Military map of the Baidar valley. Baidarskaya valley - Crimean Switzerland in the Baidarsky reserve. The main attractions of the Baidarskaya Valley

What to do when you arrive in the Baidarsky Reserve? It is almost impossible to answer this question unambiguously. Although one thing is for sure: there is something for everyone here. Some who climbed into the Crimean Mountains in this place like to just take a break from the bustle of the city, lying in tall grass and watching the birds scurrying back and forth. There are those who climb the mountains for the sake of fascinating panoramic shots. But especially practical and conscious people set off in search of medicinal plants, harvesting for teas, for example, thyme, chicory, yarrow or lemon balm.

Baydarskaya valley. general information

As mentioned above, this area is very famous for its medicinal herbs. Even in ancient times, it received special fame thanks to rich forests and miraculous springs.

Many mistakenly believe that the Baydarskaya Valley, where recreation is magnificent at any time of the year, got its name thanks to kayak boats. Nothing like this! Historians claim that once on the site of the nearby village of Orlinoye there was an ancient Tatar settlement of Baydary, named after one of the local leaders. And more recently, the valley has another name - Crimean Switzerland. And this is not surprising, because, surrounded by mountains, it has a mild comfortable climate and wonderful, one might say, unique nature.

There are a lot of sights in the valley: historical monuments, ancient buildings and places of worship. Water meadows, waterfalls, rocky mountains, canyons, lakes, mountain rivers and juniper groves, yew and beech forests, thickets of hazelnuts and dogwood are a truly magnificent sight.

The flora and fauna of the Baydarskaya valley are represented by more than 50 species of plants and 40 species of animals listed in the Red Book. Wild boars, hares, roe deer and foxes live here en masse, eagles and falcons soar above the sky, fish splash in the reservoirs, ducks swim, and domestic horses, cows, goats and sheep calmly roam in the meadows next to wild animals.

What are Crimea?

As a matter of fact, nothing special. Many will say that the Baydarsky Gate is another convenient Crimean Mountains have many identical ones.

However, not everything is so simple in historical terms. Here, for example, a stone portico once served as an important stronghold. And it was built in the middle of the 19th century.

Now this is only one of the but during the war, in 1941, in this place a detachment of border guards held back the fascist army for more than a day, preventing it from getting close to Sevastopol.

Now from this place you can see a picturesque panorama. The dense forest, the blue sea, the church on the rock, the wonderful Baidarskaya Valley, Sevastopol, which can be seen below, and the boundless firmament delight the eye of any, even the most sophisticated traveler.

Foros Church

The villages of the Baidar Valley look great against the backdrop of a unique temple built high in the mountains. Moreover, from any corner the view opens up magnificent, and if you want to take a picture for memory, without rising high, you definitely won’t have to look for the right angle for a long time. The exquisite Church of the Resurrection of Christ above Foros seems to be specially posing on the Red Rock at a distance of almost half a kilometer above sea level.

It was built back in 1892 by the tea tycoon Kuznetsov as a ransom, because at that time only the royal family was engaged in growing and selling tea. The temple was erected in memory of the accident in 1888, when the train of the royal family was tragically wrecked.

Originally a magnificent two-tiered church with nine domes, a patterned porch with a bell tower directed upwards, gilded crosses, columns with carved capitals, marble window sills and panels, represented all the beauty of the Russian style. Inside the church there was a carved oak iconostasis and walls painted with Byzantine ornaments.

Unfortunately, in 1924 the church was closed, and all its property was taken away. Only after the restoration in 1990 did the church gossip again. She began to look especially beautiful at night, illuminated by spotlights, against the background of the starry sky.

Brave? Prove it! The famous Devil's Staircase of the Baidar Gate

The devil's staircase, or Shaitan-Merdveden, is a former reliable and convenient mountain pass in the Crimean mountains. It connects the foothills and the South Bank. The stairs were used until the last century, and to this day, on the flat bends of limestone, paired ruts, knocked out by wagons, have been preserved. Indeed, the Baydar Valley is fraught with a lot of surprises.

How did this steep mountain slope get such an unusual name? Experts say that the devil's staircase got its name because of the limestone outcrops in the form of huge slabs that still resemble steps. This name was given not only to the stone staircase itself, but also to the entire pass, one and a half meters wide, which is located at a level of more than 500 m. Rocks and blocks of limestone, steep-walled valleys, crepes of the road, the remains of side walls and stone marches are scattered everywhere along the pass.

The path up the Devil's Stairs is very winding and steep. The length of all marches is approximately 250 meters, and the slope in some places is 30 degrees. The loops of the stairs weave around the stone blockage at the bottom of the gorge, shelves and cornices of the mountains.

Only three turns of the path have survived to this day. In vain, many consider such a corner of the peninsula as the Baidarskaya Valley to be flat and safe. Crimea, or rather, its southernmost part, often becomes a venue for rallies of climbers and rock climbers. This can actually be dangerous.

Unique natural monument - Uzundzhi Canyon

The most beautiful place in the western Crimea, is a deep winding gorge with a river of the same name at the bottom. Nearly kilometer peaks hang over the canyon. The river takes its source on Mount Ai-Petri at an altitude of more than 750 m. It flows through the Uzudzha basin, then abruptly changes direction, runs along the Skelskaya basin and flows into the river. The length of the river is only 11 km.

If you are lucky enough to find yourself in such a stunning place as the Baidarskaya Valley, Crimea will never cease to amaze you for a minute. Take the opportunity and take a walk through the canyon. The journey will take place along a picturesque narrow mountain road, starting from the Skelskaya cave. Then the path will pass along a dirt path in the forest, and finally come out to the walls of an old dilapidated fortress.

By the way, it should be noted that Uzundzhi is the largest freshwater spring in Crimea.

What you didn't know for sure

Many, even very experienced travelers are surprised when they find out that the Baydar Valley, or rather, its gates, is also a real gate to the southern Crimea. Going here on an excursion, you should be prepared for the fact that the panorama opening through the arch of the gate will actually make a stunning impression on you.

The Skelskaya cave was discovered in 1904 by the teacher F. Kirillov. To date, it has been established that it consists of several halls, the length of the largest is 80 m, the height is 25 m, and the width in some places reaches 18 m.

In 2003, a chapel was built on the Laspinsky Pass in honor of the second millennium from the Nativity of Christ, which is worth a visit.

Wonders of the Skelskaya Cave

The Skelskaya cave, consisting mainly of stalactites, is located in the southwest of Crimea. Its age is several million years. First of all, it is distinguished by its impressive size and the preservation of calcite formations. Note that the cave is divided into halls, each of the rooms has its own characteristics. For example, the Fireplace Hall actually resembles the construction of the same name, the Knights' Hall is considered the most beautiful and largest. You should also visit the Ghost Hall and the Dolphin Hall.

The highlights of the cave are a seven-meter stalagmite called "Knight with a spear", fabulous drips in the form of a waterfall, dragon skulls with eyes and fangs, a figure of a phoenix bird and others.

The walls of the cave are decorated with bath niches, drip curtains and ribs. This stone miracle has not yet been fully explored, but the length of the known part is about 670 meters. It is impossible not to mention that since 1964 this place has been a natural monument.

Skelsky menhirs

If you are going to explore such a stunning corner of the Crimea as the Baydarskaya Valley, the map will definitely come in handy. Why? The thing is that far from all places are organized excursions, but there really is something to see here. Here, for example, why not go to the Skelsky menhirs?

Note that in general, menhirs should be understood as the once created obelisks and steles. Skelsky menhirs are the first known example of architecture. There are two monolithic blocks in the form of obelisks, placed vertically. They stand at the entrance to the village of Rodnikovskoye. The first menhir is about three meters high and weighs about six tons, while the second is only one and a half meters high. He is more stocky and massive.

Historians note the cult affiliation of these monuments and claim that their age is 4-5 thousand years.

Waterfall Visor

The Kozyrek waterfall is located not far from the Mulovskoye Lake tourist camp. Unfortunately, his historical name has not survived to this day. Although there are legends about a girl who died here and about a mighty wolf who saved the village from enemies.

And with a visor, it is compared because of the rocky ledge hanging over the grotto, from which fast and cool water runs down even in the summer months.

Landscape reserve "Baydarsky" is a charming and attractive corner of the southwestern Crimea, where a person is given a rare luck to see all the natural diversity of the peninsula - forests, mountains, canyons, rivers, lakes. Unlike its neighbor - Yalta Reserve, which mainly absorbed forests located below the mountain range, Baydarsky is represented by forests and valleys lying north of this natural border, where the largest and most beautiful valley of the reserve stands out - Baydarskaya.

The borders of the Baidarsky reserve and the Baidarskaya valley

The limits of the reserve in the south run along the northern border of the Ai-Petri Yayla and along the Foros-Bogaz and Donguz-Orun ridges on the Baidar plateau.

The total area of the Baydar landscape reserve is about 28,000 hectares.

The Baidar Valley occupies a central position in the reserve, stretching around the Chernorechensky reservoir and the village of Orlinoe, whose old name "Baidary" gave the name to the surrounding area. It is easiest to draw the boundaries of the Baidarskaya Valley in a circle through the settlements of Orlinoe, Kizilovoye, Rear, Shirokoye, Peredovoe, Novobobrovskoye, Kolkhoznoye, Rodnikovskoye, Podgornoye and again Orlinoe.


Baidarskaya valley surrounded by mountains, Kolkhoznoe village	Mountains surrounding the Baidar valley near the village of Kolkhoznoe


"Village Podgornoe" turn to the lake	Highway T-2712 (Advanced - Rodnikovskoe) in the Baydarskaya valley	Stop "Poultry Farm" on the T-2712 highway


The village of Kizilovoe near the northern border of the Baidarskaya Yayla, view from Mount Foros

These villages surround the valley with dots on an imaginary oval, where many streams and rivers end their journey. All rivers of the Chernorechensky reservoir system are formed in the depths of karst cavities in the limestone of the plateaus.

Baidarskaya valley

No wonder this valley is called the Crimean Switzerland. If from the height of the Baydarskaya Yayla hanging over it, you look down in a northern direction, then a charming pastoral panorama of meadows, fields, lakes, small villages and the waters of the Chernorechensky reservoir shining in the distance under the sun will open before your astonished gaze.

In the forests to the southeast of the reservoir, the remains of an old Roman military road were found, which can be traced in general terms to the Shaitan-Merdven pass.

The height of the central part of the valley is on average 300 - 350 meters, but closer to the edges the terrain rises to 500 meters, low green mountains hide dense forests. Here it is already noticeably cooler in winter than on the coast, in summer, respectively, hotter, the climate is approaching the steppe.

The heart of the valley is the Chernorechenskoye reservoir. This is one of the largest water collectors of the Crimean peninsula. To provide the city of Sevastopol with water, a dam was built in 1956, which made it possible to accumulate drinking water from natural sources. The Chernaya River became the main donor of the reservoir.

This river, quite large by Crimean standards, originates in the Skelsky spring near the village of Rodnikovskoye (the old name of this village is Skelya), crosses the Baydarskaya valley and flows into the Black Sea near Inkerman.

The small rivers of the Baydarsky reserve also flow into the Chernaya River, and now into the reservoir that has grown on it: Uzundzha, Bosa, Baga, Baidar, Armanka. The volume of the reservoir is about 60 million cubic meters, but more than once in dry years it approached the critical point of 7 million, after reaching which it was possible to give up on this unique reservoir. The last time this happened was in 2012-14, when the entire water supply system of Sevastopol was under threat - but the snowy winter and rainy spring of 2015 saved the situation.

The Chernorechensk reservoir looks especially beautiful when entering the Baidar valley from the southern, higher forests and from the plateau of the Baidarskaya yayla. Both on the Black River and on its tributary the Uzundzha there are picturesque canyons. They need to be told in more detail.

Scheme of tourist sites of the Baidarsky reserve:

Chernorechensky canyon and the route along it

This beautiful gorge begins almost immediately after the river leaves the reservoir at the northern foot of the Kizil-Kaya mountain (396 meters). Wandering past the rocks, the river meanders bizarrely. Due to the fact that the rocks here are made of limestone, the water was able to cut its way, and we can enjoy the stunning beauty of the canyon.

In the vicinity of the village of Chernorechye, the canyon ends. Hiking along the river through the gorge will not be an easy walk. There is no road as such. And where the rocks come close to the water, you either need to go around them from above, or jump over the rocks, but with sufficient physical preparation, overcoming these fifteen kilometers of the path will not be a test.

It is easier to start the journey from the village of Chernorechye, which is easily accessible from the nearby Yalta-Sevastopol highway. First you need to visit a local attraction - the Chorgun tower. This twelve-meter and twelve-sided structure was built back in the era of the Crimean Khanates. The tower participated in the battles of two wars - the Crimean and the Great Patriotic Wars. After seeing this historical object, you can enter the canyon.

At first, the road will be quite free, but in the future you need to be careful not to go far from the water and not trying to walk almost on the rocks in the water, especially in the rain. Near the village of Morozovka, you can see the ruins of an old German bridge. A little further - a monument to the partisans, and the so-called partisan glade.

Climbing the rocks you can admire the views. Amazing spectacle! Approaching the reservoir and remembering that the forbidden zone begins, you need to turn right on the road that appears perpendicular to your path to the Shirokoye settlement.

Canyon Uzundzha

Another gorge worthy of the most enthusiastic reviews surrounds the Uzundzha River. This small river, eleven kilometers long, however, turned out to be persistent enough to cut its way through the rock into the Baidar valley.

Uzundzha begins from the source of Suuk-Su, which rushes a little higher by the waters of the waterfall of the same name. After passing through a picturesque canyon, the river flows into the Chernaya at the source of the latter. described in an article on the site.

It is only necessary to add that the hike along this canyon is easier and shorter than along Chernorechensky. An option to continue the route is a trail along the Uzundzha tributary of the Topshanar River, which in spring is full enough for small cascading waterfalls.

Waterfall Kozyrek

If we have already mentioned waterfalls, then we definitely need to talk about the beautiful ten-meter Kozyrek waterfall. It is located north of the Chernorechensky reservoir, on the outskirts of the Baidarskaya valley. The third tourist route leads to it.

Near the waterfall there is a tourist camp "Mulovskoye Lake". The visor is unique in the first place in that water falls from a stone shelf hanging over a rounded grotto. Unusual and beautiful. The waterfall is seasonal, so you need to choose the appropriate time to visit. It is located on the river Kobalar-Dere, which gives a few more of the same fickle waterfalls a little higher, but smaller. The river connects two lakes - Nizhnee and Mulovskoe.

Skelsky menhirs

A major archaeological success is the discovery of Skel menhirs. Objects of this size have not yet been found either in the Crimea or in the European part of the Soviet Union. In total, four stone blocks were found, hewn by a human hand about four thousand years ago. Menhirs served, apparently, for astronomical purposes.

There are two menhirs in Rodnikovsky. One is 2.8 meters high, the other one and a half, and the one that is smaller behind the fence to the fallen soldiers and partisans of the Great Patriotic War. You can find these interesting objects in the clearing in front of the local club.

Tash-Koy. Stone village in Baydarskaya valley

On the outskirts of the village of Novobobrovskoye, you can find an ancient stone burial ground, represented by the so-called " Taurus boxes". There was probably a settlement nearby. Many boxes are broken, but you can still find a dozen intact, looking at the open sky. This burial ground has long been plundered, but archaeologists have already met similar objects in an untouched state on the territory of the Crimean peninsula, so scientists have an idea of what Tash-Koy used to be. The meadow, overgrown with grass, hides the barely noticeable remains of a stone wall, apparently surrounding the burial ground.

Routes from the Shaitan-Merdven pass to the Baidarskaya valley

Three routes popular with outdoor enthusiasts lead to the Baidar Valley from the Devil's Stairs tourist camp, which is located very close to the Shaitan-Merdven pass. The Kapurkay trail leads to Rodnikovskoye, the Kalendskaya trail leads to Podgornoye (Kalendy is the old name of this village), the trail along the Multash-Uzen ravine leads to Pavlovka.


Lake near the village of Podgornoye in the Baydarskaya valley			Baydarskaya valley. near the lake near Podgorny

In the area of the tourist camp (next to the fork in the road there is a monument to the partisans) the slopes of the mountains are overgrown with a gloomy beech forest, most of the road it will accompany you along any of these three routes. In winter and spring, in the vicinity of the fork, the roads broken by cars turn into small lakes. But as soon as you go out into the gully of the river, it becomes easier to walk.

The Kapurkay path runs along the narrow Bosa River, along a ravine littered with tree trunks and stones, where water collects in dams and baths during high water.

The river along the Kalendsky trail is even narrower than the Bosa, but this trail often leaves the forest on the slopes of the neighboring mountains, which are rocky and beautiful at any time of the year. This trail is also described in the corresponding article on the site.

The road along the Armanka River along the Maltash-Uzen ravine (sometimes called a canyon) is much longer than the previous ones. However, it is just as picturesque as its neighbors. Translated from the Crimean Tatar, its name sounds like "trading beam". The most beautiful place of the trail is located between the slopes of the Kalendy-Bair (715 meters) and Biyuk-Sinor (738 meters) mountains.

In the Baydarsky reserve:

You can often hear that the Kalendsky trail is the same Roman military road, some believe that this road comes from the Skelskaya cave, on which there are traces of paving. There are other versions, although there is still no authoritative opinion. Be that as it may, but the road was, in this historians are unanimous.

Other routes of the Baydarsky reserve

The route along the Uzundzha canyon has already been mentioned earlier. From the tourist camp "Uzundzha" in the village of Kolkhoznoye, which is located on this route, there is another one, to the northwestern border of the reserve, where the tourist camp "Ai-Dimitriy" will meet (29th tourist route). This road goes around the gorge in the upper reaches of the Uzundzha River to the west and goes to the tourist camp and the source of Ai-Dimitri in a picturesque tract.

Near the parking lot, you can find a monument to the forester Ivan Duma, who was tortured by the German invaders in 1941. On the way, you can visit the Syundyurlyu-Koba cave near the mountain of the same name (790 meters), for which you will need to take a short detour to the west. Ai-Dimitriy is the point where most routes converge east of the Chernorechensky reservoir.

Mentioning the caves, it is necessary to say a few words about Skelskaya. It lies on the way from the village of Rodnikovskoye to the Uzundzha tourist camp. on our website. Immediately, we note that next to the cave there is a large juniper grove and that from the cave, as it is believed, the most noticeable part of the Roman road goes, which in the Karadag forest becomes an ordinary path that goes far beyond the Baydarsky reserve.

To the west of the middle part of the Kapurkay trail there is Nassonova cave, the groundwater of which has the warmest water among the Crimean cave drains (+10.2 Celsius).

Earlier we already mentioned that the third tourist route leads to the Kozyrek waterfall. And it starts from the same tourist camp "Uzundzha", passes through the villages of Rossoshanka, Novobobrovskoye and Peredovoye, until, finally, it leads to the famous waterfall. From Kozyrok outside the Baydarskaya valley and the reserve runs the 2nd route to the tourist camp "Mountainous".

The 28th route, which connects the tourist sites "Ai-Dimitriy" and "Rich Gorge", is also very popular with tourists. The last name is associated with the village of the same name located a little to the north (it is also called Kokuluz).

The road passes along the Kordon-Bair ridge and passes the Bechka (or Kabany) pass, on which there is a monument to the partisans. The pass lies on the northern border of the Baydarsky reserve. The "Rich Gorge" from the south is supported by the mountains Lysaya (798 meters), Karaman (695 meters), Irita-Kaya (777 meters). A good primer runs through the pass, connecting the villages of Peredovoye and Putilovka. On the dirt road closer to the first of these villages there is a tourist camp "Cordon Peredovoye".

Another route starts from the tourist camp "Ai-Dimitri". This time the road leads to the Small Babulgan tract outside the reserve. The road lies in a picturesque valley between the mountains Topshanar (977 meters) and Sarpaha (1065 meters).

Flora of the Baidarsky Reserve

As already mentioned, the Baidarskaya Valley is devoid of forests, around the Chernorechensky reservoir, steppe vegetation, diluted with small thickets and shrubs, predominates.

The southern part of the reserve between the Shaitan-Merdven pass and the Orlinoe-Rodnikovskoye line, on the contrary, is a dark and cool forest, mostly beech. Such a forest covers the beams of numerous rivers and streams, not allowing other types of trees to be in the company.

Beeches, especially along the Bosai beam, are of great height and solid diameter. Closer to the Baydarskaya valley, oak, hornbeam, and ash appear. The dominance of these trees is facilitated by the height above sea level - 400-600 meters, where these species feel comfortable.

Closer to the plateaus, on which already stony soils predominate, the terrain rises, and tall trees give way to small and mostly thorny ones - wild rose, blackthorn, hold a tree.

The karst formations of the plateaus are covered with a meager layer of soil and, in general, allow only grasses and flowers. From the height of the plateau it is clearly visible how the forests cover the lowlands between the mountains of the Baydarsky reserve, and the tops of the mountains often remain bald.

To the north and west of the Baidarskaya valley there are also dense forests cut by numerous ridges and rivers. Deciduous forests predominate, all the same beech, hornbeam, oak, ash, maple.


	Primrose in February. Baidar valley, near Rodnikovsky

The territory of the Baydarsky reserve enjoys the universal love of tourists.

Firstly, all interesting objects are accessible, despite the huge area of the reserve. You can come to the villages of the Baydarskaya Valley by public transport from the Yalta-Sevastopol highway and continue on your way to the objects of interest to you. A considerable part of travelers enter the Baydarsky reserve through its southern gate - the Shaitan-Merdven pass, from which paths and paths scatter along the Ai-Petri Yaila and the forests to the north. Read more about the pass in the articles on our website. In the same place, get information about another entrance to the reserve - the famous Baydar Pass, which lets the Old Sevastopol Highway into the Baydar Valley.

Secondly, there are no absolutely reserved objects here, so you can, and you should, visit and see as much as possible. Both large tourist routes, strung on equipped tourist camps, and numerous branches from them allow you to see all the corners of this beautiful region.

Thirdly, the Baydarsky reserve strikes with a variety of landscapes and picturesque landscapes that open to the gaze of a tourist. There are plateaus and valleys, mountains and forests, river valleys and beautiful lakes.

And, of course, the Baidar Valley, the most beautiful pearl in the necklace of wonders of the Baidar Landscape Reserve.

olegman37

Russia is a country that impresses with its scale. And there are a lot of places here that seem magical to a foreigner. Among them is the Baidarskaya Valley in the southwest of Crimea. True, lovers of leisurely relaxation and lying on the beach will not find it interesting, but active travelers have a direct road here. Stock up on comfortable shoes and water bottles. And forward - to conquer new territory! Here you will learn to breathe deeply and appreciate the beauty of your native country!

This is a place that looks like paradise!

Few travelers are interested in how the Baydarskaya Valley was formed. But the beauty of this place impresses everyone. Its dimensions are impressive - almost 17 kilometers by 10. The center of the valley is filled with the waters of the Chernorechensky reservoir, and a great many settlements are scattered along the edges. Their names sound mysterious and somehow authentic. In the midst of summer, when the sun dries up the outskirts, the Baidar Valley resembles a green flowerbed covered with velvet grasses. The secret of this difference is simple: the bottom is covered with a layer of clay rocks that can retain moisture and prevent it from seeping down. Accordingly, groundwater remains close to the surface and nourishes the plants. This explains the name of the place - translated from Tatar "rich valley", and from Turkic - "magnificent plain". It would be strange if a person did not choose such a place for housing.

From antiquity

The fertile Baidarskaya valley was inhabited in ancient times. Mesolithic sites took place here - Shan-Koba, Fatma-Kaba. Near the village of Rodnikovoye, there were stones-menhirs, installed by the ancient Crimeans. Touching them is like touching ancient times. For a huge number of tourist routes, the valley is a starting point. They are mostly on foot. Of course, it is tiring, but incredibly informative and very beautiful. Sissies and lovers to lie on the couch will have a hard time. Don't expect one tour to take less than seven hours! But you will spend this time with benefit!

Focusing on the place

So, in front of you is the vast Baidar Valley, which, in fact, is an intermountain basin on the northern slope of the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains. Nature here did its best and created a natural amphitheater, surrounding the "stage" with mountains from all sides. To the east, the territory extends for about 20 km. The soil is mostly clay and sandstone, while the outer ridges are limestone. The valley falls in the southeast of Sevastopol, and is administratively located in the Balaklava region. There are 14 villages around it! It is impossible to ignore the Chernaya River, which crosses the territory and is blocked by a dam in front of the entrance to the Chernorechenskoye Gorge. Thus, a reservoir was obtained, which supplies water to the surrounding areas. There are few forests here, but there are plenty of steppe and meadow tracts.

To see everything

An inquisitive traveler will definitely want to take a look at the entire territory of the Baydarskaya Valley of Crimea. No wonder this place has already become a byword. Just think, this is the most fertile place in the vicinity of Sevastopol! Man has been living here for a long time.

From the high mountains, the valley seems like a picture or a blue saucer with a carved border, thanks to the reservoir in the center and the mountains along the edges. Climb one of the mountain peaks, such as Laspinsky rocks, Karadag or Syundyurlyu-Kobasy. A magnificent view opens from the mountains of Chelebi, Shaburla, Ilyas-kaya or Sandyk-kaya.

Long haul

Getting to the Baydarskaya Valley of Crimea is not so easy. From the south, you can get here through the Baydarsky pass, passing the famous gate of the same name. From Sevastopol, you need to go along the serpentine through the Petrovsky Pass. There is a road through the village of Rear.

You might want to look around the entire valley from the ring road, which starts at Orlinoe and runs around the reservoir, through Peredovoye and Shirokoye.

In the neighborhood there is the Belbek valley, with which the Baydarskaya is connected by an old, but very picturesque road leading to Golubinka through the Kabany pass.

You may get a little lost along the way, but at the same time make an excursion into the past. Imagine: in 1820, Pushkin's path to the St. George Monastery at Cape Fiolent ran through these regions. The poet sang the nature of the Crimea in thirty of his works. Surely, he also appreciated the Baidar Valley of Crimea. The photos taken here may well serve as an illustration for some novel. Don't miss the opportunity to take an inspired selfie!

In dangerous times

During the Crimean War, it was very restless here. The "Oklobzha Affair" took place just on the territory of the Baydarskaya Valley. Sevastopol was then left by the Russian troops, but they took up a position on the North side along the river and up to the Baydarskaya valley itself. And on November 26, 1855, a detachment led by Colonel Oklobzhio took French posts prisoner without firing. The snow helped, which generously covered the mountains. The appearance of the Russians came as a complete surprise to the French. The battle was short and as a result, Oklobzhio drove the enemy out of two villages. Only after that the French called for reinforcements, but did not have time to fight back and did not pursue the Russians.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Balaklava partisan detachment fought with the enemy in the valley, which went on the attack more than 20 times.

Before the collapse of the USSR, the lion's share of the valley was occupied by the lands of the Red October state farm, which supplied Sevastopol and Crimean resorts with fruits, vegetables, milk and meat.

And since 1991, the valley has become part of the largest reserve in the Crimea. It also began to arrange summer field practice for students of geography.

Walk through the main beauties

With an eye on the climate

In the Baidar Valley, a photo is worth taking at any time of the year. An individual unique microclimate always reigns here, since in winter there are no frosts due to mountain ranges, and during the summer heat there is a light breeze that gives coolness.

For unity with nature, visit the Perovsky Pass, which is hidden between the Baydarskaya and Varnautskaya valleys, as well as the Biyuk-Kol-Burun mountain. Tourists here will be able to understand what true natural beauty means.

For an atmosphere of mystery, go to the Skelsky menhirs. These are huge majestic stones, which in ancient times were considered sacred. The appearance of these obelisks remains a real mystery even today, since there is no and never was a quarry nearby, and the nearest mountains are several kilometers away.

By the way, there is also a unique Skelskaya stalactite cave, open for hiking. It has many halls with bizarre formations of stalactites and stalagmites. It is worth going down a little inside and you will stumble upon underground lakes and rivers with the purest water. There are also deep steep wells and animal tracks are often found.

Make a stop at the Chernorechensky reservoir. It is not only rich in fresh water, but also truly mesmerizing with beauty. The reservoir resembles a mountain lake in the Alps. As in a mirror, the great malachite peaks of the Main Ridge look into it.

When going on excursions to the water, do not forget to take a cape with you, because the climate of the valley is ambiguous. When clouds come from the north, they cannot overcome the Outer Ridge for a long time and hang over the valley. Then a prolonged rain begins and in summer the temperature can drop to +15 degrees, even if the heat on the southern coast of Crimea is over +30.

Not forget!

It is difficult to list all the sights of the Baydarskaya Valley at once, but without a list, you will simply forget what is worth seeing. So do not be too lazy to make a program. In Novobobrovka, make a stop at the dolmens, and then reach the Baidar Gates at the site of a mountain pass. Climb to the observation deck and from there take a look at the entire valley. Walk to the Chernorechensky canyons and the Uzundzhi river, and then to the Kozyrek waterfall. This 10-meter handsome man has become the most popular place for selfies among tourists. Nearby there is Fatma waterfall with a network of wide cascades. In terms of grace and beauty, it is not inferior to the Peak. To complete the emotional picture, evaluate the Devil's Staircase. This is the name of the Shaitan-Merdven pass, the road of which has been preserved since the time of the Roman legionnaires.

One of the most beautiful places and lies away from tourist routes, at least away from the paths of beach lovers. This place is known to lovers of hiking and connoisseurs of pristine nature. It is called Baydarskaya Valley.

A bit of history

The name was given to her by the old name of the largest village - Baydar (now it is called Eagle). People have always lived here: archaeological finds claim that the first settlements arose here more than 5 thousand years ago. The old names of the villages - Sakhtik, Savatka, Haito - still cannot explain anything to scientists, because they do not belong to any language known now. Perhaps the Taurians were the first to live here - scientists know their ancient burials. Many left their traces: cave sites of the most ancient people, the remains of ancient settlements of the Scythians, skelsky menhirs, ancient dolmens, roads paved by Roman legionnaires, ancient burial grounds of the Greeks and Goths.

In ancient times, hunting trails passed through the valley, then they were replaced by paved roads, this was the only way from the steppes of Crimea to its southern coast. Until now, the Kalendskaya path has remained, connecting once Chersonese and the same ancient fortress of Kharaks on Cape Ai-Todor.

To see the true beauty of the Baidar Valley, you need to climb the mountains. A sea of greenery and the blue surface of the Chernorechensky reservoir opens up from Sandyk-Kaya Mountain and from Kara-Dag. The forests and meadows of the valley are still full of birds, animals and lush vegetation. The Baidar valley in Crimea is surrounded by mountains, so it has its own microclimate: often clouds cannot cross the mountains, and then they spill onto the land of the valley with rain, which is why everyone always chose this place to live.

What to admire in the Baydarskaya Valley?

Many of the natural beauties of the Baidar Valley can be called natural monuments. Here are amazingly beautiful gorges-canyons, rivers and lakes: the longest - Chernorechensky and the smallest - Uzundzhinsky, Ai-Todorsky and Sukhorechensky; waterfalls "Kozyrek", "Thorn dew" and "Fatma", the Baga River, Mulovskoye Lake and Chernorechenskoye Reservoir.

The historical sights of the Baydarskaya Valley are also interesting:

Skelsky menhirs- the astronomical structure of the ancients. Such places are called places of Power, they say that they heal;
Skelskaya cave. Located at the foot of Kara-Dag. Equipped with stairs and illuminated, well-preserved sinter formations can be seen;
Tash-Koy- an ancient Taurus burial ground;
Foros church. It was built on the sheer Red Rock in 1892 in honor of the miraculous rescue of the imperial family;

Roman military road. It led from Chersonese along the pass to the South Bank, paved areas and retaining walls are still preserved;
Baydar gates. Built on the pass in honor of the opening of the Yalta-Sevastopol highway, which connected the western and southern parts of Crimea;
The Baidar Valley in Crimea is also known for its spring in the village of Orlin. According to legend, A. Pushkin drank water from it when he traveled along the South Coast.

The new time has brought a new name to the ancient Baydarskaya Valley in Crimea, now it is also called Crimean Switzerland for its wonderful climate and unique nature.