Yesterday at dawn we finally returned to Moscow from a small photo expedition to the Kola Peninsula, to Lake Seydozero, lost in the Lovozero Tundra mountains. A place that is not only beautiful in itself, but also hypothetically represents one of the areas where the ancient civilization of the Hyperboreans existed.
Our expedition consisted of only two people - me and a free traveler hoochecoocheman
. As the Finns would say from a joke - " less didn't make sense". The exact route was approximately visible from the map of the Murmansk region and Googled information. Now the state reserve "Seydyavvr" has been formed on Seydozero and they have their own website.
The journey was completely autonomous and took a little less than two weeks including the road (including exactly a week on the lake itself). By the way, I had never been on such a long-term autonomous mission before, so I gained valuable experience. It’s a pity that there are no porters in these places, like in the Himalayas, but then there are no such wild crowds of tourists. Although they are there too, but in reasonable quantities. We took the Moscow-Murmansk train to the station of Olenegorsk, there we transferred to a local bus to the village of Revda, then we drove 8 km by taxi closer to the mountains in the area of the Karnasutra mine, went deeper into the Lovozero tundra mountains and the next time we reached civilization a week later. We went there along the classic route through the Elmorajok pass (Sami names in the Eyjafjallajokull style predominate there), then moved along a path around the lake, climbed mountains, crossed mountain streams and taiga swamps, slept in a tent, cooked on a fire, drank water from lake, and back, in order not to climb the mountain with heavy backpacks, we got by motorboat through the neighboring Lake Lovozero, driving along it for 3 hours and 27 km.
Photo by D. Nazarenko
The places are wild, of all the signs of civilization there is a narrow path, marked here and there with blue tape, and part of it goes first along the pass, and then along the greenery (in the form of taiga-forest-tundra). The backpacks were full-sized, we didn’t think it was enough, and besides everything else, I, of course, carried my photographic equipment, including a 70-200 and a tripod. In addition, I had a spinning rod on my back, which collected all the Christmas trees on the trail. I’m still surprised how he (and I) remained intact.
Photo by D. Nazarenko
The lake is very clean and beautiful, surrounded by the Lovozero tundra mountains, through which mountain rivers with clear blue water flow here and there. Moreover, the rivers in the northwest of the lake are absolutely lifeless, while in the southeast (the entire lake is 8 km long) there is already fish in the form of small grayling, whitefish, pike and trout. Almost no artifacts of previous civilizations were seen below, except for a huge (30-50m in height) image on the rock called "Kuyva" the origin of which is still debated. We specifically climbed this mountain closer to it, but did not come to the conclusion that it was man-made, although it looks very similar (and it has been there for more than a century).
The rest of the artifacts are on the tops of the mountains around the lake. Of these, perhaps the most famous is Mount Ninchurt, which we climbed on the last day of our trip. On the mountain we found several ancient seids, a pagan temple (it looks like Sami) and several man-made cairns.
Pyramid
In addition, to me personally, the rock at the top of the mountain seemed possibly man-made, created from old stone blocks, the seams on it were very even in some places, but here you need to consult a geologist about what kind of rock it is - it is quite possible that these seams are natural origin. We also saw a collapse of stones, about which the ranger told us that this might be an ancient observatory. Having looked even closer, we also did not find any signs of artificial origin, except that in the north-west it has a round platform shape.
There were 2 serious expeditions to these places - in the 20s an expedition led by Barchenko and in 1996-2003 several expeditions led by Demin. Moreover, it seems to me that we discovered the sites of Demin’s expedition, they were very thoroughly done.
What’s funny is that it was on this lake in the Arctic that I opened the swimming season this year. The weather was excellent, it was only cold for a couple of days, the midges no longer bit, and the mosquitoes were no more bothersome than in the Moscow region. I brought quite a lot of photographs, so there will be something to show. And considering the meager budget of the expedition, we can definitely say that the trip was a success.
The Kola Peninsula is one of the most picturesque, virgin and harsh Russian regions. This is a real nature reserve, containing enormous wealth in its depths and reservoirs. What is the Kola Peninsula?
Russia is rich in the magnificent vast expanses of the North. One of the most remarkable places will be discussed in this article.
General information
The land, washed by two seas (White and Barents), is a real nature reserve. Its territory contains more than one third of all the world's minerals. Here, vast plateaus and majestic mountains give way to lakes and forests. The reservoirs of the Kola Peninsula are full of a variety of fish (about 100 species). Thanks to the laws of polar latitudes, the change of day and night in these places gives an indescribable fabulous spectacle - the Northern Lights. What kind of original people live from the Kola Peninsula to Taimyr? More on this below.
Numerous tourists come here. Ski lovers test their strength and endurance on the slopes of Khibiny, where the resorts are located. Warm weather attracts lovers of rafting on mountain rivers. The peninsula is also famous for its amazingly clear ice lakes and Khibiny passes. Here you can perfectly hunt, fish and get acquainted with the local peoples (Sami) and their unique culture.
Geographical position
The Kola Peninsula is located in the farthest Russian north, with almost all of its territory located beyond the Arctic Circle.
On the northern coast of the Kola Peninsula stretch the waters of the great Barents Sea, in the east and south - the White Sea. The western border of the Kola Peninsula is a meridional depression that extends from the Kola Bay along the river valley. Cola, oh. Imandra and R. Niva to Kandalaksha Bay. Its area is approximately 100,000 square meters. kilometers.
It should be noted that approximately 70% of the Murmansk region is located on the Kola Peninsula.
Due to the fact that the Kola Peninsula was formed due to the accumulation of tectonic plates, the landscape here presents a wide variety of forms: the Khibiny mountain ranges (heights up to 1200 meters); high mountain plateaus with coniferous forests; the Lovozero tundra with unique circuses (glacial bowls 200 meters high and several kilometers long) and taiga; lowlands and depressions; swamps, lakes, rivers, etc. A huge number of minerals are found in natural subsoil, 150 of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
It is also noteworthy that Russia’s border with Norway and Finland passes through the peninsula, and there are three checkpoints of international importance for cars. Thanks to this, travelers have the opportunity to independently travel to this amazing Kola Peninsula.
Story
Until the beginning of the 20th century, only the northern part of the coast of the peninsula was called Murman (from the Norwegian border to the Holy Nose). In the future, to this day, it means the entire Kola Peninsula.
The southern coast is historically divided into the Kandalaksha and Tersky shores.
The peninsula is tectonically located on the Baltic Shield (North-Eastern part), composed of the most ancient rocks of the crystalline basement: granites, gneisses, diabases.
Infrastructure
The Kola Peninsula has several cities on its territories: Murmansk is the capital, which is the largest port of the Russian Arctic; Severomorsk - base of the Northern Fleet; Khibiny and Apatity are the gates to the Khibiny.
There are even smaller cities, such as Kola, Kandalaksha and Kirovsk Ostrovnoy, and several more urban-type settlements: Umba, Kildinstroy and Revda.
The bases of the Russian Northern Fleet, Gremikha and Severomorsk, are also located on the peninsula. The latter is the headquarters of the Northern Fleet.
Climate
The Kola Peninsula has peculiar weather conditions that change quite unexpectedly: in the summer there can be morning frosts, and in winter there can be prolonged snowstorms.
And yet, thanks to the warm current of the North Atlantic, the north-west of the peninsula has a rather mild subarctic maritime climate. For example, in Severomorsk and Murmansk the average January temperature is only -8 ° Celsius. Kirovsk and Apatity are characterized by colder winter weather - up to -15 °. And on the slopes of the Khibiny, ski snow can lie until May.
The main natural climatic spectacle on the peninsula is the northern lights. And in June-July you can admire the sun never setting over the horizon and feel the darkness of the night in December-January (when there are aurora).
Relief of the Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula occupies the northeastern part of the large Baltic shield, which determines the main feature of the relief on it - a large number of cracks and faults in this crystalline plate. There are also traces of a fairly strong influence of glaciers, which smoothed the mountain peaks and preserved a large number of moraine deposits and boulders. The peninsula was more than once covered by powerful glaciers moving from Scandinavia. The last glaciation ended about 10,000 years ago.
The mountains here are flat, high plateaus that drop sharply to the lowlands and are dissected by deep gorges and valleys. Bare scatterings of stones and rock fragments cover their surface.
In addition, rivers had a huge influence on the formation of the relief, carrying away debris and forming large deltas at their mouths.
The peninsula, according to the nature of its relief, is divided into eastern and western parts, the border between which passes through the Voronya (river) valley, through Umbozero, Lovozero and the Umba river valley.
In the northeastern part, the coast of the Kola Peninsula (plateau) abruptly ends at the throat of the White Sea and the Barents Sea. It is dissected by gorges, with the riverbeds of the Iokanga, Vostochnaya Litsa, Kharlovka, and lower Ponoi rivers running through them. Towards the south, the plateau gradually rises to a height of 300 meters and abruptly ends in a lowland with swamps. This region is called the Keiva ridge.
Minerals
In terms of the diversity of mineral types, the Kola Peninsula has no analogues in the world. There are approximately 1000 of them on its territory, 150 of which are unique and found only here.
There are deposits of apatite and nepheline ores (in the Khibiny Mountains), nickel, iron, platinum, rare earth metals, titanium, lithium, beryllium, jewelry and semi-precious stones and building stones (peridot, amazonite, garnet, amethyst, jasper, etc.), mica, etc.
Vegetation
Three areas of vegetation are distinguished on the peninsula: forest, tundra and forest-tundra. The southern territory is a forest zone. Pine and spruce forests grow here: aspen, birch, willow, alder and rowan. It should be noted that these forests are heavily swamped, which is why shrubs and moss are common in them. The mountainous terrain at altitudes from 400 to 600 meters has birch forests and shrubs, and at levels up to 650 meters there are lichens.
Tundra vegetation is located in the northeastern and northern parts of the peninsula. These places are dominated by lichens, mosses, varieties of creeping willow and dwarf birch. Woody shrubs can also be seen in river valleys. A special feature is the crooked birch forests growing interspersed with pine and low-growing spruce. In drier places, the soil and stones are covered with a thick layer of reindeer moss. In the forests of the tundra there are large berry fields (cloudberries, blueberries, crowberries, lingonberries), and mushroom areas (volnushki, boletus, russula, aspen).
Hydrology
The Kola Peninsula is a country of lakes, in no way inferior to its neighbor Karelia. There are a huge number of them, from the smallest to such large ones as Imandra.
The rivers that feed the lakes and connect them to each other carry their waters to the Barents and White Seas. In these places they are rapids and full of water, with amazingly picturesque shores.
The Kola Peninsula is rich in numerous reservoirs. Their names: Ponoy (the longest Kola River), Yokanga, Kola, Varzuga, Umba, Kola, Teriberka, Voronya, etc.
There are a considerable number of lakes, the largest of which are Imandra, Lovozero and Umbozero.
Attractions
There are 2 more unique natural areas - Kuzomensky sands and Tersky coast. The second is the most picturesque place on the Kola Peninsula. This is the White Sea coast, strewn with sparkling fragments of real amethysts.
Kuzomenskie sands are dunes of multi-colored sand, stretching for almost 13 kilometers along the seashore.
Lake Imandra is an ideal place for a relaxing holiday surrounded by stunning nature: sandbanks, pebble beaches, sharp rocks, boulders.
The most popular leisure activity is hiking through valleys and forests. On Lake Lovozero (area about 200 km), surrounded by the Lovozero tundra (low mountains), there are seasonal camp sites. You can climb in the tundra.
Finally about the locals
From the Kola Peninsula to Taimyr, along the vast coastline of the Arctic Ocean, most of the 45 thousand people living throughout Russia are local residents. Their name translated means “real man” (more outdated - Samoyeds). Their main occupation is reindeer herding, hunting and fishing.
The Nenets (Samoyedic ethnic group) are the most numerous of all the indigenous peoples of the vast Russian North. According to the latest population census, approximately 27 thousand people of this nationality live in the Yamalo-Nenets Okrug, and these peoples are divided into forest and tundra groups.
Each of them has its own history, its own customs and traditions.
Description of the presentation LAKES OF THE KOLA REGION KOLA PENINSULA - based on slides
KOLA PENINSULA – LAKE COUNTRY. THERE ARE 111609 LAKES ON ITS TERRITORY. THEIR FORMATION WAS CONTINUED BY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SEDIMENTATION, WATER PERMEABILITY OF CRYSTALLINE ROCKS AND THE PRESENCE OF MANY TECTONIC CRACKS, WIDENED AND DEPTHED BY THE ACTIVITY OF GLACIERS. THE WATER OF THE LAKES IS FRESH, VERY TRANSPARENT AND COLD. ICE CONTINUES ON THE LAKES FOR ABOUT 220 DAYS A YEAR.
ORIGIN OF LAKES IN THE REGION Tectonic Glacial They lie in deep basins. They have an elongated shape. Complex configuration of the coastline. The bottom topography is uneven. The water is highly transparent (up to 17 m). Imandra, Umbozero, Lovozero Small sizes. Round shape (saucer lakes) Depth 4-6 meters.
LAKE IMANDRA “IMANDRA IS A MOTHER, YOUNG, CALM. MAYBE I WAS EVER BORN HERE, BY THIS DESERT LAKE, SURROUNDED BY ALMOST VISIBLE BLACK MOUNTAINS WITH WHITE SPOTS. I KNOW THAT THE LAKE IS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, THAT NOW THE SUN DOESN'T LEAVE FROM THE SKY, THAT EVERYTHING HERE IS GHOST AND CLEAN, ALL THIS BECAUSE IT IS VERY HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, ALMOST IN THE SKY. "(M. PRISHVIN)
LAKE IMANDRA IMANDRA, THE LARGEST OF THE OZEROKOLSKY PENINSULA, ONE OF THE LARGEST IN RUSSIA, CONSISTS OF THREE PARTS: BABINSKAYA IMANDRA, EKOSTROVSKAYA IMANDRA AND BIG IMANDRA. THERE ARE 144 ISLANDS ON THE LAKE. LAKE AREA – 876 SQ. KM, LENGTH OF ALMOST 100 KM FROM WEST TO EAST AND FROM SOUTH TO NORTH, GREATEST DEPTH 67 M. LOCATED BEYOND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE IN THE MURMANSK REGION.
UMBOSERO UMBOSERO IS THE DEEPEST LAKE OF THE KOLA PENINSULA (ITS DEPTH REACHES 100 METERS), AND THE SECOND IN SIZE (419.4 SQ. KM). THERE ARE FEW ISLANDS ON THE LAKE, AND THE NORTH AND SOUTH WINDS PREVENTING HERE RAISES A LARGE WAVE. IN GREAT ANCIENTITY, LOVOSERYE AND KHIBINY WERE A UNITED MOUNTAIN MASSIF, DURING MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH'S CRUST, THE MOUNTAINS WERE SEPARATED BY A DEEP TECTONIC FAULT, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY FILLED WITH WATER. IN TRANSLATION FROM Sami UMBOSERO – UMPJAVR – MEANS “CLOSED LAKE”, i.e. SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES BY MOUNTAINS.
LOVOSERO LOVOSERO IS THE THIRD BIGGEST LAKE IN THE MURMANSK REGION. LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE KOLA PENINSULA EAST OF THE LOVOZERSK TUNDRA MOUNTAIN MASSIF. FROM THE LAKE THE VORONYA RIVER STARTS. SINCE LONG TIMES THIS HAS BEEN A FISHING PLACE FOR THE LOVOZERSK SAMIS. THE NAME HAS BEEN KNOWN SINCE THE 16TH CENTURY. TRANSLATED FROM Sami LOVOSERO – LUJAVR – “STRONG LAKE”. LAKE AREA 200 SQ. KM, LENGTH 45 KM, MAXIMUM WIDTH 9 KM, DEPTH – UP TO 35 M. THE LAKE HAS MANY ISLANDS AND PENINSULAS. LOVOSERO IS FEEDED BY THE WATERS OF SMALL RIVERS Rising On The Slopes Of The Lovozero Tundra Adjacent To Lovozero From The West. THE COASTLINE IS STRONGLY INCURATED. WITH THE CREATION OF THE SEREBRYANSKAYA HYDROPELIST POWER PLANT ON THE VORONYA RIVER IN 1970, LOVOSERO WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A RESERVOIR.
LAKE MOgilnoye LAKE Mogilnoye is a hydrological natural monument of the Murmansk region. IT IS LOCATED ON KILDIN ISLAND IN THE BARENTS SEA ONE AND A HALF KILOMETERS FROM THE KOLA PENINSULA. MOGILNOYE IS CALLED A “FIVE-STOREY” LAKE. THIS PHENOMENAL RESERVOIR IS SMALL: THE AREA OF THE LAKE IS ABOUT 90,000 SQUARE. M, LENGTH – 560 M, WIDTH – 280 M, MAXIMUM DEPTH – 17 M. WATER IN THE LAKE – TRANSPARENT GREEN, NORMAL, FRESH. BUT ONLY AT THE TOP. THE PHENOMENON OF A RELIC LAKE IS THAT THE THICKNESS OF ITS WATER CONSISTS OF FIVE DIFFERENT LAYERS. THE LAYERS OF WATER IN THE LAKE NEVER MIXED. WHY? THIS IS A MYSTERY FOR SCIENTISTS TO THIS TIME, ALTHOUGH THE LAKE HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR MORE THAN 400 YEARS.
ANOTHER 400 YEARS AGO, PARTICIPANTS OF WILLEM BARENTZ'S EXPEDITION NOTED THAT THIS APPEARING FRESH LAKE HAD SEA FISH - COD. AND AT THE END OF THE LAST CENTURY N.M. KNIPOVICH SHOWED THAT FRESH WATER IN THE LAKE EXTENSES ONLY TO A DEPTH OF 3-4 METERS. BELOW LIES SALT SEA WATER, AND STARTING FROM A DEPTH OF 12 -13 METERS THIS WATER IS SATURATED WITH HYDROGEN SULFIDE. THE EXISTENCE OF COD IN THE LAKE WAS CALLED LIFE BETWEEN THE HAMMER (FRESH WATER) AND A HILL (HYDROGEN Sulfide) BY THE FAMOUS RESEARCHER K. M. DERYUGIN. HOWEVER, DESPITE SUCH HARSH CONDITIONS, THE COD APPEARED TO ADAPT TO THEM. ITS GROWTH RATE IN THE LAKE IS THE SAME AS IN THE BARENTS SEA. AND THE TOTAL NUMBER DOES NOT DECREASE, DESPITE THE CLOSE NEIGHBORHOOD OF A VILLAGE, WHERE THE RESIDENTS HAVE HAD LONG LONG BEEN CATCHING THIS FISH FOR THEIR NEEDS. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF SUCH AN UNUSUAL LAKE ECOSYSTEM, RIGHTLY CALLED BY THE SAME K. M. DERYUGIN “A MIRACLE OF NATURE”? AS IT WAS PROVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY, SALT WATER LEAKS INTO THE LAKE THROUGH THE LINK SEPARATING THE LAKE FROM THE KILDI SALMA STRAIT. IT IS SHE THAT DOESN'T ALLOW HIM TO BECOME COMPLETELY FRESH. HOWEVER, HOW SUSTAINABLE CAN THIS SITUATION BE? THE LAST TIME RESEARCHERS WERE AT THE LAKE IN 1976.
RELIC OZ. MOGILNOYE IS LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEASTERN END OF KILDIN ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF MURMAN IN THE BARENTS SEA. THE ISLAND IS SEPARATED FROM THE KOLA PENINSULA BY A LONG AND NARROW STRAIT - KILDINSKAYA SALMA. OZ. GRAVE IS SEPARATED FROM SALMA BY A LOW JUMPER 60 -70 M WIDTH. IT IS SMALL IN SIZE, A LITTLE OVER HALF A KILOMETER LONG.
SEEMONIES. OZ. GRAVE. PHOTO OF SPSU EXPEDITION Medusa. Oz. Mogilnoe. Photos of the SPSU expedition
IN 1985, THIS RELIC RESERVOIR WAS ASSIGNED THE STATUS “STATE NATURE MONUMENT OF REPUBLICAN SIGNIFICANCE” (DECISION OF THE RSFSR STATE PLAN 146 OF JULY 11, 1985). IN 1997, KILDA COD GADUS MORHUA KDDINENSIS WAS INCLUDED IN THE RED BOOK OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION WITH THE ASSIGNMENT OF THE 1ST CATEGORY OF RARE STATUS (ORDER OF THE GOST COMECOLOGY OF THE RUSSIA 2569 OF DECEMBER 19, 1997). AS AN OBJECT IN NEED OF PROTECTION, RELIC COD FROM OZ. GRAVE IS LISTED IN THE INTERNATIONAL “RED BOOK OF EASTERN FENNOSCANDIA” (RED DATA BOOK..., 1998). Kildin cod. Photo by L. Serebrov, 1997
SEYDOZERO SEYDOZERO IS A LAKE IN THE CENTER OF THE KOLA PENINSULA, LYING IN THE LOVOZERSK TUNDRA, AT AN ALTITUDE OF JUST LESS THAN 190 METERS ABOVE SEA LEVEL. THE RIVER ELMORIJOK FLOWS INTO IT. FROM SPACE SEYDOZERO LOOKS LIKE A PEARL LYING IN THE SHELL OF THE LOVOZERO TUNDRA. THE NAME IN SAMIS SOUNDS LIKE “SEIDJAVR”, WHICH MEANS “HOLY LAKE” IN TRANSLATION. COUNTLESS STORIES AND BELIEFS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SEYDOZER. ANOMAL PHENOMENA ARE FREQUENT HERE. IT IS NOT FORMARK THAT THE LAKE IS ONE OF THE MAIN “PLACES OF POWER” IN RUSSIA. AT THE SEIDS LOCATED HERE THE SAAM PERFORMED SACRIFICES EVERY YEAR. AND IN A HUGE CHUM, THEY COLLECTED JEWELS AND GOLD NUGGTS - A GIFT TO THE DIVITS. ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE LEGENDS, WHEN THE SAMIS WERE ATTACKED BY NORWEGIAN WARRIORS, THE SANCTUARY WAS BURNED AND THE TREASURES WAS FLOODED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS IN THE LAKE. Science fiction writers and ufologists suggest the existence of a hyperborean civilization here, which contradicts the history of the lake. THE SHORE IS FAMOUS FOR A ROCK WITH THE IMAGE OF KUIV, A GIANT WHO LIVED IN THE TUNDRA ACCORDING TO LOCAL LEGEND. THE EVIL WHO ATTACKED THE GIANT'S SETTLEMENT WAS PUNISHED BY THE GODS AND BURNED BY LIGHTNING, AND ON THE ROCK OF MOUNTAIN ANGVUNDASCHORR THERE WAS A PRINT SIMILAR TO A HUMAN BODY 72 METERS HIGH.
According to Lapp legend, Kuiva (Black Man) is the leader of a Swedish detachment that robbed local residents. The detachment was defeated by the Sami, and its leader was forever imprinted into a rock.
KOVDOZERO KOVDOZERO IS A QUITE LARGE LAKE, LOCATED IN THE SOUTH OF THE MURMANSK REGION, CONNECTED WITH THE WHITE SEA BASIN BY THE KOVDA RIVER. ITS AREA IS ABOUT 295 SQUARE KILOMETERS, AND THE DEPTH REACHES 56 METERS. KOVDOZERO IS A COLD WATER RESERVOIR, IT OPENS ONLY AT THE END OF MAY, AND FREEZES ALREADY IN NOVEMBER. THE LAKE IS USUALLY FEEDED BY RAIN AND MELT WATER. THE SHORE IS ROCKY AND ROUGH. THERE ARE A LOT OF ISLANDS HERE – MORE THAN 580. THERE ARE NUMEROUS FOUNDING RIVERS, THE LARGEST OF WHICH IS IOVA. IN 1955, THE LAKE BECAME DEEPER AND WIDER DUE TO ITS USE AS A WATER INTERCEPT FOR THE KOVDOZERSKY RESERVOIR. THE LAKE IS RICH IN FISH, THEREFORE IT IS WIDELY KNOWN AMONG FISHERIES. FISHING WILL PLEASURE YOU WITH THE CATCH OF PIKE, PERCH, BREAM, AND PANDER. IN ADDITION, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PLACE FOR A SUMMER VACATION. THE LAKE IS OFTEN CALM, AND IN STRONG WINDS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO GO INTO ITS WATER WITH ANY VESSELS
KOMSOZERO KOMSOZERO IS LOCATED ON THE WATERDIVISION OF THE TULOMA AND IMANDRA BASINS, 25 KM NORTHWEST OF THE CITY OF KOVDOR. IT WAS FORMED AS A RESULT OF THE FILLING OF THE INTER-SOPKOVY DETACHMENT WITH SPRING WATER FROM BEDROCK. VOLUME OF WATER – MORE THAN 6 MILLION. CUBE METERS. THE WATER IS PURE AND TRANSPARENCY. A 500-M COASTAL STRIP WITH VEGETATION TYPICAL FOR THE NORTH TAIGA ZONE AND FLOWERING PLANTS RARE FOR THE MURMANSK REGION. IN 1983, KOMSOSER WAS AWARDED THE STATUS OF A NATURAL MONUMENT. BOTH THE LAKE ITSELF AND ITS COAST ARE PROTECTED. INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES AND TREE CUTTING ARE PROHIBITED HERE. TOURISM IS NOT ALLOWED TO AVOID POLLUTION OF THE MONUMENT.
SOURCES HTTP: //OZERA. INFO/RUSSIA/SZFO/MURMANSK HTTP: //WWW. VIKTUR. RU/ HTTP: //VOOP 51. NAROD. RU/ © KILDIN. RU 2007, © “SAVE THE NORTH” 1997,The Kola Peninsula is a tasty morsel for tourists. Its main asset is the Khibiny mountain range, rapids rivers and pristine nature. These places are famous for excellent fishing. In winter, skiers come here. The peninsula is very large - it occupies 70% of the Murmansk region.
In the Far North
The Kola Peninsula is located in the Far North of Russia. Administratively, it is the territory of the Murmansk region. On the M-18 “Kola” highway, almost at the border of Karelia and the Murmansk region, there is a sign “Polar Circle”. This means that the year here is divided into a polar day, when the sun stands in the sky around the clock, and a polar night, when the moon replaces the daylight for a long time. In these places it is quite possible to see the northern lights.
The territory of the peninsula is 100 thousand sq. km. Quite large countries such as Guatemala, Bulgaria or South Korea have a similar area. Its western border runs exactly along the depression, which stretches along the Kola River from the Kola Bay in the north to the Kandalaksha Bay in the south. The Kola highway also runs here. Mountains rise in the western part of the peninsula, tundra reigns in the north, and rugged taiga predominates in the south.
The climate in the Far North is not sweet. In the northwestern part you can feel the “breath” of the Gulf Stream, so it is a little warmer here. If the average winter temperature in these places fluctuates around -8 degrees, then in other parts of the peninsula it drops to -14 degrees. The average temperature in July, depending on the area, ranges from +8 to +14 degrees.
In winter, strong winds blow, which often turn into prolonged snowstorms. Wind speed can reach 60 meters per second! Snow lies from mid-October to mid-May, and in the mountains until summer. Summer snowfall can be an unexpected surprise. True, the snow is melting quickly. Frosts are difficult to tolerate due to high humidity. It turns out that the best time for hiking and rafting is in the middle of summer, but the ski season on the peninsula is much longer.
Promised land
Despite the harsh conditions, the territory of the Kola Peninsula has been inhabited since ancient times. It is difficult to understand what attracted people here, but they lived here 9 thousand years ago! Archaeologists call this period the Arctic Paleolithic. Moreover, people in different historical periods came to these uncomfortable places from Scandinavia, from the Volga and even from the Northern Urals and Siberia! Due to the mixing of representatives of the Caucasian and Mongoloid races, the Lapps or Sami were formed. They began to be considered the indigenous inhabitants of the peninsula.
Civilization was brought to these places by Novgorod merchants, who regularly sent expeditions to the North for furs, seal oil and fish. In 1216, the power of Novgorod Rus was established on the Kola Peninsula. The Sami were subject to tribute. It was not easy for them, since the Norwegians, who laid claim to these lands, did the same. In the Middle Ages, the Moscow Principality established itself here.
Photo: This is what the drilling rig looked like at the Kola superdeep well
In recent history, the Kola Peninsula has become a center of fishing and salt production. It is curious that local monasteries were engaged in the production of salt. Silver and copper mines appeared. A little later, numerous sawmills began operating. In the last century, geologists discovered several large mineral deposits, and the region became a center for the mining industry. It was here that the Kola superdeep well, which has no analogues in the world, was drilled. Its depth was 12,262 m.
Kola Pantry
From the north the peninsula is washed by the Barents Sea, and from the east by the White Sea. On the southern side it is separated from the mainland by the long, narrow Kandalaksha Bay. There are many small lakes of irregular, jagged shape scattered throughout the area. There are so many of them that on the map they resemble blue ripples. Judging by their elongated shape, oriented from northeast to southwest, we can conclude that they are all a product of glacier activity in the distant past.
The largest lake is Imandra. It is so elongated that it looks like a wide river with many channels. Its length reaches 120 km with an average width of 14 km! About 140 islands rise above the surface of the water - an enchanting sight. Next in size is Umbozero. It is approximately half the size of Imandra and is surrounded on all sides by mountains. This is where its Sami name “Umpjavr” comes from, which means “closed lake”. The trio of giants is completed by Lovozero. In the west it is limited by a mountain range called the Lovozero tundra.
But this northern region is rich not only in lakes. There are many rivers here, the largest of which is the Ponoi. For unknown reasons, the Sami called it the “Dog River” - this is how the word “ponoy” is translated into Russian. Its length reaches 426 km! This is a lot even on the scale of such a gigantic country as Russia. The source of the river is located on the Keiva hill with an altitude of about 400 m, and it flows into the White Sea. In the lower reaches the river flows through a canyon. There are rapids there. The log one is considered the most difficult.
Large water arteries also include the Kola, Umba, Varzuga, Voronya, Yokanga and Teriberka rivers. The name "Cola" has nothing to do with the carbonated drink. It comes from the Sami word “kolyok” - “golden river”. The Russians changed it to Kola. She is also distinguished by her rapid character. Umba is famous for its large reserves of salmon. On Varzuga there is a large rapid "Padun" and three waterfalls. There are two large reservoirs on the Voronya River, and along the banks there is a deposit of gray jasper. There are two more reservoirs on the Teriberka River.
In the western part of the peninsula there are two large mountain ranges - the Khibiny and Lovozero tundras. It cannot be said that the mountains here are high - the maximum heights of the peaks generally do not exceed a thousand meters. But they are very picturesque, thanks to the calm, smooth wavy shapes and rich vegetation on the slopes. The highest point of the Khibiny is Mount Chasnachorr (1191 m). In the east of the peninsula the heights are even lower. The Keiva ridge reaches 397 m. The remaining peaks are below 200 m.
The rocks on the Kola Peninsula are very diverse. This is a real open-air geological museum. There are gneisses, granites, quartzites, sandstones, marbles and other rocks. The mineralogical storehouse is even richer. A third of all minerals known on Earth are found on the peninsula! The list of mined minerals is no less impressive - apatite-nephelines, amethysts, garnets, jaspers, rare earth metals, micas...
Fauna and flora
Lapland is usually associated with northern Finland. This is where the Finnish Santa Claus lives, with the unpronounceable name Joulupukki. However, a piece of Lapland is also available in Russia. It is located near the Arctic Circle. Coniferous forests and tundra reign here, overgrown with lichens and dwarf birch.
As befits Lapland, there are wild reindeer here. At the beginning of the last century, the population of these animals declined catastrophically. It was only 95 individuals. Now the number of deer in the Murmansk region has already reached 22 thousand! In addition to deer, in the tundra and forests you can meet bears, foxes, minks, martens - the list of mammals goes on. In addition, there are about 200 species of birds. Golden eagle, white-tailed eagle, gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon and osprey are considered rare and are listed in the Red Book.
Since time immemorial, the abundance of water and swamps has attracted many waterfowl to these areas. Eiders, a rare species of sea duck, settled on the sea coast. These birds spend most of their lives on the water, feeding on mollusks and crustaceans. In search of food, they are able to dive to a depth of 20 m! Eiders come ashore only to rest and produce offspring. Here birds do not disdain insects and earthworms.
Local lakes and rivers are rich in fish. Here you can find such a “delicacy” as brown trout – lake trout. There is char, whitefish, grayling - you can’t list everything. In the sea on the coastal islands you can see seals and bearded seals. In winter, the seals give birth to babies, and the islands turn into open-air nurseries. Near the shore there are schools of dolphins and even solitary whales!
Hearths of civilization
The largest city on the Kola Peninsula is Murmansk. Few people know that before the revolution it was called Romanov-on-Murman. It is still the largest city in the world located beyond the Arctic Circle. It is also the largest Russian port. The city is quite young in age - it appeared on maps in 1916.
Next in terms of population is the city of Apatity. He also appeared at the beginning of the last century and at first bore the name White. This was due to the fact that it was founded on the banks of the Belaya River. Today it is the world's fifth largest city above the Arctic Circle. The reason for its birth was the discovery of the largest deposit of apatite-nepheline ores. The enrichment plant became the engine of the city's economy.
Severomorsk is slightly behind Apatit in terms of the number of inhabitants. But today it is the main naval base of the Russian Northern Fleet. It was founded in 1896, and until 1951 the settlement bore the name Vaenga. Local residents fished and hunted. The military came to the convenient bay in 1934. By the way, singer Elena Vaenga comes from Severomorsk.
Among the cities, it is also worth mentioning Kirovsk, which has recently become a popular Russian ski center. Like Apatity, it appeared due to the discovery of nepheline ore deposits. A mine and processing plant were built here. Currently, there are three ski slopes within the city. For some reason, Kirovsk is very popular among filmmakers - 28 films were shot in the city, including “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” and “Leviathan.” He was even nicknamed Polar Hollywood.
Sami territory
The Sami are considered the indigenous population of the Kola Peninsula. Over the last hundred years, their numbers have remained virtually unchanged - there are about 1,900 people. Representatives of this small people also live in Norway, Sweden and Finland. In total, there are about 80 thousand Sami in the world. In Russia they are more often called Lapps. Previously, in passports in the “nationality” column they wrote “Lapp”.
Traditionally, the Sami, like other Russian northern peoples, were engaged in reindeer herding. Residents of coastal areas fished. Hunting flourished; fortunately, the local forests and tundra were rich in game. Now the village of Lovozero is considered the Russian Sami capital. It is home to about 400 Sami families. Traditional holidays are celebrated in the village, and there is a museum where you can get acquainted with the history and traditions of this people. Currently, the Sami still breed reindeer, hunt, fish and collect cloudberries.
Only here
Local man-made attractions include the bridge across the Kola Bay and the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin", which is permanently moored in Murmansk. The Russian book of records includes the “Snow Village”, which is recreated anew every winter and is an unusual structure with halls, tunnels, furniture and sculptures built from snow and ice.
Not far from Kandalaksha there is a stone labyrinth “Babylon” - one of the mysterious structures of ancient times. Near the mouth of the Varzuga River there is Cape Korabl, in the vicinity of which lies the Kuzomen desert. The Beautiful Waterfall in the Khibiny Mountains fully lives up to its name. There is a good oceanarium in Murmansk.
Among the exotic activities worth noting is diving in the Barents Sea. Despite its extreme northern location, the underwater world is quite rich. Against the backdrop of steep cliffs, you can see scallops, crabs, luxurious sea anemones and a divers dream - the remains of sunken ships. You won't be bored on the Kola Peninsula.
But the most striking, in the truest sense of the word, natural attraction can be considered the northern lights. The night sky is filled with flaming ribbons, arcs and spirals. They can be red, yellow, blue and green. It's hard to believe that this light show is taking place at an altitude of a thousand kilometers above the planet! Natural fireworks displays occur more frequently in spring and autumn than in winter and summer.
The aurora is so rare and colorful that it is used to attract tourists. Special tours are offered on the Kola Peninsula. True, it is advisable to be lucky. After all, to see the lights, you need a flash of solar activity and cloudless weather. Those who wish are offered to live for several days in tents with a transparent ceiling. In this case, the likelihood of not missing a rare sight increases significantly.
Our tourist club offers the following hiking programs:
- Combined routes along the lakes and mountains of the Kola Peninsula
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This peninsula is located in the north-west of the Russian Federation, it is part of the Barents Sea in the north, and the White Sea in the east and south. The western border of the peninsula is a meridional depression that stretches from along the Kola River to
Its area is 100 thousand square kilometers, the northern coast is steep and high, and the southern coast is flat and low-lying, gently sloping. In the west of the peninsula there are mountain ranges - the Khibiny and Lovozero tundras. In its center stretches the Keiva ridge.
Geographical position
The Kola Peninsula occupies seventy percent of the territory of the Murmansk region. It is located in the far north of Russia. Almost its entire territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle.
Climatic conditions
The Kola Peninsula has a very diverse climate. The warm North Atlantic Current warms it in the northwest. Here the climate is milder, subarctic, maritime. Closer to the east, center and southwest of the territory, continentality increases - here the climate becomes moderately cold. The average January temperature ranges from -10 °C in the northwest to -18 °C in the center. In July the air warms up from +8 °C to +10 °C.
The snow cover is completely established in early October, and disappears only at the end of May (in the mountains this process drags on until mid-June). Frosts and snowfall are common even in summer. Strong winds often blow on the coast (up to 55 m/s); in winter, prolonged snowstorms are a common occurrence.
Relief and nature
The Kola Peninsula is made up of terraces and depressions, plateaus and mountains. The peninsula's massifs rise above sea level by more than eight hundred meters. Swamps and numerous lakes occupy the plains.
The reservoirs are rich in various types of fish - palia and salmon, trout and whitefish, pike and grayling. In the seas washing the territory there is an abundance of flounder and cod, capelin and halibut, crab and herring.
History of the peninsula
Experts divide it into four main stages. The first began even before the Russians arrived on the Kola Peninsula. In those days, the indigenous population lived here - the Sami. They were engaged in deer hunting, berry picking, and fishing. The Sami lived in huts with a flat roof - tupas, or in huts made of reindeer skins - kuvaks.
The second historical period begins in the eleventh century, with the appearance of the first Pomeranian settlements. Their inhabitants did the same things as the Sami, but, unlike them, they rarely went hunting.
They lived in ordinary Russian huts, but with very narrow windows. They were necessary to retain heat as much as possible. Solid pieces of ice were installed in these narrow windows. When it thawed, a strong connection with the tree was formed.
The third historical period of the Kola Peninsula can be considered wars against invaders. The indigenous population has been interfered with by the Norwegians since ancient times. Since ancient times they have laid claim to the lands of the Sami. They had to fight them to defend their territory. The British began to lay claim to the peninsula after the Norwegians. In the 17th and 18th centuries, they burned Kola, a fortress built at the mouth of the river of the same name.
The fourth stage in the history of the peninsula is entirely connected with the emergence of the city of Murmansk. The first prospectors appeared in these places in 1912. Today it is the largest port in the Arctic.
Cities of the Kola Peninsula
The first settlement of Pomors, which appeared on the territory of the present city of Kola, appeared in 1264. It is mentioned in the notes of Simon van Salingen, a merchant from Holland in the 16th century.
At this time, the Pomors began active trade with the Norwegians, Swedes, British, and Danes, who arrived by ship on the Kola Peninsula. The city of Kola became the administrative center. Its population was engaged in fishing, breeding poultry and cattle.
In 1814, the first stone church on the peninsula was built here. The townspeople became famous for fearlessly repelling the attacks of the Swedes and the British.
Murmansk
This largest city in the Arctic is located on the Kola Peninsula. It was founded in October 1916. At first it was called Romanov-on-Murman. The city bore this name until April 1917. It is located on the shores of the Kola Bay, 50 kilometers from the Barents Sea. It is surrounded by numerous hills.
Its area is 15,055 hectares (including the area of the Kola Bay - 1,357 hectares). The city consists of three administrative districts - Oktyabrsky, Leninsky and Pervomaisky.
Murmansk cannot be considered one of the largest cities in our country, but it is the largest city in the world located above the Arctic Circle.
In May 1985, he received the high title of “Hero City”, and in February 1971 he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
Apatity
The Kola Peninsula, photos of which can often be seen on the pages of publications for travelers, does not have many large cities on its territory. One of them is Apatity, with the territory under its jurisdiction, which includes the Khibiny station and the village of Tik-Guba.
The city is located between and on the banks of the Belaya River. Population - 57905 people.
In 1916, a railway station appeared on the site of the current city, in connection with the start of road construction. In 1930, the state farm “Industry” was organized here.
The foundation of the city took place in 1951, and three years later the construction of the academic campus began. Due to the death of Stalin, work was suspended until 1956. Then the city began construction of the Kirov State District Power Plant. In 1956, the first residential building was put into operation.
In 1966 the city was reorganized. It included the village of Molodezhny.
Winter on the Kola Peninsula
This is the longest season in these parts. Winter lasts up to eight months. Snow cover appears in October, and in May the lakes and rivers are still frozen. And at the same time, in winter the Kola Peninsula (you see the photo in our article) is a unique, fairy-tale world. Despite the fact that the temperature can drop below 40 degrees, the cold is completely unfettered and practically unnoticeable due to the low level of humidity.
polar night
Due to the fact that the Kola Peninsula is located beyond the Arctic Circle, the polar night reigns here from the end of November to the end of January.
The black sky is strewn with bright stars, the cities are illuminated by electric lanterns. At noon, the sky brightens a little, with purple, dark blue and even pink hues appearing on it. Thus two short hours of twilight pass. Then the sky darkens again.
Northern lights
Few residents of the European part of our country have had the opportunity to see this extraordinary spectacle that adorns the Kola Peninsula in winter. The black sky suddenly blooms with tongues of fiery shades - from crimson to blue-green. It's like a laser show, you can't take your eyes off it. It can be observed from September to April. Until now, the northern lights are considered a mysterious phenomenon, which even residents of the Arctic cannot get used to.
Rivers of the peninsula
The reservoirs of this land are mainly fed by melt water (up to 60% of the flow). The rivers of the Kola Peninsula are deep for 2 months a year (May-June), and then they become significantly shallower. The water level in them largely depends on summer rains.
Their length exceeds 50 thousand km. They belong to the basin of two northern seas - the Barents and White. Some of them are more than 200 km long - Varzuga, Ponoy, Tuloma. They occupy 70% of the total area of the basins of the Murmansk region. Almost all rivers have a meridional flow direction; only the Ponoi River has a latitudinal flow.
Many Voronya, Umba, etc.) flow from large lakes. The water in them is usually greenish-blue and clear. During floods, rivers carry large amounts of silt, sand, and fallen leaves. The Kola Peninsula is characterized by long-term ice cover - 7 months, ice cover remains up to 210 days a year. The rivers open in May.
Hydro resources
On Niva, Kovda, Voronya there are hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs built. Unlike the lowland southern rivers, in the northern ones, due to the cooling of water on the rapids during the cold season, bottom ice forms.
The rivers of the Kola Peninsula are conventionally divided into four groups:
- semi-plain (Varzuga, Ponoy, Strelna);
- river-canals (Varzina, Niva, Kolvitsa);
- lake type (Umba, Drozdovka, Rynda);
- mountain type (Kuna, Malaya Belaya).
Fishing
The Kola Peninsula today is one of the most interesting places for true connoisseurs of trout and salmon fishing. It is well known all over the world as the best place for catching “noble fish”. Conventionally, fishermen divide the rivers of the peninsula into those that flow into the cold Barents Sea, and those that carry their waters to the White Sea.
Fishing on the Kola Peninsula is a pleasure not only for beginners, but also for experienced lovers of this activity. In July, a large number of not very large salmon - “tinda” - enter the rivers of the peninsula, and the August herds contain medium-sized salmon.
This harsh region left its mark on the inhabitants of reservoirs. In many rivers there are no grayling, here they are replaced by Arctic char and whitefish.
River trout here grows to a very respectable size of five and sometimes seven kilograms, and brown trout does not exceed 2 kilograms.
The most famous rivers that attract fishermen from all over the country and from abroad to the Kola Peninsula (Russia), belonging to the northern shore, are Yokanga, Kola, Rynda, Kharlovka, Varzina, Vostochnaya Litsa. It is here that the best wild fishing on the Kola Peninsula is organized.
Kharlovka River
This amazing river is well known to experienced salmon fishermen. In addition, travelers who appreciate the extraordinary northern nature often come here. They are attracted by the beautiful waterfall. Huge masses of water can lead to indescribable delight a person who has seen this stunning spectacle at least once.
Kharlovka is famous for its particularly large salmon and equally large trout. True, fish can pass through waterfall streams only if the water level in the river is appropriate. Sometimes anglers give up fishing and watch the salmon try to overcome this obstacle. In the white foam of water, the fish jumps out of the water. At the top of the waterfall there is a natural slab from which this process can be captured on film. Residents of the Kola Peninsula have long been no longer surprised by unique footage in which a huge fish seems to be flying into the camera lens.
Kharlovka has excellent fishing, which is why not only “savage” fishermen come here, but also high-quality organized tours are organized.
Bell
This river attracts with its combination of excellent fishing and natural beauty. Three large multi-stage waterfalls, a huge number of trout and salmon make this place extremely attractive.
Fishing on the Kola Peninsula on the Rynda River has many fans. Some of them have been coming to these places on fishing tours for 17-18 years.
Tersky coast
The rivers that are located on the southern Terek coast are very popular among wide circles of fishermen around the world.
This is the magnificent Umba River, and the rapids and free-flowing Varzuga with its tributaries, the Kitsa and Pana, inhabited by numerous salmon herds, and the famous Tersky rivers Strelna, Chapoma, Chavanga, Pyalitsa.
It should be noted that the rivers of the Tersky coast are distinguished by a very wide list of living fish. Schools of pink salmon, salmon, and sea trout come into them to spawn.
Brook trout, brown trout, grayling and whitefish live in these rivers.
Carp species include roach and ide. And predators are represented by perch, pike, burbot.
