ladozhsky, but to the Finland Station (popularly known as Finban), in the second - to the Obvodny Canal bus station or the Northern Bus Station.

How to get from the airport

So, how is it possible for a tourist to leave the airport? There are two acceptable options:

• by taxi. Just do not try to hire a driver from among those who offer their services at the exit of the terminal! They usually charge three times the citywide price. Just call the taxi service by phone (for example, "Lucky", "Taxovichkoff", "068"). The delivery time of the machine is no more than 15 minutes; transfer cost to Finban ~ 850 rubles, to the bus station on the Obvodny Canal ~ 600 rubles, to the Northern bus station ~ 1100 rubles;
• bus + subway. Buses (No. 39, No. 39A) and minibuses (No. 39K) run regularly from the airport building to the Moskovskaya metro station. Travel time is 15 - 30 minutes, depending on the traffic situation, the fare is 40 rubles. In order to get to the railway station you need to get to the metro station "Lenin Square" (transfer to the station "Technological Institute"), the bus station is within a 5-minute walk from the metro station " bypass channel”(transfer to the Sennaya Ploshchad station), the Northern Bus Station - near the Devyatkino metro station (transfer to the Tekhnologichesky Institute station). I place for your convenience a map of the St. Petersburg metro. On it there is a mark of the beginning of the route - st. m. Moskovskaya (red star), marks final stops: Finland Station - yellow rectangle, bus station - light green, Northern Bus Station - purple.

To Petrozavodsk

Alternative airports "in the vicinity" of Lake Ladoga:

• Airport "Besovets". The distance to the eastern shore of Ladoga (Pitkyaranta) is approximately 190 km. Keep in mind that it has air traffic only with Moscow. Flights are operated by RusLine five days a week. Travel time is about 2 hours, for a round-trip ticket you will have to pay approximately 8,000 rubles. Read about how to get from the airport to the city center. It is better to get to the coast of Lake Ladoga (the cities of Lahdenpokhya, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Syasstroy) by bus from the local bus station. For example - to Sortavala the travel time will be about 4 hours, the ticket price is 550 - 600 rubles; it takes longer to get to Syasstroy - about 5 hours, the ticket price starts from 650 rubles.

By train

From Saint-Petersburg

From Finland Station(metro station "Ploshchad Lenina") commuter trains run regularly to Priozersk (northern direction) and to Shlisselburg (south-east, east direction). There are more flights in summer, less in winter. You can see the current timetable on the Russian Railways website. For clarity, I post a print-screen map. On it, colored markers show the nearest railway stations to the coast of Lake Ladoga.

• crimson color marked Priozersk (fare ~ 350 rubles), standing on the river Vuoksa. The shore of the lake is located no more than 5 kilometers from the city center. From the Priozersk bus station (Vyborgskaya st., 31) you can go to smaller settlements on Ladoga.
• orange marker- railway station Ladoga Lake (fare ~ 130 rubles). From the station to the beach, walk no more than one kilometer.
• purple marker- railway station Petrokrepost (~ 120 rubles), located in the village of them. Morozov. The distance to the coast of Ladoga is 500 meters.

From Ladoga railway station(metro station "Ladozhskaya") twice a week (Wednesday, Friday) runs train No. 350A, following the route - Kostomuksha. He makes stops in Priozersk and Sortavala. The train arrives in Priozersk 2 hours after departure from St. Petersburg, in Sortavala - in 5.5 hours. Please note that the cost of tickets to Priozersk will be higher than for a commuter train - about 450 rubles one way; a ticket to Sortavala will cost not much more than to Priozersk, about 550 rubles.

From Moscow, from other cities

I advise you not to invent a bicycle, but to get from Moscow (by train, plane, bus) to St. Petersburg, and from here start to your final destination. You will not find convenient direct trains or electric trains going straight to Lake Ladoga from Moscow or any other major Russian cities.

By bus

From Saint-Petersburg

Bus station on Obvodny Canal(Obvodny Kanal metro station) offers tourists daily flights to Novaya Ladoga (No. 847), Syasstroy (No. 862) and Pitkyaranta (No. 963). All these settlements are located in close proximity to the shore of Lake Ladoga. To Novaya Ladoga, a bus ticket will cost about 300 rubles, travel time - 3.5 hours; to Syasstroy - from 350 rubles, travel time - 2.5 hours; to Pitkyaranta - about 900 rubles, to get there in time - at least 7.5 hours. The bus to Pitkyaranta also makes stops in other settlements with access to Lake Ladoga. You can easily buy a ticket to the villages of Vidlitsa or Salmi. Kill two birds with one stone - save a little and end up in a sparsely populated area (relevant for those who are going to relax "savage").

North Bus Station(metro station "Devyatkino"). Tickets to Syasstroy (350 rubles) and Priozersk (250 rubles) are sold here. Tickets can be bought either at the box office of bus stations or on the Internet.

From Petrozavodsk

Petrozavodsk bus station(Chapaev St., 3) offers a large number of inter-republican routes to Sortavala, Lahdenpokhya, Pitkyaranta. More interesting direction- northern (to Sortavala). The cost of a ticket Sortavala - Petrozavodsk (4 hours on the way) is ~ 600 rubles. It is possible to get off this flight earlier, in such picturesque places, like Rautalahti or Karyavalahti (the village is not marked on the map, but there is a bus stop!). From Petrozavodsk to the Pitkyaranta bus station (Privokzalnaya St., 30), the fare costs about 450 rubles (3.5 hours on the way). The current schedule can be seen on the website of the Petrozavodsk bus station.

From Moscow, from other cities

As in the case with by rail, I strongly advise you to first get to St. Petersburg or Petrozavodsk in any convenient way, and from there take a bus following the routes I suggested above.

By car

The most-most-most convenient way get from St. Petersburg and Moscow to Lake Ladoga! With a private car, it is possible to get to almost any place on the coastline without thinking about tickets, their cost and availability, time for transfers ... You can take a bunch of things with you; this is especially true for campers and outdoor enthusiasts.

From Saint-Petersburg there are two main highways encircling Ladoga - one goes along its western, northern coasts (A-121 "Sortavala"), the other - along the south and then turns to Petrozavodsk (R-21 "Kola"). These routes meet each other in the area of ​​the Karelian village of Pryazha, located not far from Petrozavodsk. You can get to the east coast (road 86K-8) both from the R-21 highway after the city of Olonets, and from the A-121 road, turning south from it near the Leppyasilta settlement. Which path you prefer depends on the final point of your journey. Theoretically, to get to the southern and eastern coasts, it is better to use the Kola highway, to the northern and western coasts - the Sortavala highway. Or maybe you just want to ride around Ladoga? Then the "problem of choice" disappears by itself.

From Moscow, of course, to go longer, at least longer by 700 kilometers. If you want to get to the western or northern shores of Ladoga, feel free to follow the M-10 highway to St. Petersburg, and go along the St. Petersburg Ring Road to the Sortavala highway. If you planned to find yourself on the southern or eastern shores, then from the M-10 highway after the settlement of Chudovo you need to turn right onto and Volkhov. In the end, this road will take you to the Kola highway and further to Lake Ladoga. Another alternative route from Moscow to the eastern coast of Lake Ladoga is the A-114 road passing through Kalyazin, Pikalevo,. But, I warn you, the quality of the road surface and the roadside infrastructure of the A-114 road lose the same indicators federal highway M-10. In the “worst” case, you will have to spend about 13 hours on the road, for example, if you are traveling from Moscow to Sortavala or Pitkyaranta (~1000 km). However, I do not advise you to stop on the road for the night. This distance can easily be overcome in one day, and even with small children, it has been tested on itself.

It would not be superfluous to immediately draw up a road estimate (for a traveler-motorist from Moscow):

• payment for gasoline (at the rate of 2000 km in both directions) - about 8000 rubles;
• travel on toll road M11 - from 1000 to 1500 rubles depending on the time of day (round trip);
• snacks in roadside cafes - at least 300 rubles per person;
• a hotel room - at least 1,500 rubles for double occupancy (if you decide to stay overnight on the way).

The total is about 15,000 rubles. Of course, you can optimize costs by removing all items from the list, except for the purchase of fuel - then our estimate will be reduced by exactly half!

By ferry

From Saint-Petersburg

Since the beginning of May, numerous travel companies offer a huge number of water cruises on Lake Ladoga. You can easily choose a route to your liking, for example, "St. Petersburg - Valaam - St. Petersburg" (for 3 days, price from 8000 rubles), "St. Petersburg - Valaam - Konevets - St. Petersburg" (for 4 days, prices from 11 thousand rubles), extended "St. Petersburg - Valaam - Sortavala - Pellotsari - Konevets - St. Petersburg" (for 5 days, prices from 19 thousand rubles). And so on and so forth. These cruises are countless, they are all different in price, content, and duration.

Motor ships start from the River Station of St. Petersburg (195 Obukhovskaya Oborona Ave.) and arrive there as well. Unfortunately, public budget river transport to the islands does not currently exist. If you want to swim to any island in Lake Ladoga from northern capital, you will have to buy a ticket to a river cruise, but this, as you probably noticed, is not a cheap pleasure.

From Moscow

It is also easy to swim to the islands of Lake Ladoga, as well as from St. Petersburg - you just need to buy a ticket for the ship. All river boats sail to Ladoga from the Northern River Station (metro station " River Station"). Interesting cruises, in my opinion, are "Moscow - - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Valaam - St. Petersburg" (duration - 9 days, cost - 42,000 rubles) or "Moscow - - Peplotsari - Sortavala - Moscow" (for 12 days , cost from 64,000 rubles) ... In general, the offer of cruises is truly impressive, apparently, and the demand for them is quite high, despite their fabulous cost.

Clue:

Lake Ladoga - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 0

Kazan 0

Samara 1

Yekaterinburg 2

Novosibirsk 4

Vladivostok 7

When is the season. When is the best time to go

You probably already guessed that the most season on Lake Ladoga is, of course, summer. The climate here is not very pleasant - humid, cloudy, windy - and even in summer, during your holiday on the coast, there will probably not be a single sunny day. But this is the saddest one. Statistics say that on average there are about 60 sunny days in a year, of course, the lion's share of them falls in the summer, when the southern anticyclone enters the lake area, and in the winter - during the dominance of the Arctic anticyclone. Spring and autumn are usually very rainy and windy, especially in autumn when the storm season begins.

The northern and eastern coasts of Ladoga (Lakhdenpokhsky, Pitkyarantsky, Olonets districts and the city of Sortavala of the Republic of Karelia) are equated to districts Far North. I can’t say that the climate here is very harsh compared to, for example, St. Petersburg, but by a couple of degrees mean annual temperature obviously lower.

Lake Ladoga in summer

Like I said, summer best choice to visit Lake Ladoga. At least the positive air temperature will be guaranteed here. It is in the summer that residents of St. Petersburg and other large cities of our Motherland go to the shores of Lake Ladoga in order to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, breathe fresh air, and improve their health. It is still quite cool in June, it is better to choose July-August for a trip, when the average monthly air temperature still exceeds 20 degrees Celsius. True, it is not a fact that you will be able to swim, because the water in Ladoga only in rare years warms up to more than 21 degrees, and even then, such a temperature is relevant only for the southern shallow areas, on the northern coast, where the depths are much greater, only "walruses".

Lake Ladoga in autumn

Navigation on Lake Ladoga is closed in October, and this is no coincidence. It is in early October that the strongest storms rage on Ladoga. The weather is disgusting - cold, damp, overcast, plus fog and gusty winds. If you already go to Lake Ladoga in the fall, then only in September, preferably at the beginning of the month. There are lovely quiet days here in early autumn, when inveterate lovers can enjoy good fishing in the calm, when tourists can still swim to the islands and Konevets, and when "middle managers" can spend their last weekend in nature, frying barbecue and contemplating the local beauties .

Lake Ladoga in spring

March and April - not at all best time for planning a trip to the shores of Lake Ladoga. But this is purely my personal opinion. I start from the fact that in March, and even in April, there can be negative temperatures here, and if not, then there is a high probability of precipitation, fog and gusty winds. The first tourists usually appear in these parts in early May, besides, there is a good reason for this - the long May weekend. Navigation is just opening in May - welcome to Konevets, Peplotsari and other islands. But do not flatter yourself too much - the average monthly temperature in May for the region is 10 degrees Celsius, so you can safely leave sunscreen at home!

Lake Ladoga in winter

In winter, numerous lovers of hunting for perch come out on the ice of Ladoga :). Winter fishing on Ladoga is very, very popular. Unfortunately, due to the unstable temperature (sometimes wild cold, sometimes thaw), sad cases often happen on the ice of Lake Ladoga. People, be careful and extremely careful, no "octagon" is worth a human life! In addition to fishing, people are engaged in various "activities" in winter, for example, skiing, skating, snowkiting ... The average temperature throughout the world is -8.8 degrees Celsius.

conditional areas. Descriptions and Features

The nature of Lake Ladoga is beautiful, amazing and, by the way, quite heterogeneous.

• north coast Ladogi from Priozersk to Pitkyaranta is a rocky skerry area with fjords and numerous small islands. It is very beautiful and romantic here. Natural landscapes immediately resemble Finland, Norway, and Sweden combined. It is impossible not to fall in love with this rugged northern beauty; and those who have visited Northern Ladoga at least once will definitely want to come back here again. And again. And again. There are plenty of housing options here. Mainly guest houses and cottages. Where there is demand, there is supply. Lately, especially "thanks to" economic crisis, more and more Russians choose to rest at home. Northern Ladoga is an ideal option in this regard - service and views, like abroad, but you still pay for your vacation with our “wooden”. The flow of tourists to this area is now consistently high, so you need to try to find decent in terms of living conditions, but affordable housing. Some make it easier - they come here in the summer with tents. If you have your own boat, you can sail to any micro island, set up your camp and feel like a real oligarch, at least for the weekend!

• South coast, in contrast to the North, low, swampy, slightly indented. From interesting places I can name - the fortress "Oreshek" at the mouth of the Neva River, the cities of Novaya and Staraya Ladoga. Actually, all hotels and hotels are concentrated around these attractions. The reason for the poorly developed infrastructure, in my opinion, is the fact that the entire southern coast of Ladoga is surrounded by the Staroladoga and Novoladozhsky canals. They have a high daily throughput and, probably, partly interfere with the development of the tourism business due to the fact that they separate the shore of the lake from the "mainland". However, there are a couple of decent guest houses here too. They say that on the south coast it “pecks” better, that here is a “paradise for a fisherman”. And the water temperature is higher here, so you can even swim in summer!

• West Bank also slightly indented and densely overgrown with shrubs and forests, approaching directly to the water's edge. It is difficult to find a decent place for a secluded parking lot here. Very popular, as they are located not far from St. Petersburg, are the beaches in the village of Kokkorevo and the village of Lake Ladoga. There are a couple of spa hotels and guest houses nearby that look pretty decent. But further north - "golyak" up to Priozersk.

• East coast, probably the least popular with tourists, no, not because it is “worse”, but because it is further away. Few people from St. Petersburg want to spend five hours on the road one way to fry a barbecue, and the next day go home again for five hours, so as not to be late for work on Monday. But everything changes dramatically if you are planning not a vacation for the weekend, but a full vacation. Then - welcome to the east coast with its wide sandy beaches, clear water and the complete absence of people. After the Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonets reserves, that part of the eastern coast begins, which the traveler needs to get to. You can choose to stay in a guest house, or a hotel, or rent a house from a private owner (this is true not only for the east coast).

Below I place a map of hotels / hotels / guest houses of Ladoga. Pink rectangle - north coast; purple is not a rectangle - the south coast with a meager selection; red - the west coast with an even less rich choice of housing; yellow - east. Prices for accommodation and entertainment will be discussed in the next section.

What are the prices for holidays

Accommodation prices range from 1,500 rubles per night to infinity (well, let's say 20,000 rubles in a club spa hotel). This is for the double room. If you come with a large company and rent a house, then most likely it will be quite budgetary - the same 1000 - 1500 rubles per person, but living conditions will be much more comfortable. The house, as a rule, has its own kitchen (so you can cook yourself and not spend money on a restaurant), a barbecue or a barbecue on the street. Double rooms hardly have a cooking area, a fridge and a kettle at most.

You can save money by carefully “monitoring” coupon sites. Discounts for accommodation in some hotels sometimes reach 50%! If you are planning a long vacation on the shores of Lake Ladoga, then you can think about renting a country house - a summer residence. Good options will cost from 30,000 rubles per month of residence, bargaining is appropriate.

In restaurants at hotels, prices can vary without succumbing to any laws of logic. It can be cheap and tasty, or maybe vice versa. But on average, you expect the following prices: breakfast 150/300 rubles, lunch 250/500 rubles, dinner 250/600 rubles.

Another item of expenditure is the rental of sports equipment. The cost of renting a rowboat is approx. 1500 rubles / day, boats with a motor - approx. 2500 rubles/day, bicycle - from 200 rubles/day, quad bike - from 2000 rubles/hour, snowmobile - from 1500 rubles/hour; negotiated price for hunting, fishing, excursions to the islands.

Main attractions. What to see

The main attraction of Ladoga is undoubtedly its amazing nature! No matter how many times you come to Ladoga, it does not matter, you will never be able to look at its harsh northern landscapes with indifference. This incredible symbiosis - pines, rocks, mosses, coastal wave, distant horizon ... They act magically - they calm the mind, help to tune in to a philosophical mood, discard everything empty and even make an important decision. Yes, yes, it is! That is why, my number one in the TOP-5 list.

Top 5

Beaches. Which is better

All the beaches of Lake Ladoga, of course, can not be counted! There are a huge, overwhelming number of them. I'll start my brief review, perhaps, with those that are not far from St. Petersburg:

• beach in the village "Kokkorevo" (on the map number 1). A very popular and crowded place to stay. On a fine day, owners of nearby summer cottages and residents flock here eastern regions Petersburg (and residents of the western regions go on vacation to the Gulf of Finland). The beach is sandy, without any infrastructure, but surprisingly clean enough, apparently, proximity plays an important role cultural capital. This beach is a gathering place for kitesurfers and windsurfers;

• beach in the village "Ladoga Lake" (on the map No. 2). There are a terrible number of people here on a summer weekend, but it is always possible to lay your own towel. The beach is sandy and clean with the necessary infrastructure (changing rooms, toilets, cafes). There is a volleyball net and sports equipment rental. The Museum of the Siege of Leningrad is located 20 meters from the beach strip; the area is dominated by the Osinovetsky lighthouse (one of the highest on Ladoga). The only negative is that the water temperature is not always happy, but this does not stop desperate Petersburgers at all. Come and swim!
• There is an excellent beach not far from the settlement "Vladimirovka" (on the map No. 3). It is located exactly opposite the island of Konevets, and summer yoga festivals are held here. The beach is a long sandy strip with a gentle entry into the water. At the bottom there are quite large boulders and pebbles. But you will surely notice them, because the water is very clean and transparent! The beach is NOT equipped with changing rooms, there is no cafe here, but there are pine trees, sand and sun (sometimes);
• There is a wonderful long sandy beach near the village of Motornoye (on the map No. 4). Almost a twin brother of the beach at number 3. Sand and pine trees are the main advantages of this place. The water is definitely cold. Fans of camping often stop here, a fairly safe place. For reference - from St. Petersburg the beach is located at a distance of 150 km;
• Further after Priozersk, the area of ​​skerries begins, infrequently pampering the tourist with warm sand. Among the rocky northern shores of Ladoga, no, no, yes, sandy bays come across, but you have to look for them yourself. I will give the highest rating to the beaches of Koyonsaari Island (on the map number 5), they are magnificent. A minimum of people and no service, but a maximum of nature and silence;

• On the eastern coast, after Pitkyaranta, in the area of ​​​​the village of Karku, an almost continuous sandy strip begins, a kind of eastern "mono-beach". I will especially note the area of ​​​​the village of Vidlitsa (on the map No. 6), it is beautiful and pleasant to relax here, and it’s not so far to go to the grocery store, if anything. Of course, don't count on any service here - only privacy, only hardcore!

After the city of Olonets, swampy areas begin, occupying almost the entire southern coast of Ladoga up to Shlisselburg. To make it easier for you to navigate, I put a map. I want to emphasize that this is my personal set of acceptable places for a beach holiday, I think you understand that you can swim, if you wish, on any stretch of the Ladoga coast.

Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit

Almost every settlement on Lake Ladoga, be it a city, a village or a village, has its own church, and in some there is not even one. It makes no sense to give a list of hundreds of items here, I will limit myself to a few:

Museums. Which are worth a visit

To the above museum sites (Valaam, Konevets, Oreshek fortress, Korela fortress) I will add a few more interesting cultural sights for an inquisitive mind:

• Museum "Road of Life" (settlement "Ladoga Lake"). Big and entertaining museum complex, consisting of street exposition and several thematic pavilions. Here you can see with your own eyes and even touch the original military equipment of those years, examine in detail the personal belongings of the Red Army soldiers, see unique photographs, listen to a “grabbing” tour. The museum is a must visit! Working hours: Wednesday-Sunday from 11-00 to 18-00. The cost of visiting is 200 rubles. for adults excursion service- 150 rubles, audio guide - 300 rubles.

• Museum of the history of the city of Shlisselburg (Shlisselburg, Factory Island, 2A). The museum is located in a relatively small area, so the exposition is constantly changing. The museum seemed to me interesting topics that here you can book an excursion for a small fee (200 rubles for a group of 5 people) not only in the stationary building of the museum, but throughout Shlisselburg. The museum's senior researcher will guide you through key locations and tell you all about the founding of the city and its history. Opening hours: Monday-Friday from 09-00 to 18-00, Saturday from 10-00 to 17-00, Sunday - day off. The cost of an adult ticket is 30 (!) Rubles.

• Regional Museum of the Northern Ladoga Region (Sortavala, Ladoga Flotilla Embankment, 5). Sortavala is a city with a Finnish rather than a Russian face. You can feel the Scandinavian spirit of this Karelian city in the halls of the museum of the northern Ladoga region. See the main local history expositions, go to the halls of temporary exhibitions, visit field trips around the city, nearest islands. Behind detailed information refer to the site.

parks

In the southeastern part of Lake Ladoga there are two especially important natural objects - the Nizhne-Svirsky State Nature Reserve and the Olonets State Nature Reserve (part of the first). They were created in the 80s to preserve and protect the flora and fauna of the region. First of all, this applies to waterfowl and migratory birds who in these places have a stop for rest and feeding.

The Nizhne-Svirsky and Olonets nature reserves will be of interest to ornithologists and lovers of virgin nature. But getting into the territory of the reserves is not so easy! You must first send an application addressed to the director, indicating the purpose of the visit, the length of stay, the number of people in the group. When the management makes a positive decision on admission, payment is made (nowhere is it indicated how much, apparently, this is a big secret), and the group is included in the visiting schedule.

What to see in 1 day

Going to Ladoga for one day from afar is somehow ridiculous. We will start from the fact that you are a Petersburger or a guest of the Northern capital, who, tired of the bustle of the city, decided to get out on a "weekend" in nature. Let's say you have a personal car and the weather outside is +25 degrees Celsius. So be it! Then my suggestion:

1. At 10-00 we leave the house / hotel / hostel in the direction of Shlisselburg. In principle, from any district of the city to the mouth of the Neva (where Shlisselburg is located) it takes no more than an hour (without traffic jams).
2. Our path lies in the Oreshek fortress. Hammer on the navigator the address of the pier from which the boats leave for Orekhovy Island - the village of them. Morozova, st. Skvortsova, 76.
3. Suppose that at 11-00 you are already there! We take a boat to the island. We walk, wander, admire, take pictures. You can even make a small halt at the fortress wall. Admire the views of Ladoga, Neva and Shlisselburg. Drink coffee from a thermos, eat a sandwich (which you, of course, brought with you from home).
4. At one o'clock in the afternoon or so, I propose to move towards the beach in the village of Lake Ladoga.
5. On the way, we will stop by to see the Broken Ring monument, which is located in the village of Kokkorevo.
6. About two - we are on the beach. Hooray! The main landmark of the beach is the huge Osinovetsky lighthouse, if you are near it, then you are on the most popular beach of Ladoga.
7. Rest - swim and sunbathe, sunbathe and swim.
8. For those who are hungry, there are a couple of cafes on the beach. Of course, prices here bite a little, but hunger is not an aunt!
9. Those who are not delighted with senseless lying on the beach, or do not like to play, for example, beach volleyball (by the way, there are nets here), you can cultivate and go to the nearby Museum "Road of Life".
10. I think that before six or seven o'clock in the evening you will already have time to feel all the charm of beach life on Lake Ladoga - it's time to go home.
11. On the way back, buy dried or smoked fish. Yum yum, very tasty. And such delicacies are sold almost everywhere - in stalls on the highway and in rural stores.
12. At eight o'clock in the evening you - contented and happy - are already at home.

neighboring regions

Ruskeala mountain park (34 km from the town of Sortavala) - former marble quarries, now - a natural object of unique beauty. The main attractions of the park are the "Main" quarry, along with Italian quarry and Ruskeala failure. Read more about the place, or on the official website.

nearby islands

Lake Ladoga pleases the tourist with islands - there are about 660 of them (!), And about 500 of them are concentrated in the northern part of Ladoga, the so-called "skerry region". The two most famous islands are Konevets (I wrote about them above). The largest islands of Ladoga are Riekkalansaari (near Sortavala), Mantsinsaari (south of Pitkyaranta), Kilpola (near Kuznechnoye settlement). But some micro islands do not have a name at all, travelers themselves give them names! The island of Pellotsaari is interesting, having the shape of a heart, “the heart of Ladoga”. It has a hiking ecological trail "One day in the life of a taiga island."

Each, even the smallest island, is a unique and inimitable little world. If you go boating through the skerries, you can find the perfect island for your taste!

Food. What to try

One of the main treasures of Ladoga is FISH! There are more than 50 species of fish in the waters of the lake, including salmon, trout, lamprey, whitefish, pike perch, smelt ... Since the waters of the lake are considered quite clean, you can safely eat the Ladoga catch without fear of poisoning with heavy metals or toxic chemicals. In almost every settlement on Lake Ladoga there are shops or stalls where they sell fresh - smoked - dried fish. I advise you not to neglect the alluring aromas, but rather buy, for example, smoked bream, and bring home the freshest tender trout!

They say that on the Murmansk highway, 75 km from St. Petersburg in the village of Yushkovo, there is a wonderful fish market that amazes the city dweller with an assortment and price. What is not here - fresh, and smoked, and salted, and dried, and dried fish and, of course, caviar. The initial cost is overpriced, so bargain. Approximate prices for fish (for 1 piece): trout, whitefish, salmon, hot smoked bream - approx. 300 rubles; the same items, but cold smoked, are more expensive - prices from 350 rubles per unit; dried bream and pike - approx. 200 rubles; dried vendace - from 200 rubles 0.5 kg.

All more or less decent places are located either in cities (Priozersk, Shlisselburg, etc.), or at hotels - hotels. And in the first and second cases, you can choose a restaurant to your taste and budget. It is clear that in large settlements there are European, and Japanese, and Russian taverns, and you can have a bite to eat with a shawarma or a hamburger, but let the seeker find it! This is me about the fact that instead of McDonald's or the cafe "U Sveta", you can find establishments where they cook freshly caught Ladoga fish, national karelian dishes (kalaruoka, wickets). I think that without tasting local "delicacies" the trip will be incomplete!

Very decent places where you can try something from Karelian cuisine:

• restaurants "Dacha Vintera" (in the city),
• Piipun Piha (in ),
• "Ladoga Estate" (in the village of Niemelyankhovi).

The cost of dinner with drinks per person starts from 1000 rubles.

Holidays

In my opinion, the two most significant events on Lake Ladoga are of a sporting nature:

Safety. What to watch out for

Beware in Russia is, of course, roads and fools. The road around Lake Ladoga is mostly passable, but there are separate sections of primer on which you can kill the car's suspension or get body paint chipped (as it was with us!). Ride in such areas should be slow, careful, gentle; however, the more nimble guys are trying to overtake you and douse you with a wave of roadside dust. At the entrances to the edge of the lake, you must also be careful - it is quite possible to get stuck in liquid soil, or skid in the sand, or God knows what else! You should always carry a winch and a couple of strong men with you. As for the fools ... My friends and I really like to relax in nature in tents, but this is not always safe, unfortunately. Bad people can take you by surprise - rob, or even worse ... Therefore, if you go to nature "savage", then only in large companies, and if together, it is better to stay at recreation centers, or in tent campsites. Another misfortune for a tourist - the weather. If you are boating in "open" water, beware of a sudden change in weather. Such a phenomenon on Ladoga is not uncommon. Strong storms and dangerous waves often occur on the lake, which can overturn any watercraft even with an experienced captain.

Things to do

In summer, of course, sunbathe and swim if the weather permits. Go boating (you can rent a boat at almost any hotel on Lake Ladoga), pack up and go on a hike from point A to point B (work out your travel route in detail first!), pick mushrooms and berries that grow here in abundance in summer and autumn, fishing is possible in all seasons. This is a standard set of Ladoga entertainments, and if you want something hotter, try something more extreme (see below).

extreme sports

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

It doesn’t occur to me that I would advise you to bring the amazing and unique from Lake Ladoga. Most likely, it depends on the place where you will rest.

For example, from the islands of Valaam and Konevets, they mainly bring ritual gizmos - icons, crosses, candles, Christian literature. Prices in the church shop are democratic, starting at 50 rubles per unit of goods (candles are cheaper). From northern region Ladoga tourists take away products made of shungite (a black rock mined exclusively in Karelia). The cost of small figurines starts from 300 rubles. In many cities of the Ladoga region, they offer products made from natural materials - leather (bags from 2000 rubles), birch bark (casket from 500 rubles), wood (decorations from 300 rubles), textiles (rugs from 1500 rubles) . Of course, you should not forget about natural gifts - mushrooms, berries (which you can collect yourself), fresh and thermally processed fish. But, of course, the best thing you can bring from Lake Ladoga is a persistent northern tan and a charge of positive mood!

How to move around the region

Lake Ladoga - holidays with children

I am a supporter of traveling with children everywhere. Therefore, of course, I stand up for the fact that on a trip to Lake Ladoga it is necessary to take children with you, but more! They - fun, knowledge of the world, communication with nature, healing, hardening (solid pluses). You - continuous strained to follow them; but raising children is not easy at all! I advise you and your children to be vaccinated against ticks before traveling to “any countryside”. IN last years cases of infection with tick-borne encephalitis in the Leningrad region have become more frequent. Be careful!

Have something to add?

general characteristics

The relief of the bottom of Lake Ladoga is characterized by a gradual increase in depth from south to north. The bottom of the northern part is uneven, furrowed with depressions. Depths exceeding 100 meters prevail here. It is in the north, near the Kilpisaret Islands, that maximum depth lake, equal to 230 meters. The depth of the depression against the Kurkijoki skerries reaches 220 meters. Not far from Priozersk, as well as near the Sortaval skerries, depths of up to 150 meters are known. The bottom relief of the southern part is calmer and more smooth. The depths in this part of the lake range from 20-50 meters and are close to medium depth the entire reservoir - 51 meters.

The total area of ​​Lake Ladoga is 18,135 square kilometers, 457 of which are islands. Only islands exceeding 1 hectare in area, there are more than 650, of which about 500 are located off the northwestern coast. The bizarre outlines of rocky islands, sometimes reaching a height of 60-70 meters, are combined with the indented coast of the mainland, into which numerous bays deeply cut. The largest of them - Lekhmalakhti, Naismeri, Kurkiyoksky, Yakimvarsky, Sortavala - have a length of more than 10 kilometers.

From the steep shores, a delightful panorama of islands opens up, towering above the silvery surface of the lake. The figures speak eloquently about the ruggedness of the shores of northern Ladoga: out of the total length of the lake's coastline of 1,570 kilometers, 790 belong to the skerry region.

The high northern coast drops to the south and gradually passes into the calmer western and eastern shores. The eastern coast is not indented, only two major bays- Lunkulanlahti and Uksunlahti, covered from the side of the lake by one of the largest islands of Ladoga - Mantsinsari. The eastern coast (in the southern part) is surrounded by wide sandy beaches. The west coast is even less indented. It is overgrown with dense mixed forest and shrubs, coming close to the water's edge, along which placers of boulders of various shapes and sizes predominate. Ridges of stones often go far from the capes into the lake, forming dangerous underwater reefs.

The western shore passes into the low and swampy southern shore, bordered, like a curb, by thickets of aquatic plants. The coast here is replete with shoals, rocky reefs and banks. Therefore, shallow South part fraught with many dangers for navigation ships.

Thirty-two rivers carry their waters to Ladoga. This is the full-flowing Svir, fraught with a huge reserve of energy, and small rivers of the northern coast, lost among the forests and meadows, and the rectilinear Volkhov, and flowing through many lakes of Vuoksa. There are short rivers, the sources of which lie 20-40 kilometers from Ladoga. Others stretched out for more than one hundred kilometers, and their waters overcome a long way before they join the lake.

No matter how the rivers of the Ladoga basin differ from each other in their size, together they serve as the main source of nutrition for the lake. Every year the rivers bring here about 68 cubic kilometers of water. In high-water years, this figure can increase to 100. The share of rain and snow involved in replenishing water reserves in the lake accounts for 15 percent, groundwater - only 2 percent of the total inflow.

River waters flow into Ladoga fairly evenly throughout the year. In this, the main role is played by the artificial regulation of the flow of large rivers, which became possible after the construction of a number of structures and hydroelectric facilities.

In the spring, the southern river, the Volkhov, is opened before anyone else. It carries a huge mass of water at this time of the year. By winter, its value in the total inflow decreases. The flow of the Vuoksa (Burnaya) River is most evenly distributed over the seasons, followed by the Svir. This leads to the fact that in winter, when many rivers are depleted, the filling of the lake occurs due to these two tributaries.

Only the full-flowing Neva flows out of Ladoga. Every second it takes about 2500 cubic meters of water, which in less than a day manages to go all the way from the source to Gulf of Finland. The length of the Neva is 74 kilometers. Throughout its length, the bottom of the river lies below the surface of the Baltic Sea. If, for some reason, the water level in Ladoga fell 4.5-5 meters below the average, then the Neva would flow back, and the waters of the Gulf of Finland would enter the lake.