The Valdaisky National Park is located in the
north of the Valdai Upland, on the territory of three districts of
the Novgorod region - Okulovsky, Valdaisky and Demyansky. The length
of the park is 105 km from north to south and 45 km from east to
west.
The Valdai Uplands are the cradle of many Russian
rivers: the sources of the Volga, Dnieper, Zapadnaya Dvina, Volkhov,
Msta are located here, most of the waters of the Neva and smaller
rivers are collected from here. Scientists have discovered a giant
network of underground water-bearing caves on the Valdai Hills, this
area is the main source of fresh water in Russia.
In order to
preserve the natural resources of Valdai, on May 17, 1990, the
Valdaisky National Park was established.
Bears, wolves,
lynxes, foxes, elks, wild boars, hares, badgers, martens, beavers,
otters and minks are found in the forests of the national park. Of
the birds, the most common are black grouse, hazel grouse,
capercaillie and ducks. Lakes and rivers are rich in various types
of fish - pike, bream, burbot, tench, crucian carp, smelt, pike
perch, vendace, roach, perch and ruff live in the park.
The list of archaeological monuments includes 82 objects - ancient
sites (VII-VI centuries BC), settlements, settlements, hills, mounds.
There are 9 monuments of landscape gardening art here - ancient estates
with parks, 22 most valuable monuments of architecture and wooden
architecture of the 17th-19th centuries. Among them are the Iversky
Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery, founded in 1653 on the Selvitsky
Island of Lake Valdai by the Patriarch of All Rus' Nikon; Catherine's
Church in the city of Valdai is a great creation of the Russian
architect N. A. Lvov (XVIII century), where the Museum of the History of
Valdai and the exposition "Valdai Bell" are now located. The city of
Valdai itself is a historical landmark - in 1996 it turned 500 years
old. In the village of Nikolskoye there is the first fish breeding plant
in Russia, created by the founder of scientific fish farming V. P.
Vrassky (1829-1863). was awarded the Gold Medal of the Russian Society
of Agriculture, as well as the medal of the Paris Acclimatization
Society. According to the report of the commission that examined the
Nikolsky fish hatchery, the Moscow Society of Agriculture at its regular
meeting on November 16, 1857 determined: “Mr. about that to the Ministry
of State Property and Internal Affairs ... ”(Minutes of the meeting of
the Moscow Society, 1857).
Some of the monuments are associated
with significant historical events. Here, not far from Yazhelbits, at
the so-called "Ignach Cross", the army of Khan Batu turned away,
refusing to attack Novgorod. In 1456, the famous "Yazhelbitsky peace"
was concluded between Novgorod and Moscow.
The national park is located in the northern part of the Valdai Upland in the territories of the Okulovsky, Valdai and Demyansky districts of the Novgorod region. On the territory of the Valdai Park there are about 200 lakes, 56 lakes with an area of more than 20 hectares.
The climate of the territory is temperate continental. Summers are relatively warm, winters are unstable. In January, the average temperature is -10°С, in July, the average temperature is 16-17°С. During the winter period, 80-100 mm of precipitation falls, during the summer period - 200-250 mm of precipitation.
The basis of the fauna of terrestrial vertebrates of the park are the following species: elk, wild boar, bear, hare, badger, fox, marten, lynx and other animals associated with living in water: river beaver, otter, mink, water rat, as well as ducks of all types. Of the order of chickens, the most numerous are hazel grouse, capercaillie, and black grouse. Wild boar, elk, white hare, squirrel, bear, beaver, etc. are widespread throughout the territory. The number of these animal species varies from year to year, but only slightly. The wolf is widespread throughout the park. The lakes and rivers of the park are rich in various types of fish: pike, bream, burbot, tench, crucian carp, smelt, vendace, pike perch, roach, perch, ruff and others.
The vegetation cover includes spruce, pine and birch forests, there are areas of northern oak forests with hazel, ash, nemoral forbs; there are raised bogs, upland meadows. The forest lands of the park make up 86% of the area. Plantations dominated by spruce occupy 28% of forest land, birch - 36%, pine - 17%, aspen - 3%, gray alder - 16%. 57 species of woody plants grow in the forests, including 42 wild and 15 cultivated.
Valdai National Park is one of the most visited parks due to its proximity to the largest Russian cities - Moscow and St. Petersburg. Here are the famous large lakes Valdaiskoe and Seliger, which have long been mastered by water tourists. There is a summer children's ecological camp on Lake Velyo.
The landscapes of the Valdaisky National Park are
quite diverse - hills and boulders alternate with water meadows, lakes,
birch groves and pine forests. To make it easier for nature lovers to
navigate among the local beauties, park staff have developed eco-trails
of various lengths, as well as prepared walking, car and bus excursions.
On the territory of the Valdaisky park, 82 archaeological sites were
discovered (ancient sites of the 7th-6th centuries BC, settlements,
burial mounds and hills).
Also on the territory there are 9
ancient estates with parks and 22 monuments of architecture and wooden
architecture of the 17th-19th centuries.
In the city of Valdai,
the beautiful Church of the Great Martyr Catherine, built at the end of
the 18th century by the Russian architect N.A. Lvov, has been preserved.
The building of the church, which is protected as an architectural
monument of republican significance, now houses the Museum of the
History of Valdai and the exposition "Valdai Bell".
The Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery,
which is an architectural monument of the 17th-18th centuries, stands on
an island in the middle of Lake Valdai.
The architectural complex
was built in the image and likeness of the Iberian Monastery on Mount
Athos. The monastery was named Svyatoozersky because before the
construction of the monastery, Patriarch Nikon conducted a ceremony of
consecrating the lake, lowering the cross and the Gospel to its bottom.
There are about 200 lakes on the territory of the Valdai National Park, of which 56 are large ones with an area of more than 20 hectares. Glacial lakes Borovno, Valdai, Uzhin, Velie and Seliger are called the pearls of the Central Russian zone.
The largest lake in the national park, with an area of
19.7 sq. km (excluding islands). The average depth of Lake Valdai is 12
meters, but in some places it reaches 60 meters. In the middle of this
picturesque lake of glacial origin is Ryabinovy Island, which divides
Valdai into two stretches. There are a couple of large islands in the
lake: Berezovy and Patochny.
Lake Valdai, along the shores of
which almost untouched primeval forests grow, is inferior in size to
other lakes in the Novgorod region, but its beauty is often compared to
Baikal.
According to scientists, the word "Valdai" comes from the
dialect word of the Finno-Ugric tribes that inhabited this land, and
means "bright, living water."
In the warm season, many tourists
from all over the European part of Russia come to Lake Valdai, doubling
the population of the city of Valdai. Vacationers swim, fish, pick
blueberries, cloudberries and lingonberries in the forest.
To visit the national park, you must obtain a permit. This can be
done at the Park Administration (Valdai city, Pobedy st., 5) or at the
state inspector responsible for parking (the employee is required to
present an appropriate certificate and issue a receipt).
For
visiting the territory of the Valdaisky National Park, you must pay a
fee of 200 rubles. from one person. This is a one-time payment, it does
not depend on the number of days spent in the national park. A number of
citizens have the right to free or preferential visits to the national
park.
On the territory of the Valdaisky National Park, tourists can place
tents only on specially equipped recreation areas.
There are more
than 80 tourist camps for guests, designed for temporary accommodation
from 4 to 100 people. Tables, sheds, toilets, garbage bins and fire
places have been prepared at the parking lots.
The list of sites
and their coordinates can be found on the official website of the
Valdaisky National Park.